Quickly grow your website by avoiding these common pitfalls
The goal of developing a business site is to bring in new consumers, increase conversion, and drive user engagement.
However, creating a website that truly connects with your audience and achieves your goals can be trickier than it seems.
Many blunders can or will occur throughout the process of designing a website, from the initial stages of web design, which establish your business branding, to the online and offline marketing campaigns to drive traffic and engagement.
These are the top 10 common web design mistakes in web page design to avoid:
1. Missing call-to-actions
A website that lacks a strong call-to-action (CTA) doesn’t serve its purpose. It’s like a salesperson who forgets to ask for the sale.
As a website owner or manager, consider your website’s functionality and desired conversion rate.
What action do you want visitors to take? Do you want them to contact you, subscribe to a newsletter, download a free whitepaper, or make a purchase?
Include clear CTA buttons on each page. You may even want to include more than one CTA button, particularly on your homepage, but avoid overwhelming visitors with too many options.
2. Slow loading website
A slow-loading website will lose visitors quickly. Studies show that if your website takes over 3 seconds to load, more than 55 percent of visitors will leave, contributing to a high bounce rate.
Moreover, Google prioritizes page loading speed in its organic rankings. In fact, speed is one of its most important SEO ranking factors. Regular maintenance, like updating plugins, can significantly improve your website’s performance.
Actionable tips on how to improve your page speed and create a responsive website.
Want to see how your website measures up?
Use Google’s free tool, PageSpeed Insights. The tool analyzes your web page’s loading speed and provides specific recommendations for improvement.
3. Content overload
The urge to showcase everything you offer on your website is understandable. However, bombarding visitors with too many features can be overwhelming and counterproductive.
Yes, it’s important to have accurate information on your website (including up-to-date contact information). However, this doesn’t imply that your pages should be overwhelmed by multiple CTA buttons and giant blocks of copy (aka wall of texts)
Focus on creating a clear and streamlined website experience. Here are some tips:
- Prioritize Essential Information: Identify the most important information visitors need and prioritize its placement.
- Embrace White Space: Don’t be afraid to use white space to break up text and visuals. This makes your website easier to scan and digest.
- Subheadings are Your Friend: Use clear subheadings to guide visitors through your content.
- Organize Your Content: If you offer a variety of services, consider dividing your website into dedicated sections. This will allow visitors to find what they need quickly and improve website navigation.
Most of the time, simplicity is the key to a successful website. A well-organized, concise website with clear calls to action is more likely to convert.
4. No visual balance
Images are powerful tools for website design. They grab attention and enhance user experience. However, the key is finding the right balance between visual appeal and website functionality, all while aligning with your overall brand strategy.
- Embrace Original Images for Brand Building: When it comes to content crucial for your brand identity, consider using original photos.
This could include company photos, staff pictures, customer testimonials with photos, or product-specific images. These visuals create a sense of authenticity, a connection with your audience and contribute directly to a strong brand strategy.
- Use Stock Photos Strategically: Stock photos can be a valuable resource for adding variety to your website. However, overuse of generic stock photos can make your website look impersonal and misaligned with your brand strategy.
Here are some tips for using stock photos:- Choose quality images that are relevant to your content and resonate with your brand voice.
- Opt for unique and creative stock photos that stand out from the crowd and reflect your brand personality.
- Consider using a consistent visual style or filter across your stock photos for a more cohesive look that reinforces your brand identity.
- Always check the licensing terms before using any stock photo.
- Choose quality images that are relevant to your content and resonate with your brand voice.
- Prioritize Website Speed and User Experience: Remember, overloading your website with images can slow down loading times. Optimize your images by resizing them before uploading, and consider using lazy loading techniques for non-essential visuals.
5. Pop-up overload
For many websites, display advertising or affiliate links are their bread and butter. While ads can bring in high dollars, excessive pop-ups, and intrusive advertising can severely hinder the user experience.
Here’s why you should limit pop-ups:
- Annoying Users: Frequent pop-ups interrupt the user journey and can be incredibly frustrating. They can also make your website appear unprofessional.
- Slowing Down Your Website: Large pop-up ads can increase loading times, leading to impatient users bouncing off your site.
- Hurting Your SEO: Google prioritizes user experience, and excessive pop-ups can negatively impact your search engine ranking.
A Word on Interstitials:
In addition to standard pop-ups, be aware of interstitials. These are full-page ads that appear before or after a user clicks on a link, completely obscuring the website content.
- Why Google Hates Interstitials: Since interstitials block access to the desired content, Google considers them a major hindrance to user experience.
- Mobile Issues: Interstitials are particularly problematic on mobile devices, where screen size is limited.
Finding the Right Balance:
Focus on creating a user-friendly experience. Here are some tips:
- Limit Pop-Ups: Restrict pop-ups to a maximum of one (or none) per page, and consider using exit-intent pop-ups that only appear when a visitor is about to leave.
- Prioritize User Experience: Always prioritize user experience over ad revenue. Opt for non-intrusive formats like banner ads or native advertising.
Mobile Optimization: Ensure your website functions smoothly on mobile devices and avoids any mobile-specific interstitial issues.
6. Content is king, but presentation matters
High-quality content is the foundation of any successful website. It informs visitors, establishes your brand voice, and helps with SEO. However, the quantity and presentation of your content are equally important.
