When it comes to growing your business, the last thing you want is to be guilty of web design mistakes when launching an online presence. Research has shown that 81% of consumers rely on the internet to find out about local businesses. Therefore, a professional website is a prerequisite for gaining new customers, establishing credibility, and fostering customer relationships, while a poor website on the other hand, can cause a business to lose customers. There are a number of factors in web design that can make your website harder for consumers to navigate, connect with, and trust. Want to know if you’re unknowingly making any of these mistakes? Read on to find out as we identify some of the most common website mistakes you should avoid.
1) Clutter
Many business owners clutter their website with visuals and special effects in an attempt at creating a website that “stands out”. But on the contrary, visual clutter increases cognitive load which reduces usability, making the user experience less enjoyable. Avoid busy designs that overload users with unwanted pop-up ads, auto-playing videos, and a hectic navigation bar. Cluttered websites can also increase the time it takes to load, and confuse your visitors.
2) Not optimised for mobile
One of the possible reasons your search engine rankings haven’t been improving could be because the web design hasn’t been optimised for mobile. A mobile optimised site reformats itself for mobile devices, ensuring proper display on smaller screens, and making the site much easier to navigate. It also helps to reformat content, present larger navigation buttons and optimise images according to screen size.
3) Poor UX
Web design with a good user experience (UX) will be easy to use, efficient and provide the user with meaningful and valuable content throughout. Poor UX on the other hand can negatively impact your online efforts. For instance, difficulty in obtaining pertinent information from your site makes for poor UX. If you would like to find out more about improving your website’s UX, we recommend doing so by seeking professional advice from a reliable company offering website design services.
4) Lack of contact information
The moment visitors resolve to make a purchase or use your services is crucial. It’s necessary they have the relevant contact information the second they decide you’re the right company for them. Contact forms, email addresses, and social media links are all pieces of vital information. Causing your website visitors to search for this information elsewhere contributes to poor UX and thus, bad for business.
5) Accessibility
There are various types of cognitive and physical disabilities that should be considered in web design. Alternative text, also known as alt text ensures greater accessibility for those who may have certain physical or cognitive disabilities. It helps them better understand visual content such as images, charts, and graphs. If your site features a picture of a red rose for instance, then the alt text for that image should be as descriptive as possible. Avoid leaving alt text blank or using the image’s original file name so that a screen reader can accurately describe the image to someone with a visual impairment. Additionally, video or audio elements should include captioning, links to have specific and descriptive names, and form fields should be labelled appropriately.
Remember, a clean and straightforward website is more memorable and impactful for the user. Once you’ve evaluated your site for usability, you’ll be able to offer your users a better, more positive website experience.
Still not sure where to start? eFusion is the best website design company in Singapore and our team of web designers and developers are here to help with your website needs. Speak with us today!