Website Design Mistakes That Will Come Back To Haunt You

Website design is a complex task that requires both skill and artistry. A site must perform up to user expectations while still looking great and stay functional. Website design mistakes can come back to haunt you later. What are the common mistakes in website design?

Here’s a look at some of the most common website design mistakes that might alienate your audience and increase bounce rates:

1. Slow to Load

Research conducted by Google suggests that 47% of users expect a website to load in less than 2 seconds. If the site takes 5 seconds or more to load, the chances of a bounce increase by 90%. People aren’t hesitant to press the back button if the platform doesn’t give them a satisfactory experience. Several factors can contribute towards website speed but the hosting service has the biggest influence. Choose a VPS service over shared hosting for the best performance. 

2. Cluttered Design 

The last thing a user wants is to be bombarded with images and information as soon as they click on a site. Make sure every page on your platform is well-organized, clean, and minimalist. Ensure there’s plenty for white space on the page because that can help mobile users browse. Don’t overwhelm people with large blocks of text or multiple images. It is best to be concise while being informative.

3. Not Stating the Purpose on the First Page

Modern consumers tend to make snap decisions as soon as the website loads. They look at the homepage content for a few seconds to understand the website’s purpose. If they don’t understand that the site is for, they’ll leave immediately. This is especially true for B2B businesses. Nearly half of the consumers will leave your website if its purpose isn’t clear. Provide information on different products or services, add information about awards or certifications, and include confidence-building elements like testimonials.

4. Bad Font Choice 

Website fonts can make or break. It is best to stay away from stylistic and obscure fonts for your page. Choose a Sans Serif style of 14pts or more for the best results. This style is compatible with different kinds of readers and devices, which means everyone can read your content without issues. You can use stylistic fonts on logos, graphics, or content but not in the website copy. It is also important to make sure there’s a good contrast between the text and the background. A/B test the website copy to ensure it is readable.

5. Unpredictable Design 

Everyone wants to stand out and be unique, but sometimes unusual design choices can do more harm than good. Most users expect certain things from the site. For example, they know every site has the most important products and services listed on dropdown menus underneath the header. Most also know all the company information like FAQs, contact data, location, etc., are placed at the bottom of the page. You can make a site unique without comprising on its logic or flow. Focus on branding and appearance while maintaining a streamlined structure.

6. No H1 and H2 Headings 

Almost everyone skims through content. They look at the headlines, subheadings, bullet points, etc. You need to make sure every page has H1 and H2 headings. The H1 heading should grab attention and be bold while the H2 line should elaborate on it. These taglines state the purpose of the site and provide precise information, which improves the overall user experience.

7. Not Secure

Have you ever noticed that websites with HTTPS are listed as ‘Secure’ in the address bar? This shows the website has security certification and is reliable. Users trust sites with the certificate and are more likely to trust their products or services as well. Pages without the HTTPS tag have a higher bounce rates and don’t have the best reputation online. The security tag is the first step in establishing a strong brand presence.

8. You Have Links that Open in Other Browser Tabs 

It is best to let users decide how they want to access linked pages. Most prefer to open them on the same page, some prefer to open in another tab. If your website automatically opens links in another tab, it can affect the user experience. Make sure the default setting for most links is to open on the same page. You can reserve the setting to open in a new tab only if it is needed.

9. The Design is Outdated

Keep the latest design trends in mind while planning the website. Modern users prefer a clean, minimalist aesthetic. It looks great on all kinds of screens, including mobile and tablet. Make sure the design represents your brand well by adding carefully chosen colors, logos, and graphics. The site should tell a story and convey the right message to the target audience.

10. The Mobile Performance is Poor

A significant portion of the website traffic comes from the mobile platform. It is important to make sure your site is optimized for it. The responsive framework will ensure the site adjusts efficiently to different screen sizes. All menus should be accessible and all links should be easy to click, regardless of the type of device. Good mobile performance will also help you rank higher on the search engine results pages. A website is one of your most important assets in this modern business environment. A great site can help establish a good reputation and increase revenue. It will also help you build a strong customer base in the industry. 

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