Business owners must make their website a priority. In the past, a company could get by with the bare minimum when it came to its site. However, as e-commerce continues to increase in popularity, the website gains importance. A website that is lacking in any way will turn potential and existing customers away. This leads to a loss in revenue. Sadly, this happens more than people realize.
A small business owner might choose to design their website in an effort to save money while retaining more control over the site. They often don’t understand what a good web design involves, and their website and sales suffer as a result.
Think of web design as an art form. It needs to provide the viewer with an experience they won’t forget while combining form and function in a way that draws people in. It needs to provide them with an enjoyable and interesting experience and a site that is easy to navigate. To accomplish this, professional web designers must follow certain rules, both spoken and unspoken ones.
However, many business owners fail to follow these rules and their website suffers. Never allow your website to fall into this category. According to Code Web, the following mistakes are commonly seen and need to be avoided at all costs.
Table of Contents
Avoid a Busy Site
Visitors arrive at the site wanting specific information in most cases. They don’t want to waste precious time to find what they need and will leave if it takes more than a few seconds to locate it. However, this doesn’t mean a business owner should cram everything above the fold. Too much information will turn the visitor off as quickly as too little. It’s important to find the right balance and ensure the page loads in a reasonable time. Excessive images and text on a page will take more time to load while confusing the visitor. Stay away from busy designs to keep the visitor on the site and engaging with the page.
A Dearth of Information
However, minimalist sites aren’t of much benefit to visitors either. While many sites make use of this technique, the successful ones find a way to provide the necessary information without going overboard. The site must be clear in its message and not leave too much to the imagination. A visitor wants to know more about who they are working with before any money exchanges hands. Furthermore, they want to know how the offerings of the business will add value to their lives. Without this information, they are likely to move on to another site. Simple imagery is of help, but visitors need clear direction when it comes to what they will find on the site. Never leave them guessing.
Avoid Confusion
Consistency remains key to a successful website. When a site contains multiple typefaces, color palettes, themes, and more, they all need to relate to each other. If they don’t, the visitor will not gain brand recognition, which is important when it comes to brand recognition. Businesses can avoid this by cementing their brand image before they begin working on the site. They need to choose one or two design templates and stick with those rather than using all that catch the eye. Furthermore, the business owner must determine what they want to convey with each page and ensure all elements of the page relate to that topic. View the site holistically rather than as individual components. Pick one theme, one logo, and one typeface and use them throughout for the best results.
An Ineffective Call-to-Action
The call-to-action tells the visitor what to do next. The CTA must be very clear in letting the visitor know what they need to do and what will happen if they do it. Ensure it provides information on what they must provide, but don’t overwhelm them. The website owner must find the right balance between being helpful and annoying the visitor to the point that they want to go elsewhere for the products and services they need. Finally, don’t immediately hit them with the CTA when they arrive on the site. It’s best to let them gather a little information before they are asked to do something or commit to anything.
Effective Use of Content and White Space
Content remains king when it comes to websites. This material provides information about the business and the products or services offered. Readers need to be able to read the content easily, so choose contrast colors carefully. Black letters on a white page are easy to read, for example. However, some people find it difficult to read white letters on a black page. Furthermore, the font choice plays a crucial role in how long visitors stay on a webpage. Don’t choose a fancy font that some people might find difficult to read. Basic is better in this situation.
Don’t cram content on a page. Leave white space to encourage visitors to explore the site. This negative space makes the site less intimidating. Break the text up into small portions and use infographics and other visuals when possible. Never assume white space must be white. This term simply refers to any open space between images and text. It can be whatever color the website designer chooses. Keep in mind the content must be easy to read for the best results.
When creating content for a site, make certain it is relevant and unique. Visitors don’t want to arrive at the site only to see the same information that they found elsewhere. Additionally, search engines consider the unique nature of the content and its relevancy when ranking sites. For this reason, never reuse content from another site. Doing so could bring your search engine ranking down.
Inappropriate Images
Images play a crucial role in the design of a website. They send a message to the viewer and convey a complex thought more readily than text. Sadly, many business owners fail to realize this and use images that are irrelevant to the content or ones of low-quality that leave the viewer wondering what they are. As a result, the visitor will head to another site to get the information they want or need. They don’t want to spend the time required to determine what the image is and why it is on the page.
Unclear Navigation
Visitors should be able to move through a website seamlessly. If they encounter navigation problems, they won’t stick around to try to find what they are looking for. Thanks to advances in technology, people expect to have what they want at their fingertips at all times. If a site doesn’t deliver, they simply move on to one that will. Ensure every visitor finds the navigation menu with ease and can use it without encountering any issues.
Make the Site Attractive to the Target Audience
Small business owners recognize the importance of knowing their target audience. They understand who is most likely to buy their products and services and how to market to these individuals. However, they often seem to disregard this information when creating their website. The site needs to attract the right visitors and make them feel comfortable when they arrive on any page.
A website for a legal firm will probably feature neutral colors and minimal images. In contrast, a hot, new nightclub in town will want a website that is fun, bubbly, and hip. The firm’s site has an elegant feel while the nightclub’s site gives off a trendy vibe. Try to speak to the target audience because no site can please everyone. Don’t make your appeal to a wide range of visitors. Focus on those who will be inclined to buy or try and see better results with the site.
Missing Contact Information
Countless business owners fail to provide contact information or make it difficult for the visitor to find these details. As soon as the customer decides to spend their money, make certain they can do so. If they have to search for contact information or hunt down where and how to pay, the odds of them going elsewhere increase significantly. Include contact information on every page to make certain they don’t encounter this problem.
Inconveniently Placed Ads
Blogs frequently contain ads, as this is how the owner makes money. An excessive number of ads or ones that distract from the content the viewer came to see do more harm than good and could lead to a loss of business. Pop-up ads remain the most frustrating distractions for visitors, so use them minimally. In addition, make certain they don’t cover the entire screen and that the viewer can easily close them out.
When designing a website, do so with the target audience in mind. Make certain every element of the site presents the right image of the business and monitor what visitors have to say. Never ignore feedback from those who visit the site, as they see what works and what doesn’t from a different perspective. When companies take this feedback into account, they find they have a gorgeous website that produces results. The goal has been achieved.
About Carson Derrow
