Millions of people and organisations all over the world have their own websites, but some of them fail to realise how instrumental web design is for their site’s success. It isn’t a big secret that a lot of people who check out websites make business decisions based on what they can immediately see, which is the web design.
More often than not, many website owners commit web design mistakes that—without their knowledge—can have huge consequences down the road. Here are 7 common web design mistakes and what to do about them.
1. Going overboard with the web design
It is but natural for anyone to want to have a nicely-designed website, but going overboard with the web design can prove to be such a turnoff for many readers and potential clients and customers. A flashy design may catch attention, but holding it for a long time is an entirely different story. People are typically annoyed by over-the-top web design and end up exiting the site altogether. Just keep things as simple and as enjoyable as possible and your chances of keeping a reader around longer will become better.
2. Little or no information
Many website owners forget that the reason they have a website in the first place is to let people know everything there is to know about their business and their products and services. So what’s with the practically hidden contact information on your site? If anything, all essential contact information and description of products and services should be conspicuously displayed and easy to find.
3. Lengthy and confusing customer forms
Customer forms are an indispensable part of any business website. Some websites, however, tend to have lengthy and confusing customer forms that, to be perfectly honest, drive people away. You’ll know if you have lengthy and confusing customer forms if visitors take an hour or so to fill them all up. What you need to do is to cut down and simplify the forms. I mean, how much information do you really want to squeeze out of a potential customer anyway? Keep in mind that people check out a website because they want information, not give a lot of it away.
4. Bad content layout
When we read a newspaper or magazine, we want everything, from text to images, to be laid out perfectly to make things easier to read. The same is true with websites, which work very much like print media. So if you have a habit of dumping nothing more than a block of text onto your pages without any regard for space breaks or aesthetics, it’s time to rethink your web design choices. When laying out content, never neglect headings, sub-headings, bullets, keywords, paragraphs and of course, images because they all make reading your site all the easier and more convenient.
5. Missing trust indicators
D you want your potential clients and customers to trust you? Then put up indicators that you are, indeed, worthy of their trust. Far too many websites have become too cavalier about asking for credit card numbers or other sensitive information online without even giving their audience an idea how trustworthy they are. To show people how trustworthy you are, prominently post on your site favorable consumer ratings, legit association memberships, certifications and seals of approval from reputable organizations. Always remember that nobody does business with someone they don’t trust.
6. Excessive images
Images help boost the appeal of the content. When images overrun any one web page, however, they become a major turnoff and get on peoples’ nerves. Keep in mind that images are there to guide readers, not overwhelm them. So if you can, just put the right amount of images and use them where and when appropriate.
7. Lack of testing
So your website looks great in, say, Google Chrome, which is what you presumably use all the time. What about Mozilla Firefox? Internet Explorer? Safari? Never forget that there are other browsers out there, and there’s always the possibility that your website won’t appear as great there. The only way to find out if your site shows up fine in other browsers is to test, test and test.
It’s great if you’re into DIY and you have some skills in web design, but to get the most out of your website’s design, we recommend that you get the services of a skilled and experienced web designer to do your small business some justice on the Internet.