Web Design No's No's You Should Avoid
All websites are not created equally. Unfortunately, some are set up for failure at the beginning of the web design process. To help save you time and money, I want to educate you on some of the things contributing to poor web design. These things will cause your ideal client to leave your site before purchasing or booking you. Let’s get started.
Not having a clear call to action
A call to action (CTA) on your website is a major element to help users know what to do next. It helps them take the first step toward becoming a paying client or customer. Visitors look for your “Call Now!” or other CTA buttons, and feel confused and disappointed when they don’t find it. Your call to action should be emphasized and easy to pick out. Don’t stop once the button has been placed. Ensure the destination behind the button is usable, well designed and gives the visitor exactly what they were promised.
Pro Tip: Here’s a list of popular call to actions: Book Now, Add to Cart, Subscribe Now, Schedule Your Discovery Call, Start Your Project Now, Claim Your Free Download, Yes! I Need This!, and Click to Learn More.
Having a confusing layout or navigation
You don’t want your customers to “bounce” as soon as they make it on to your website. An easily navigable website increases the time a visitor stays on your website. If customers visit your website and find that it is difficult to navigate, they may not want to take the time to dig through your website and may choose to “bounce.”
The navigation on your website should be a guide or like a map providing directions for where your customer should go and what they should do. When your directions are confusing, the user may get frustrated. The clearer your navigation is, the easier it is for someone to purchase or book with you. They will know exactly where to go and what to do.
Having awful bad photography
Websites with professional photography receive up to 90% more traffic than websites without. People are very visual and tend to look first and ask questions later. This means their brains will focus on the imagery before reading the wording on your website. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” You can communicate in a second what would have taken a full page. If you want to stand up against competitors, stand out with your photos. A high-resolution photo compared to a blurry iPhone snapshot can mean the difference between a scroll and a click.
Having “blah” generic messaging
Photography is very important, but that doesn’t mean your website messaging should be lacking. Considering all the time you put into your business and website, it would be disastrous if no one understood what your business actually offers. Your website messaging, including texts and images, are the core of how you communicate the benefits of your business.
A common mistake is to believe your visitors see your website the way you do and already know the benefits of your product/service. They don’t, so educating them is dependent upon your website messaging. People don’t know your business like you do. To get them up to speed in a matter of seconds, you must be crystal clear.
The site looks awful on mobile devices
Your website absolutely must be responsive, meaning that it automatically resizes to fit the screen it’s being viewed on. People spend more time browsing the internet on their mobile devices than they do their laptops and desktops – you can’t ignore this fact. Responsive websites make online sharing simple so your website visitors are more likely to share on their social media.
It is important to make sure that all your visitors have a positive experience, regardless of what type of device they're using to get there. Multiple device use is only going to expand going forward. No one is going to move back to a desktop or laptop computer as their primary machine. It’s a way of life that is growing and freeing people from their desk or couch. If your competitors don’t have a responsive website design and you do, their visitors are more likely to become your paying customers.
Final thoughts
I’ve built my personal brand website to show potential clients my skills and you should do the same thing. There are lots of options out there for building a mobile-friendly website, but it’s ideal to work with a professional web designer who not only understands responsive web design but is committed to giving you the site you need for your business.
This will allow you to have a website reaching your ideal customers, increases your bottom line, and making meeting your business goals easier to accomplish.
