A well-built website has the potential to close a sale or secure a call. However, if your website is hastily put together or incorporates unappealing design elements, users may click off before they can learn what your business has to offer.
If you are trying to take on the website design process yourself, here are five mistakes to avoid.
1) Too Much (Or Too Little) Going On
Within seconds of arriving at your website, a user should be able to learn what your company is all about. However, you should avoid cramming as much information as possible onto one page.
Avoid:
⦁ Bulky paragraphs
⦁ Flashy logos
⦁ Bright animations
⦁ Busy layouts
Award-winning company Roud Studio suggests creating “simple, intuitive, and always rationale” designs. When even the experts are avoiding over-the-top design elements, you should too.
On the flip side, you need to make sure you provide a curious user with enough information. Don’t leave your potential customers guessing. Minimalism is a good thing, especially on a website home page. Just don’t sacrifice usability and the ability to convey your company’s offerings.
2) Poor CTAs
A CTA (or call-to-action) needs to tell your visitors what to do. Some good examples of effective CTAs include:
● Click here to sign up!
● Learn more about our product!
● Call us today!
● Get a 20% off coupon here!
All of these commands are direct and inform your visitor on how to engage with your business team. Offer enough details, so your visitors know what steps they need to take and what information they need to provide you.
When constructing your CTAs, be sure not to annoy your visitors. If you want a signup form to pop up, allow users to browse your website for several minutes before asking users for their information. Bombarding your visitors with CTAs can cause them to click off in frustration.
3) Poor Images
Graphics and photos are significant elements of website design. However, when you misuse these elements, they can decrease your website’s appeal.
Avoid using blurry, cropped, or otherwise low-quality images on your site. Not only do they look unattractive, but they can also negatively affect your rankings on Google and other search engines.
Another mistake that businesses make when building their websites is using irrelevant images. Your visual content should never confuse or mislead an audience. Take your own pictures of your company, products, and team members to give visitors an authentic and relevant visual experience.
4) Hidden Navigation
In a fast-paced online world, users want to jump from one page to another rapidly. Do not make your navigation menu hard to find. Being unable to find the navigation menu or search bar on a website is frustrating and time-wasting.
To grant your visitors the best experience possible with your website, place these elements in plain sight, and ensure that they are fully functional.
5) Failing to Cater to Your Target Audience
Some websites are highly professional, yet appeal to youthful audiences and trends. Any theme for your website is acceptable, so long as it caters to your target audience. Failure to do so can cause your visitors to lose trust in you as an industry leader.
Are you a party planner with a darkly colored website with no pictures? Chances are, visitors will click off to find another service provider with a more fun-filled site.
Give Your Visitors a Reason to Contact You
No matter how well-designed your website is, it won’t do any good if you don’t give reasons an incentive to reach out.
Incorporate your contact information in an engaging way, including a phone number and email. Make the text bold, large, and stand out from your website’s other written content. This way, your website design efforts will be well-rewarded!