- Finding the Content Sweet Spot: Avoid overwhelming visitors with excessive content. Aim for a balance between providing relevant information and keeping users engaged.
- Skim-Friendly Content: People tend to scan websites rather than read every word. Use clear headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make your content easy to digest.
- The Power of Design: A skilled web designer can present your content in a visually appealing and engaging way. This can involve using:
- Strategic White Space: Well-placed white space improves readability and makes your website less cluttered.
- Compelling Images & Videos: High-quality visuals can break up text, add interest, and even enhance SEO.
- Strategic White Space: Well-placed white space improves readability and makes your website less cluttered.
- Creative Layouts & Interactive Elements: A designer can explore innovative ways to showcase your content, like using infographics, timelines, or interactive features.
7. Missing the social media connection
Social media plays an important role in connecting with your audience in today’s digital marketing. Failing to integrate social media into your website design is a missed opportunity on multiple fronts.
Firstly, social media can be a powerful driver of organic traffic. When people share your content on social platforms, it reaches a wider audience and increases brand awareness. This off-page SEO (search engine optimization that occurs outside your website) helps search engines recognize your brand as a relevant and trustworthy source.
Secondly, social media fosters engagement. Potential customers can interact with your brand directly, ask questions, and get a sense of your company culture.
Brown Bag’s Social Proof: The Numbers Don’t Lie
“Our website traffic went up 20% last quarter after initiating a social media campaign with Brown Bag Marketing. Using our great people and super innovation space really allowed us to express ourselves and have fun. Great job, BBM!”
– Peter Shipp, Vice President of Innovation
Remember, social media isn’t just about having buttons on your website. Consider consulting with branding services for a comprehensive social media strategy that matches with your overall marketing goals.
A cohesive approach will maximize the impact of your social media presence and create a seamless experience for your audience across platforms.
8. Keyword stuffing
Keywords are one of the most powerful ways to optimize your site. But that doesn’t mean you should stuff keywords into every sentence.
Keyword stuffing makes your website look robotic and overly promotional, which neither Google nor users like.
A natural and user-friendly approach is key:
- Focus on User Experience: Content crammed with keywords often reads poorly and sounds unnatural. Users can get frustrated, leading them to leave your site quickly.
- Prioritize Semantic Search: Modern search engines like Google prioritize semantic search, which focuses on the overall meaning and intent behind a search query.
- Embrace Natural Language: Instead of keyword stuffing, aim to write high-quality content that naturally incorporates relevant terms and their synonyms. Using a variety of related keywords demonstrates a broader understanding of your topic and enhances your content’s reach.
- Think Topic Clusters: Focus on building content around a central topic, using related keywords and subtopics to create informative and engaging content clusters. This approach provides valuable information to users and signals expertise to search engines.
Remember, the goal is to create content that informs, engages, and resonates with your customers and target audience.
9. Poor navigation
Poorly-planned navigation can harm your website’s user experience and search rankings.
A website’s navigation is a roadmap that guides users effortlessly to the information they seek.
Here’s why poor navigation is a critical mistake:
- Frustrated Users: Confusing or hidden navigation menus can leave visitors feeling lost and frustrated. They might abandon your website altogether without finding what they need.
- SEO Impact: Search engines rely on clear navigation to crawl and index your website effectively. A poorly structured website may struggle to rank well in search results.
Focus on clear and user-friendly navigation to make sure that visitors have a smooth and enjoyable experience while also helping search engines understand your website’s content.
Is your website navigation a maze? Learn the one secret to simplifying the navigation menu for visitors and keep them happy!
10. Using flash: A blast from the past (best left there)
Remember those dazzling, interactive animations from the early days of the internet?
Yes, those were powered by Flash.
While Flash may have been a pioneer in web design, it’s become a relic of the past.
Steve Jobs on Flash: A 2010 Prophecy
Source: https://newslang.ch/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Thoughts-on-Flash.pdf
Flash just isn’t optimized for modern web design. It presents challenges for SEO, user experience, and mobile compatibility. Luckily, there are fantastic alternatives available! Platforms like WordPress offer a vast array of beautiful and responsive design options to create engaging websites without the limitations of Flash.
Bonus Tip: Don't forget Video
Video content can be a powerful tool for engaging website visitors, increasing conversions, and building brand awareness.
However, the key is to tailor your video strategy to your specific audience.
Generic videos may not resonate with your target audience. Creating videos that address their specific needs and interests will have a far greater impact.
While video platforms like YouTube remain dominant, social media platforms like TikTok have experienced explosive growth.
If your target audience is active on TikTok, stay engaged with them on this platform. Additionally, staying informed about potential platform regulations, such as TikTok bans, is crucial to ensure your strategy remains effective and compliant.
Bottom line
Remember that UX and SEO go hand in hand. So, a user-friendly website is SEO-friendly.
If you want to create a professional, user-friendly site that truly reflects your brand and drives results, it’s best to work with a professional web specialist who can guide you through the website makeover process.
At Brown Bag Marketing, we have the tools and insight to help take your website to the next level. Whether you need help with web, app or brand development, digital marketing or SEO services, our Atlanta-based marketing team is here to help. Contact us today to see what we can do for you.