If you’re not seeing the results you want from your website, it’s time to take a closer look at your web design. Many common web design mistakes are costing businesses sales and leads. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common web design mistakes and how to fix them.
Aesthetics over user experience
One of the biggest web design mistakes many businesses make is focusing on aesthetics over user experience. While a sleek, modern web design may look great and help you stand out from your competitors, it’s important to keep in mind that users are more likely to engage with a site that is easy to use and intuitive. This means focusing on things like web design features that improve usabilities, such as clear navigation and easy-to-read content.
Lack of focus
Another common web design mistake is lack of focus. When designing your website, it’s important to keep the needs and wants of your target audience in mind. This means that you should avoid cluttering your site with unnecessary elements, such as multiple calls-to-action or flashy ads, and instead focus on creating a streamlined user experience that helps users find the information they need quickly and easily.
Cluttered web pages
A third web design mistake that is costing businesses sales and leads is cluttered web pages. Many businesses make the mistake of cramming their web pages with too much content and too many images, which can overwhelm users and distract them from taking action on your site. To avoid this web design mistake, focus on creating web pages with a clear layout and visual hierarchy, and remove any unnecessary elements that can clutter your web pages and distract users from taking action.
Missing essential elements like an About Us page:
Another web design mistake that is costing businesses sales and leads is the lack of essential elements like an About Us page. A well-designed About Us page can help build trust with users and encourage them to engage with your brand. To avoid this web design mistake, make sure you include a clear description of your business, as well as any awards or accolades you have received. Additionally, be sure to include images and other visuals that help showcase your brand personality and boost credibility with users.
Ignoring mobile users
Another common web design mistake is ignoring the needs of mobile users. In today’s digital landscape, more and more web traffic is coming from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets than ever before. This means that if your website isn’t optimized for mobile users, you could be missing out on a huge chunk of potential traffic and sales. To ensure your web design meets the needs of mobile users, make sure it is responsive and that all content is easy to view on smaller screens.
Failing to optimize for search engines
One final web design mistake many businesses make is failing to optimize their site for search engines. If your web design isn’t optimized for SEO, it can be difficult for users to find your site when searching online. To boost web traffic and improve your chances of ranking higher in search results, it’s important to incorporate keywords into web content and make sure your web design is search-friendly.
Using too many fonts
Many web designers make the mistake of using too many different fonts on their web pages. This can result in a web design that is cluttered and difficult to read, which will ultimately impact your site’s usability and user experience.
Not optimizing for speed
Another common web design mistake is failing to optimize your site for speed. A slow-loading web page can mean lower engagement, longer load times, and a negative impact on your site’s search rankings. To ensure your web design loads quickly and efficiently, be sure to minimize the size of web images and optimize code wherever possible.
Not prioritizing user needs
Another common web design mistake is not prioritizing user needs when designing your site. It is important to focus on web design features that improve usability, such as clear navigation and easy-to-read content, to create a web experience that engages your users and drives more sales for your business.
Not using enough white space
Along with prioritizing user needs, another web design mistake many businesses make is not using enough white space in their web design. White space is a key component of good web design and can help to improve the usability, visual appeal, and overall user experience of your site. To optimize your web design for white space, be sure to use plenty of negative space between web elements and avoid overcrowding your web pages.
Lack of customer testimonials or trust signals
Another web design mistake that can cost your business sales is not incorporating customer testimonials or trust signals on your site. When users feel uncertain about a product or service, they are more likely to research reviews and trust signals before making a purchase. To build trust with your web visitors, be sure to incorporate customer testimonials on your web pages and consider adding trust signals, such as customer reviews, industry accreditations, or social media follower counts.
Too much or too little information on a web page
Another web design mistake many businesses make is including too much or too little information on their web pages. If your web pages are overly cluttered and difficult to read, you risk losing users who are overwhelmed by the amount of information you present. On the other hand, if your web pages contain only a small amount of text, this can cause users to lose interest and leave your site. To avoid this web design mistake, be sure to strike a balance between providing just enough information to engage users without overwhelming them with too much content.
