A website is not just a web addressit’s your brand’s online identity. If you’re operating an e-commerce store or a digital marketing agency or even a personal website, the layout of your website has a direct impact on the user experience and search engine performance and the conversion rate.
Unknowingly, many companies make design mistakes on their websites that affect their overall performance. In this article we’ll reveal the most frequently made mistakes made by designers on websites and provide suggestions to rectify them, assisting you increase the user-friendliness of your website and engagement as well as overall performance.
1. Poor Navigation Structure
The Mistake:
The most difficult user experiences is trying to locate information on a site. The complicated or overloaded navigation menus can confuse visitors leading to higher bounce rates and reducing the chance of conversion.
Why It’s a Problem:
- Confuses users
- Reduces user engagement
- It negatively affects SEO
How to Fix It:
- Use the simple and consistent menu on the top or on the side of your website.
- Make use of sensible categories and limit dropdowns to a minimum.
- Include an Search bar to make it easy to access.
- Make sure that the most important pages (Home About, Home Services, Home Contact) easily accessible.
2. Not Mobile-Responsive
The Mistake:
Many companies don’t have websites that adapt with mobile device usage. With more than 60 percent of all web visitors coming from mobile devices it’s an incredibly mistake.
Why It’s a Problem:
- Mobile users experience a bad experience
- The bounce rate is increasing
- Lowers Google position (Google makes use of mobile-first indexing)
How to Fix It:
- Use a responsive design framework like Bootstrap.
- Test your site on different screen sizes.
- Prioritize buttons that allow for touch and simple scrolling.
- Optimize content to fit on smaller screens without impacting user experience.
3. Slow Loading Speed
The Mistake:
Modern web users want websites to load quickly. Just one second could reduce conversion rates by as much as 7 percent. Images that are too large, too many plugins and a poor host can all cause long loading times.
Why It’s a Problem:
- Poor user experience
- Conversions are less
- Lower search rankings
How to Fix It:
- Convert images using tools such as TinyPNG and ImageOptim.
- Use fast, reliable hosting.
- Allow web browser cache and reduce CSS/JS files.
- Utilize the content delivery Network (CDN) for the world’s largest reach.
4. Cluttered or Inconsistent Design
The Mistake:
Try to impress your customers with excessive design elements -flashy animations, numerous fonts, and bright colors can lead to a messy and unprofessional appearance.
Why It’s a Problem:
- Incredibly impressive for the user
- This makes navigation and reading difficult
- The brand’s name is distorted
How to Fix It:
- Make sure you stick to an minimalist, clean style with lots of white space.
- Select to use a regular style of font and color scheme..
- Make sure you readability is at the forefront and that you are simple.
- Create a consistent layout on every page.
5. No Clear Call to Action (CTA)
The Mistake:
A lot of websites fail to provide the user through an easy call to action. No matter what it is “Buy Now,” “Contact Us,” or “Download a Guide,” without CTAs the users aren’t certain of what to do next.
Why It’s a Problem:
- Reduces conversions
- Inability to direct flow of users
- Can cause confusion or even anger
How to Fix It:
- Include CTAs that are visible over the fold, and in your content.
- Utilize an the action-oriented languages: “Start Free Trial,” “Book a Demo,” etc.
- Make sure your CTAs stand out with the background of your website.
- A/B tests various CTA layouts and designs to determine the highest performance.
6. Lack of SEO Optimization
The Mistake:
The design of a stunning website is amazing, but if it’s poorly optimized to be found by search engines, fewer people will ever see it. The failure to consider SEO when designing your site is a huge error.
Why It’s a Problem:
- Low organic traffic
- Search results are not visible to the public.
- More reliance on paid advertisements
How to Fix It:
- Make sure to use appropriate head tags (H1 H1, H2 and H3,).
- Optimize the alt text of images and name of the file.
- You should ensure rapid page loading speed and responsiveness on mobile devices.
- Develop search engine friendly URLs Meta titles, and descriptions.
- Install SEO-related extensions (e.g., Yoast SEO for WordPress).
7. Missing or Hard-to-Find Contact Information
The Mistake:
Contacting you should not have to go through many pages. Many companies don’t bother providing contact details or even a contact form.
Why It’s a Problem:
- Sales opportunities that were not taken advantage of
- Diminishes credibility and trust
- Users are dissatisfied
How to Fix It:
- Include an Contact Us page that offers multiple contact options (email telephone, form,).
- Include social media links.
- Contact information should be within your footer or the header of every page.
- Utilize the live chat or chatbots to get immediate assistance, if you are able to.
Bonus Mistakes to Avoid:
Outdated Design:
Websites that appear as if they were created in 2010 convey an impression that your company is also outdated. Always update your website’s style to reflect the current fashions.
No SSL Certificate:
A secure website (HTTPS) is essential today. Websites that do not have SSL will display an error message in browsers and frighten potential customers.
Autoplay Videos/Sounds:
Playing media automatically can cause irritation to users, causing them to quit your site immediately.
Conclusion
It is the site that serves as your online storefront. It must be quick, simple to navigate, and built to convert. Making sure you avoid these most common mistakes on a website’s design will dramatically improve the customer experience, search engine rankings and the performance of sales. When you’re building a new website or re-designing an existing one be sure to pay attention to these components.
Making the investment in the best web designers, frequent reviews, and monitoring of performance will ensure that your website is in line with the latest trends, technologies and the expectations of users. Keep in mind that great design doesn’t just mean appearances, it’s about functionality, flow and performance.
Need Assistance with Website Design?
In WebMarkitors We create speedy mobile-friendly, SEO-optimized, and mobile-friendly websites that are converting. No matter if you’re a newbie or a well-established brand, our team of web designers can assist you in creating an amazing online presence.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment for no cost!
