The website of a business is the first point of contact with customers and is crucial to marketing and branding campaigns. A good website combines form and function and is enjoyable, navigable, interesting and usable. Having a poorly designed website causes loss of customers and affects profits. The following are some common mistakes business owners need to be aware of and avoid.
- Your site isn't mobile-friendly: There are 33.7 million mobile internet users in Canada. This figure is projected to grow to 38.5 million users by the end of 2026. It's important that your website be mobile-enabled.
- There's too much going on: Sometimes business owners cram too much into their website (excessive images, text, buttons, videos) in an attempt to be attractive and interesting. Keep your design simple, logical, friendly and focused on helping your users.
- There's too little going on: Minimalism works when done correctly but be careful of being overly cryptic. Don't leave your visitors guessing.
- Your site is confusing: Some sites feature a variety of typefaces, numerous images, many colour palettes, multiple themes and attempt to convey many ideas at once. A website needs to have a unified look and feel, with one theme, one logo, and one typeface. It needs to be clear and easy to navigate.
- Overdone search optimization: Beware of loading your website with keywords and keyword hyperlinks that create overkill for search engine spiders.
- Boring content: Content tells users about your business and the products or services offered. Keep your content updated. Use headers to allow it to breathe and break long sentences into lists. Keep paragraphs short, putting the most important information first. Make content compelling and interesting. It should be relevant and helpful for your ideal clients.
- Poor or no call to action: Your call to action is the entrance to your business, commanding your visitors to do the thing you want them to (click, sign up, purchase, get a coupon, learn about a product, fill a form, download a pdf). The call to action needs to be visible and concise, telling the customer exactly what to do.
- Poor images: Avoid irrelevant or low-quality images. They muddy your site and confuse your readers.
- Navigation issues: Simple, self-explanatory navigation is a necessity for all websites. The menu and search bar need to be easy to find and use.
- Trying to please too many: Determine your target audience and design your website to attract that group of visitors. Attempting to speak to too many audiences will result in a muddled site.
- Missing contact information: All contact information (including social media icons) needs to be readily and repeatedly accessible, one click away. Don't make users search your site for this information.
- Annoying advertising: Advertising can be an income stream. However, too many ads or too flashy ads frustrate users. Pay particular attention to pop-ups. Make sure they're easy to close and not full-screen size.
- Not enough information: Your website should answer the most important questions a visitor will have. It should make this information clear and easy to find.
- Too slow to load: Site speed is important to users and to search engine ranking. Use optimized images, minify and combine files, minimize HTTP requests and enable browser caching.
A well-designed website is an asset for any business. You can better serve your visitors/clients with intelligent accessible design. Make the experience of your website pleasant and productive.
Need assistance with your website design? Want help with your digital marketing strategy? Call us at (403) 456-0072 or email [email protected]. Allow us to be your very own marketing department! Connect with our tightly-knit team of knowledgeable digital-first consultants, each eager to help your business grow. Contact Us today.