Text that’s difficult to read:
Along with using too many fonts, another web design mistake that can negatively impact sales is using text that’s difficult to read. To avoid this web design mistake, be sure to use a clear and easy-to-read font, incorporate plenty of white space around web text, and avoid using overly complex or decorative fonts. Additionally, you may wish to consider using web design tools that can help you optimize web copy for readability.
No clear call to action
A mistake many businesses make is failing to include a clear call to action on their web pages. A strong call to action is an essential component of web design, as it encourages users to take the next step and provides a clear path for them to follow. To create an effective web design that drives sales and increases conversion rates, be sure to include a clear call to action that encourages users to engage with your web pages.
Colors that clash
Another web design mistake that many businesses make is using clashing colors in their web designs. Choosing the wrong color combinations can hurt your web pages, making them appear unprofessional and unpolished. To avoid this web design mistake, be sure to choose cohesive color palettes that work well together and improve the overall visual appeal of your web pages.
Inconsistent branding
Another web design mistake that many businesses make is inconsistent branding across their web pages. A web design that does not reflect your business’ brand can confuse users and reduce engagement, ultimately impacting the bottom line of your business. To avoid this web design mistake, be sure to use consistent branding elements throughout all aspects of your web pages, including color schemes, images, fonts, and more.
Incorrect use of images
In addition to these web design mistakes, many businesses also make the mistake of using images incorrectly. Whether you’re including web images that are too large or using low-quality web images, incorrect use of web images can negatively impact your web pages in several ways. To avoid this web design mistake, be sure to choose high-quality web images that are the correct size and work well with your web design.
Not using videos:
One of the biggest web design mistakes that businesses make is not using videos on their sites. Videos are a powerful way to engage web users and can greatly improve both your web design and sales results. To use videos effectively in your web design, be sure to incorporate high-quality video content that is relevant to your target audience and supports your business goals.
Navigation that is difficult to use
Along with choosing web design features that inherently improve usability, another web design mistake many businesses make is including navigation that is difficult to use. Poorly designed web navigation can make it difficult for users to find the content they’re looking for, which can lead them to abandon your site altogether. To avoid this web design mistake, be sure to prioritize web navigation and create web pages that are simple, easy to use, and intuitive for your users.
Not incorporating analytics
Another web design mistake that many businesses make is failing to incorporate web analytics into their web pages. Incorporating web analytics can help you track user engagement and measure the success of your web design, ultimately allowing you to optimize it over time. To implement web analytics on your site, consider using a web tracking tool or enlisting the assistance of a web design expert.
Ignoring visitor feedback
Yet another web design mistake that many businesses make is ignoring visitor feedback. Without paying attention to user feedback and web analytics data, businesses can easily miss web design mistakes that are hurting their web pages. To avoid this web design mistake and improve your web design results, be sure to regularly review web analytics data and user feedback to identify any areas for improvement.
Not split testing web pages
Another web design mistake that many businesses make is failing to split-test their web pages. Split testing, or A/B testing, is a powerful way to optimize web designs and improve website performance. By running controlled experiments on your web pages and comparing different web design elements, you can identify what works best for your users and improve the overall web experience for your site visitors. To get started with split testing, consider enlisting the help of a web design expert or using a web analytics tool that can help you track and measure user behavior. With the right tools and strategies in place, you can ensure that your web pages are performing at their best and generating maximum results for your business.
Not using a professional web design company
One of the biggest web design mistakes that businesses make is not using a professional web design company to create their web pages. Working with a professional web designer ensures that your web pages will be designed and optimized for maximum sales results. To avoid this web design mistake, be sure to work with a reputable web design company like ours to create web pages that will help you achieve your business goals.
Concluding thoughts
We hope that this blog post has been helpful in identifying some of the most common web design mistakes and how to fix them. If you are experiencing any of these issues on your website, or if you simply don’t have the time or resources to take care of your website design yourself, our team at Graticle would be happy to help. With over a decade of experience in designing and optimizing websites for businesses in all industries, we know what it takes to create a website that not only looks great but also performs well both on desktop and mobile devices. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us show you how we can help improve your website’s usability, search engine visibility, and overall ROI. Call or text (360) 450-3711.
