Many small business owners don’t often understand the fundamentals of effective web design. Keeping the target audience and brand image in mind will result in a stunning website that communicates effectively. Here are some frequent common web design mistakes that might frustrate visitors and see them close your website down.
1. Slow-loading landing pages
One common web design mistake is making your navigation menu difficult to find. The website must be designed to load quickly. Graphics or auto-play videos should be eliminated from the home page if they slow down page load speeds. Did you know that 70% of visitors who have to wait more than 3 seconds for a webpage to load will leave the website altogether?
2. Web designing without research
The website’s design automatically attracts a specific type of visitor. Effective web designs take into account the target audience’s age, educational background, and reason for visiting the site.
3. Cluttered pages
Display important business information on your website right away. Visitors who can’t see what your website is about inside the first few seconds will leave. Too many pictures, too much text makes it tough for your readers to get the information they’re looking for.
4. Stale content – Design mistake
The importance of content in your website and marketing campaign cannot be overstated. Fresh content attracts the audience and improves your site’s search engine rankings.
5. Poor-quality images
Web design has to include the use of photos and graphics. There are plenty of royalty free stock image sites out there that provide high quality images. High-quality original photos are a crucial investment even if you’re starting on a minimal budget. This is a common web design mistake that can be easily fixed.
6. Broken links
Broken links annoy visitors, reduces their trust in your company, and harms your site’s search engine rankings. Go through your website, or get others to go through your website to check the links and buttons to ensure that everything is working. Click here to read more on fixing broken links on your website.
7. Bad typography
Use readable, professional-looking typefaces that are large enough to be read comfortably by the average glasses’ wearer. If the visitor struggles to read the website, they will most likely leave within seconds.
8. Poor CTA
Call to action (CTA) is the entrance to your business. Contact information and calls to action should be prominently displayed on every page of your website. It’s advisable to provide a phone number and email address so customers may contact you right away. Check out this link for more on CTA’s
9. Adverts – Common mistake
In the realm of online design, advertising is a necessary evil. Too many adverts though, especially those that are loud and bright, will irritate your visitors. This is a common web design mistake as we try to create balance with the business needs and user experience.
10. Mobile responsive design
Mobile-friendly web designs are really helpful for professionals and busy parents who use their mobile phones for product research and purchase. Mobile responsiveness ensures that images and content resize properly; and removing non-essential information to avoid scrolling through an infinite stream of content. Obvious, right?
11. Poor search functionality
A quality website should have effective search capability. To give the best user experience, make sure to tag, categorise, and label everything that is searchable. This way, when google looks for businesses like yours, your website, if tagged and labelled properly will come up higher in the ranks.
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