In today’s world, there is no room for error. You always have to bring your A-game. This is also true for your website. Your website needs to be on point. Above all, it needs to meet the objective of its visitor.
It’s no longer enough to have a functional website. It may do what it needs to do, but if it’s too complex, too vague, or doesn’t guide the user to the right place, then what’s the point in having it? Now more than ever, it’s important to have a website that makes life as easy as possible for your audiences. By combining function with elegant design, to inspire brand credibility, and intelligent User Experience, to encourage simple journeys through your content, you can dramatically improve the overall engagement, conversions, page visits and more, to make an impact in your industry.
The most common thing about websites is that the web design might seem simple to the designer or the business, but it’s really not. Simplicity doesn’t mean easy and it can hold many mistakes. These might not be apparent to you, but for the end users, a.k.a your customers, these mistakes will be glaringly obvious.
Over the years we’ve come across a multitude of these mistakes made by our clients, and by us. But mistakes aren’t there to dampen your spirits, but to teach you so you can improve your efforts. Here are some of the mistakes we’ve either seen or experienced over the years for you to learn from:
Confusing layout
You might want a modern, ethereal web design, but the most important part of your site is a clear journey and navigation. It should be easy for your customer to get from ‘a’ to ‘b’. It can be frustrating to browse a website and have to jump from page to page in order to get to the one you want. Around 49% of all consumers will leave the page if they don’t understand what the website does or where they can get the information they need. Above all else, it’s important to plan and map your website journey before you start to design it, allowing you to make sure you pinpoint the information your users want to get to and how they will get there.
Not mobile friendly
I can’t believe that this is still an issue but it is! It’s 2020 everybody! Your website must be mobile friendly. As of April 2020, we have had 8,362 visitors come to our website (we launched in September 2018). Of that figure, 68% of visitors have come from a mobile. That’s an incredible number of people. It’s often higher for e-commerce websites too.
Today around 90% of your customers will use their smartphone or tablet to browse or shop on the internet. You need to have a flexible site that accommodates for mobile use. And not just a responsive or adaptive site, but one that is well designed and provides a great experience on a mobile.
Having a desktop website appear on a mobile now-a-days gives the impression that you don’t make an effort in your company and puts consumers off trusting and buying your services or products. 48% of users say that a non-mobile friendly web design makes them feel that the business simply does not care.
Slow load times
Online users are restless and want to get results quickly. That’s the main reason why smartphone shopping and browsing is so popular. We can have the results we want at our fingertips and within seconds. Your website’s design should be one that facilitates this feature. Load time of the website is concurrent with consumer bounce rates, in other words how long it takes for a user to give up on you and your site. See below:
- 3 seconds – 32% bounce rate
- 5 seconds – 90% bounce rate
- 6 seconds – 106% bounce rate
- 10 seconds – 123% bounce rate
If you have a heavy web design, or poorly optimised website, it’ll increase your load time and also increase your bounce rate. Don’t do it!
Poor security
This is the biggest mistake you can make with your website and can have long lasting consequences. Websites with poor or no HTTPS security will have real problems and leave a negative mark in the minds of your customers. Over the years, hacking attacks have risen dramatically. In fact, in 2017, around 33,000,000 websites were hacked. As a rule of thumb, if your website requires any personal information from your target market, you need to provide them with a safe and secure platform to do so.
If you have a query about your website’s security, and you’re local to Dorset, we recommend chatting to the Dorset Cyber Alliance. They’re always happy to help and point you in the right direction with your digital presence.
Poor use of visuals
We live in a very visual world, with the likes of Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, YouTube and other visual content platforms leading the way. High quality imagery can make site visitors stop and stay on a page for longer. By piquing their interest and grabbing their attention, you can help them to take their time in viewing your products or services all the while instilling trust and attachment to your brand. So many websites don’t capitalise on this. With bespoke and quality images you can generate more interest in your products and services.
However, there is a fine line between too little and too much. Don’t go overboard. Too much can be visually distracting and annoying to look at getting in the way of the all important ‘user journey’.
We come across these a lot, and it’s 2020! By avoiding these mistakes, you can ensure you have a website that shows your business in the best light.
If you’re facing an issue with your site and can’t find the reason in this list, feel free to give us a call and we can try and help point you in the right direction.