You’ve probably heard the saying, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” This is especially true when it comes to your website. If your website looks outdated or unprofessional, you will lose potential customers before they even have a chance to learn about what you do. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common website design mistakes that are costing businesses customers. We’ll also provide tips on how to avoid these mistakes and create a website that looks great and helps you generate more revenue.
So, without further ado, here are website design mistakes that are costing you customers:
Your website looks like it was designed in the 90s.
If your website looks like it was created more than a decade ago, it’s time for an update. A dated website can make your business look outdated and unprofessional. Potential customers will likely move on to a competitor’s site that looks more modern.
To avoid this mistake, make sure your website is designed using current trends and technologies. If you’re not sure where to start, hire a professional web designer or agency to help you create a high-quality, modern website.
Not understanding your customer.
Your website should be designed with your target customer in mind. If you don’t understand who your target customer is, it will be difficult to create a website that appeals to them. As a result, you’ll likely lose potential customers who can’t find what they’re looking for on your site.
To avoid this mistake, take the time to research your target customer. Once you understand who they are, you can design a website that appeals to their needs and wants.
Your website is difficult to navigate.
If your website is difficult to navigate, potential customers will likely become frustrated and leave your site without taking any action. A well-designed website should be easy to use and allow visitors to quickly find the information they’re looking for.
To avoid this mistake, make sure your website is designed with a simple, user-friendly navigation. Your navigation should be intuitive and easy to understand. If you’re not sure how to create an effective navigation, hire a professional web designer or agency to help you.
Your website is slow.
If your website takes more than a few seconds to load, potential customers will likely become impatient and leave your site. In today’s fast-paced world, people expect websites to load quickly and efficiently.
To avoid this mistake, make sure your website is designed for speed. Optimize your images and videos for the web, and make sure your website is hosted on a reliable server.
For more tips on website hosting, check out our blog post on the subject:
Your website is not mobile-friendly.
More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets access the internet. If your website is not designed for mobile devices, potential customers will likely become frustrated and leave your site. In addition, Google now penalizes websites that are not mobile-friendly, which means you could be losing out on potential customers who are searching for your business online.
To avoid this mistake, make sure your website is designed to be responsive. This means that your website will automatically adjust to fit the screen size of any device, whether it’s a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Your website has spelling and grammar errors.
If your website has spelling and grammar errors, potential customers will likely think that your business is unprofessional and untrustworthy. In addition, Google now penalizes websites with poor spelling and grammar. This means that you could be losing out on potential customers who are searching for your business online.
To avoid this mistake, make sure to proofread your website content before it goes live. If you’re not confident in your ability to catch all of the errors, hire a professional copy editor to help you.
Your website is not secure.
If your website is not secure, potential customers will likely become concerned about providing their personal information on your site. In addition, Google now penalizes websites that are not secure, which means you could be losing out on potential customers who are searching for your business online.
To avoid this mistake, make sure your website is designed with security in mind. This means ensuring that your website is hosted on a secure server and that all of your pages are encrypted. You can also add security features such as captchas and SSL certificates.
For more tips on website security, check out our blog post:
Your website is not updated regularly.
If your website is not updated regularly, potential customers will likely think that your business is inactive or out of business. In addition, Google now penalizes websites that are not updated regularly, which means you could be losing out on potential customers who are searching for your business online.
To avoid this mistake, make sure to regularly update your website with fresh content. This can be in the form of blog posts, new product pages, or even just updated information about your business. You should also keep an eye on your website’s design and make sure that it is up-to-date with current trends.
Creating your website yourself.
If you try to create your website yourself, you could end up making a lot of mistakes that will cost you customers. Website design is a complex process that requires knowledge of coding, design, and SEO. Unless you are an experienced web developer, it is best to leave this task to the professionals.
When it comes to your website, it is important to invest in quality design and development. This will ensure that your website is effective and efficient, and that it meets the needs of your customers.
If you’re looking for a professional web design and development team to help you create a website for your business, contact us today.
Not A/B split testing your site.
If you’re not A/B split testing your site, you could be missing out on a lot of potential customers. A/B split testing is a process of showing two different versions of your website to two different groups of people and seeing which version performs better. This allows you to make informed decisions about the design and content of your website.
To avoid this mistake, make sure to A/B split test your website on a regular basis. This will help you to constantly improve the performance of your site and ensure that you are providing the best possible experience for your customers.
Not having a clear call-to-action (CTA).
If your website doesn’t have a clear call-to-action (CTA), potential customers may not know what to do next. A CTA is a statement or button that tells visitors what you want them to do on your site. For example, your CTA could be “Buy Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Learn More.”
To avoid this mistake, make sure to include a CTA on every page of your website. Your CTA should be clear and concise, and it should be placed in a prominent location on the page.
For more tips on creating effective CTAs, check out our blog post:
Not having an SEO-friendly website.
If your website is not SEO-friendly, you could be losing out on potential customers who are searching for your business online. SEO is the process of optimizing your website for search engines so that it appears higher in search results.
To avoid this mistake, make sure to design your website with SEO in mind. This means using the right keywords, providing quality content, and creating an effective link building strategy.
For more tips on SEO, check out our blog post:
Not having an SEO campaign in place.
If you’re not running an SEO campaign, you could be missing out on potential customers who are searching for your business online. An SEO campaign is a process of optimizing your website for search engines so that it appears higher in search results.
To avoid this mistake, make sure to design your website with SEO in mind. This means using the right keywords, providing quality content, and creating an effective link building strategy.
Not tracking analytics.
If you’re not tracking your website’s analytics, you could be missing out on valuable insights about your customers. Analytics allow you to see how people are interacting with your website, what they’re looking for, and where they’re coming from. This information can be used to improve your website and marketing strategy.
To avoid this mistake, make sure to set up analytics on your website and check them regularly. This will help you to understand what’s working well and what needs to be improved.
Making it difficult for customers to contact you.
If you make it difficult for customers to contact you, they may not bother trying. Make sure that your contact information is easy to find and that it’s displayed prominently on your website.
To avoid this mistake, make sure that your contact information is easy to find and that you have a live chat feature on your website. This will help you to provide the best possible experience for your customers.
Concluding Thoughts
Have you made any of these common website design mistakes? If so, it’s time to make a change. Fortunately, it’s not too late. By following the tips we’ve provided in this blog post, you can create a website that looks great and helps you generate more revenue. Are you ready to get started? We are here to help! At Graticle, our team has years of experience creating stunning websites that help businesses succeed online. Contact us today and let us show you how we can help your business grow. Call (360) 450-3711.