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Websites are often the first impression a company makes to potential customers. A poorly designed website can scare away potential customers and ruin a business’s reputation.
Having a website that is user-friendly, informative, and visually appealing is essential to any business’s success. However, most startups and small businesses fail to realize the importance of website design and end up making critical mistakes that cost them customers, sales, and ultimately their business.
In this article, we will discuss some of the best ways to fail at web design. We’ll also provide tips on how to avoid these mistakes and build a website that will ultimately boost your business. Read on!
The surest way to fail at web design is to make your website too complex.
A common mistake businesses make is thinking that more is better. They stuff their website with so much information and so many features that it becomes overwhelming and confusing for users. This results in a high bounce rate, which means people are leaving your site without taking any action.
From the logo and other design elements to the copy and navigation, everything on your website should be simple and straightforward. If your website is for a musician, then ensure that from the creator of the music logo to the designer of the website all understand the needs of the target audience.
Your website should be simple and easy to navigate. Users should be able to find what they’re looking for within a few clicks. If they can’t, they’ll leave your site and go to a competitor’s.
Make sure your website is easy to use by keeping the following in mind:
Use clear and concise text
Organize information using headings and subheadings
Use bullet points and lists
Include calls to action
Use easy-to-read fonts
Optimize for mobile devices
Another way businesses fail at website design is by ignoring search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of optimizing your site for Google and other search engines.
When done correctly, SEO can help your website rank higher in search results, which leads to more traffic and more customers.
However, many businesses either don’t know about SEO or choose to ignore it. As a result, their websites are buried on the last page of Google where no one will ever find them.
Make sure your website is optimized for SEO by doing the following:
Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions
Include keyword-rich text on your pages
Optimize your images with keywords
Add alt text to images
Create a sitemap and submit it to Google
Your website should be designed with your customers in mind. However, many businesses forget about their customers and design their websites solely for themselves.
For example, they might include features that they think are cool but that their customers don’t actually want or need. Or they might make it difficult for users to find the information they’re looking for.
The bottom line is that your website should be designed with your customers’ needs and wants in mind. Everything from the layout to the copy to the call to action should be geared towards helping them achieve their goals.
If you’re not sure what your customers want, ask them! You can send out surveys, conduct interviews, or even just ask them for their feedback.
Make sure you’re constantly considering your customers when designing and updating your website.
Over 50% of web traffic is now from mobile devices, yet many businesses still don’t optimize their websites for mobile.
Mobile optimization is the process of making sure your website looks and works great on mobile devices. This includes everything from the layout to the size of your text and images.
If you’re not optimizing your site for mobile, you’re missing out on a huge portion of your potential audience. Not to mention, Google now ranks mobile-friendly websites higher in search results.
Make sure your website is optimized for mobile by doing the following:
Use a responsive design
Use large font sizes
Use large buttons
Use short and concise text
Optimize images for mobile
Use minimalistic design
Another sure way to fail at web design is to use poor-quality images. This is a huge mistake because humans are visual creatures. In fact, studies have shown that people are more likely to remember information if it’s accompanied by an image.
This means that the images you use on your website play a critical role in how users perceive your business. If you use poor-quality images, they’ll think your business is low quality as well.
Make sure the images you use on your website are high quality and relevant to your business.
Web design is constantly evolving. What was once considered good design is now outdated and even considered bad design.
This means that it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest web design trends. Otherwise, you risk using techniques that will make your website look dated and unprofessional.
Some outdated web design techniques include:
Using Flash
Creating long pages with scrolling text
Using bright, neon colours
Using too much animation
Make sure your website is using the latest web design trends by doing some research and staying up-to-date on the latest industry news.
There you have it! These are just a few of the ways you can fail at website design. Avoid these mistakes and you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful website.