A website is often the first impression a customer has of a business. In today’s digital age, it is more important than ever to have a well-designed website that looks good and functions properly. Unfortunately, many businesses make common web design mistakes that turn customers away. It’s crucial to prioritize website design, as it plays a pivotal role in shaping the user experience and influencing customer perceptions of your brand.
Making a website is hard. Making a website that people will want to stay on, buy from, or invest their time in is even harder. This is why many companies outsource their web design, choosing to use services such as Cultivate Digital, a web design melbourne company, to ensure they get the best results with a lead-generating website. Also, if you looking for best 2D & 3D animation services animation studio perth is your one stop shop.
In this article, we will outline the most common web design mistakes, and how you can avoid them. We will also provide data-driven tips for creating a website design as more effective as one done by a digital marketing agency and will engage and convert customers.
Not Optimizing for Mobile
In 2020, it is estimated that there will be nearly 3 billion smartphone users worldwide. This number is only going to continue to grow as time goes on. Yet, many businesses still have not optimized their website for mobile devices.
What does it mean to optimize for mobile? Optimizing for mobile means creating a design that looks good and functions properly on smaller screens. This can be accomplished by using responsive design, which automatically adjusts the layout of your website based on the device it is being viewed on.
Not optimizing for mobile is one of the most common web design mistakes because it results in a poor user experience. Customers are more likely to leave a website that is not optimized for mobile and go to a competitor’s site that is. In fact, 61% of users are unlikely to return to a website that they had trouble
accessing from their phone and 40% will visit a competitor’s site instead.
To avoid this mistake, make sure to use responsive website design when creating your website. You can also test how your website looks on different devices by using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
Using Outdated Web Design Trends
To avoid using outdated web design trends, make sure to do your research and stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends. You can do this by reading design blogs, watching the latest tutorials on how to create a wordpress blog, attending webinars, or following design leaders on social media.
Some examples of outdated web design trends include:
- Flash animation
- Intrusive pop-ups
- Auto-playing videos or audio
- Cluttered pages with too much text or too many images
- Outdated fonts or color schemes
Using outdated web design trends not only makes your website look dated, but it can also negatively impact the user experience. Customers are less likely to stay on a website that uses these types of old-fashioned design elements.
To avoid using outdated web design trends, make sure to do your research and stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends. You can do this by reading design blogs, attending webinars, or following design leaders on social media.
Not Creating a Unique Design
In a world where there are millions of websites, it is important to make yours stand out from the rest. Unfortunately, many businesses make the mistake of not creating a unique design for their website.
When your website looks like every other website in your industry, it makes it difficult for customers to remember you. Additionally, it can be hard to build trust with potential customers if your website looks identical to that of your competitors.
To create a unique design for your website, start by defining your brand’s aesthetic. What colors and fonts represent your brand? What type of images do you want to use? Once you have a clear understanding of your brand’s aesthetic, you can begin to design your website.
When designing your website, make sure to avoid using generic templates. Instead, take the time to customize every aspect of your site so that it is truly unique.
Not Incorporating Calls-to-Action
A call-to-action (CTA) is a button or link that asks the user to take a specific action, such as “Buy Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Learn More.” CTAs are an important part of any website because they help guide users through the conversion process.
However, many businesses make the mistake of not incorporating CTAs into their web design. Without CTAs, users may not know what to do next or how to take advantage of your products or services.
To make sure your website includes CTAs, start by identifying the actions you want users to take. Once you know what actions you want users to take, you can design CTAs that guide them through the conversion process.
Your CTAs should be clear, concise, and easy to spot. They should also stand out from the rest of your web design so that users cannot miss them.
Not Optimizing for Search Engines
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website for Google and other search engines. When done correctly, SEO can help your website rank higher in search results, which can lead to more traffic and conversions.
However, many businesses make the mistake of not optimizing their website for SEO. They either do not know how to optimize their site or they do not think it is necessary. As a result, their website is less likely to be found by potential customers.
To make sure your website is optimized for SEO, start by doing keyword research. Identify the keywords that are most relevant to your business and incorporate them into your web design. Your website’s title, meta descriptions, headers, and alt text should all include keywords so that search engines can easily index your site. You should also make sure your website’s content is high-quality and keyword-rich.
Not Making Your Website Mobile-Friendly
More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to access the internet, which is why it is important to make sure your website is mobile-friendly. A mobile-friendly website is one that can be easily viewed and used on a small screen.
However, many businesses make the mistake of not making their website mobile-friendly. They either do not know how to Optimize their site for mobile or they think it is not necessary. As a result, their website is less likely to be found by potential customers.
To make sure your website is mobile-friendly, start by doing a mobile audit. This will help you identify any areas of your website that need to be improved for mobile users.
Some things you should look for include a responsive design, large font sizes, and clickable links. You should also make sure your website loads quickly on mobile devices.
Not Incorporating User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is any content that is created by users, such as reviews, ratings, and comments. Commonly utilized by a social media marketing agency, UGC can be a valuable asset for any business because it helps build trust and credibility with potential customers.
However, many businesses make the mistake of not incorporating UGC into their web design. They either do not know how to use UGC or they think it is not necessary. As a result, their website is less likely to be found by potential customers.
To make sure your website includes UGC, start by incorporating customer reviews and testimonials. You can also use UGC to create social proof, which is when users see that others are using and enjoying your products or services.
Your UGC should be placed prominently on your website so that potential customers can see it. You should also make sure your UGC is updated regularly so that it stays relevant.
Not Incorporating Videos
Videos are a great way to engage with potential customers and promote your products or services. They are also an effective way to rank higher in search results.
However, many businesses make the mistake of not incorporating videos into their web design. They either do not know how to use videos or they think it is not necessary. As a result, their website is less likely to be found by potential customers.
To make sure your website includes videos, start by creating a video strategy. This will help you determine what types of videos you should create and where you should place them on your website. Your videos should be high-quality and informative. They should also be placed prominently on your website so that potential customers can see them.
Not Incorporating Animation
Animation is a great way to engage with potential customers and add interest to your web design. However, many businesses make the mistake of not incorporating animation into their design. They either do not know how to use animation or they think it is not necessary. As a result, their website is less likely to be found by potential customers.
To make sure your website includes animation, start by adding it to your homepage. You can also use animation in your email marketing and social media campaigns.
Your animation should be high-quality and relevant to your brand. It should also be placed prominently on your website so that potential customers can see it.
Not Testing Your Website
Before you launch your website, it is important to test it to make sure everything is working properly. Many businesses make the mistake of not testing their website before they launch it. They either do not know how to test their website or they think it is not necessary. As a result, their website is less likely to be found by potential customers.
To make sure your website is tested properly, start by doing a dry run. This will help you identify any areas of your website that need to be fixed before you launch it. You should also ask someone else to test your website for you. This will help you catch any errors that you may have missed.
Finally, make sure to launch your website in a staging environment first so that you can fix any problems before your potential customers see them.
While you do not want to overload your website visitors with too much information, you also do not want them leaving because they cannot find what they need. Navigation is key, as is making sure all of your web pages are updated and correctly reflect your brand. Remember, first impressions matter – make sure your website design accurately reflects who you are as a business.
