It is no secret that more and more businesses are increasing their online presence to attract customers and generate sales. Although the company website used to be a bit of an afterthought, it is now a priority for several organisations.
A well-laid out website with product information, company details and value added content should entice visitors to come back time and time again.
However, with years of experience designing comprehensive websites for a wide variety of clients, you’d be surprised at how many fundamental mistakes we come across. So when it comes to web design, here are some mistakes that should be avoided.
1. Poor navigation
Any visitor needs to be able to navigate through all the website’s pages with ease. If a user cannot find specific information quickly and efficiently, they will get annoyed and probably leave. Good navigation will keep users on the site for longer and help reach your primary website objectives.
2. Out-dated information
Visiting a website to purchase a particular product only to discover that it isn’t in stock and hasn’t been for quite some time is incredibly frustrating. In fact, any old information that is no longer applicable to the business will put off potential customers, so ensure content is always up-to-date.
3. Too many images
Even though images can be an attractive asset for any website, don’t go overboard with visual content. A page populated by hectic images will hurt navigation, make the site hard to read and confuse visitors. What’s more, it can have a negative impact on loading times too.
4. Dead links
The inclusion of hyperlinks can add weight to website content and also improve SEO, but if the destination site no longer exists, you’ll be left with some unhappy visitors. As a result of broken or dead links, your online reputation and credibility will hugely suffer.
5. Too much attention on design
Any talented web developer will be able to produce a site full of impressive graphics and clever features. However, it is easy to go overboard with these design inclusions and lose track of what you want your website to display.
6. Little to no appealing content
Having an attractive and appealing website is all well and good, but it is often the content that matters most. Visitors want to interact and be entertained by page copy, which could include interesting product descriptions, the latest industry news or a unique company blog.
7. No call to action
Even if your site is receiving several hits, it is the conversion rate that matters most. Whether its getting visitors to sign up for a mailing list or purchase a product, know what the goal of your website is and encourage the audience to take the next step.
8. Unsecure site
If you’re championing e-commerce and have an online shopping portal, a secure site with a shopping cart that works is absolutely essential. Unfortunately, online fraud remains a major problem, so prove that your site is completely legitimate.
9. Ignoring analytics
Without analysing and scrutinising pages, there is no way of knowing how people are using your site. A great deal of information can be utilised to improve website performance.
10. Going it alone
The constantly changing and evolving world of web design is difficult to keep up with, which often means companies cannot cope with what is required in-house. Leading SEO agency Mintcandy are able to provide extensive web development solutions, regardless of a businesses size or industry.