Here are some interesting statistics; up to 69% of Americans have bought an item online. 81% will base a purchase decision on online research. While 40% of consumers will like or hate your company, depending on a decision, they make after reading only three reviews.
You may be wondering why we are sharing with you the statistics. We are trying to impress upon you why you need to avoid the worst website design mistakes. A good design will mean the difference between success and failure on the online platform.
We’ll share with you the common design mistakes, and why you need to avoid them.
Worst Website Design Mistakes to Avoid
A good website design should be user-friendly for ease of navigation. The design should be attractive enough to capture and keep the attention of the user. Find below web design tips and tricks to consider.
1. Having Too Much or Too Little Information
Poorly designed websites tend to have too much information. It could be too much text or too many images which quite honestly no one has time to read. Your visitors should get a general idea of what you’re about, with a simple glance.
The reverse is also true; don’t be too minimalistic in the content. No web visitor has the time to fill in the ‘blanks’ because of what you leave out. It may give the impression that you are lazy and don’t want to bother with details.
Websites are dynamic, and you can always update the information when the need arises.
2. Haphazard Placement of Material
You can come across some websites, and the first thoughts that go through your mind are confusion. There is the haphazard placement of colors, images, themes, text, among others. The website does not present well and seems to be a mishmash of ideas.
There’re so many professional design templates in the online platform. There’re also those who deal with web designs business, who can handle the task for you. Choose and stick to one theme, logo and typeface, and apply it throughout the website pages
3. Not Placing Enough Emphasis on the Call-To-Action (CTA)
One of the worst mistakes you can make is ignoring the call-to-action. Website visitors need that gentle push to take notice of what you have to offer. A call to action with an incentive is even more enticing.
Take advantage of any promotions you’re running like discounts or coupons for inclusion in your CTA. The visitor is likely to click on ‘CLICK HERE FOR A 10% DISCOUNT, than a simple ‘CALL US FOR MORE INFORMATION’ CTA. Do note, however, it’s better to have the latter than none at all.
One tip for good website designs for small business is to have a leads generation form. But don’t fall into the temptation of trying to get too much detail from the visitors. Keep it as simple as possible so that you increase your chances of getting feedback
Your call-to-action should have a number that they will use. Many website visitors will not bother with incomplete information. With so many competitors, you can’t afford to overlook such factors.
4. Not Understanding Your Target Audience
Marketing 101 demands that you have a very clear profile of your target audience. By understanding them, you can tailor information that is relevant to them. The same will have an impact on the look and feel of your website.
If you’re, for example, targeting teenagers, a professional-looking website would be a turn off to them. You’ll, however, win big if you use catchy, high-resolution pictures on what they like. Use of celebrity endorsement will also work because they tend to be followers of trends.
5. Ignoring the Importance of SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a wonderful marketing tool. Web designs for small business must incorporate the use of content on their websites. There’re tools you can use to check keyword rankings to increase your SERPS. The proper use of the content will allow you to talk about your business in detail.
The use of long tail keywords will help with ranking, which will result in better leads. It also gives you a platform to become an authority in your field, while helping you create awareness of your company. Make sure that you post fresh content regularly.
Visitors to your website don’t want to keep finding the same information every time they visit your site. You can never exhaust possible topics to write about, especially if you have a pulse on what your customers want.
Don’t forget to link your social media pages to your website for additional traffic. Not only will you get a higher ranking on the search engines, but you can also actively engage with your audience.
6. Not Measuring the Performance of the Website
There’s no point in investing in good website design if you don’t measure how it’s performing. You need to gauge how it’s progressing and whether it’s running optimally. By doing this, you give yourself the chance to make the necessary adjustments on what is not working.
You don’t even have to invest in very expensive analytic tools. Google Analytics can provide you with a lot of information, and it’s not a difficult one to use.
7. Not Optimizing for Mobile
Web design for small business basics requires that whatever you do on the online platform should be available on mobile. People are constantly on-the-go and tend to use their mobile phones a lot, even for making online purchases.
Time to Build a Great Website
We have shared some of the worst website design mistakes you need to avoid. There are many templates that you can use to your advantage. You can also visit our website for great tools and tips which will take your website to the next level.
Even if you decide to do most of the website design work on your own, we would recommend that you get an expert to look at it. You may spend some money, but a good website is an investment worth making.
There is a large market out there, and small businesses cannot afford not to tap into it. Good web design will draw in people, and the right strategy will turn web visitors into lifelong customers.