As a web developer, I know how important it is to have a well-designed website. A website that is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and loads quickly can make a massive difference in attracting and retaining visitors. Unfortunately, many website owners who DIY their websites make common design mistakes that can negatively impact their website’s user experience and ultimately hurt their business.
In this post, I will discuss five common website design mistakes you should avoid. From ineffective navigation design to visual design flaws and slow website loading speed, these mistakes can make it difficult for visitors to find what they are looking for and lead to high bounce rates. By understanding these mistakes and taking steps to avoid them, you can create a website that provides a great user experience and helps achieve your business goals.
Key Takeaways
- User experience is crucial for the success of your website.
- Ineffective navigation design can make it difficult for visitors to find what they want.
- Visual design flaws, slow website loading speed, and lack of search engine optimization (SEO) can negatively impact your website’s user experience.
The Importance of User Experience
As the name implies, user experience (UX) is a user’s overall experience while interacting with a website. A website with good UX is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and provides users with the information they need quickly and efficiently. Two frequent mistakes website owners make regarding UX are ignoring mobile compatibility and overloading users with information.
Ignoring Mobile Compatibility
One of the biggest mistakes a website designer can make is ignoring mobile compatibility. With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is crucial. This means that the website should be easy to navigate on a smaller screen, and the content should be easily accessible. Nobody wants to pinch and zoom to view your website. Nobody! A website not optimized for mobile devices can lead to a poor user experience and result in users leaving the site quickly.
Overloading with Information
Another common mistake is overloading a website with too much information. While providing users with the information they need is important, it’s equally important to present that information clearly and concisely. Too much information on a page can be overwhelming and make it difficult for users to find what they want. Endless pop-ups and other distractions can make finding information on your website hard. Using bullet points, tables, and other formatting techniques can help to make the information more digestible and easier to read.
Ineffective Navigation Design
Navigating a website should be easy and intuitive. However, many websites have ineffective navigation design that can frustrate users and lead to a high bounce rate. Two things to avoid regarding navigation design are complex navigation systems and a lack of search functionality.
Complex Navigation Systems
Having too many menu items or submenus can make navigation confusing and overwhelming. Users may struggle to find what they are looking for and leave the site frustrated. It’s essential to simplify the navigation system by grouping related pages together and using clear, concise, and unambiguous labels. Don’t make users guess what’s on the page with cutesy labels.
Another mistake is using non-standard navigation styles. Visitors expect horizontal navigation across the top or vertically down the left or right side. Putting your navigation in standard places makes your site easier to use.
Lack of Search Functionality
Some users prefer to use a search bar to find what they want. Users may become frustrated and leave if your site lacks a search function. It’s essential to have a search bar that is easy to find and use. Make sure the search bar is prominently displayed and labeled clearly. Also, ensure that the search function returns relevant results. Users may become frustrated if they have to sift through irrelevant results to find what they seek.
Visual Design Flaws
When it comes to website design, visual appeal is crucial. Poor visual design can turn off visitors and make them leave your site quickly. In this section, I will discuss two common visual design flaws: poor use of colors and fonts and lack of visual hierarchy.
Poor Use of Colors and Fonts
Too many colors or fonts can make your website look unprofessional and cluttered. Choosing a color scheme and sticking to it throughout your website is critical. Using complementary colors can create a visually appealing look. Additionally, using too many fonts can make your website look disorganized. Stick to a few fonts and use them consistently throughout your website.
Another common mistake is using colors that clash or are difficult to read. For example, using light gray text on a white background can make reading difficult. It can also make your site inaccessible to some users. Make sure you choose colors that are easy on the eyes and provide enough contrast for easy readability.
Lack of Visual Hierarchy
Visual hierarchy is how elements on a page are arranged to guide the user’s eye through the content. A lack of visual hierarchy can make it difficult for users to find the information they want. One common mistake is not using headings and subheadings to break up content. Headings help users quickly scan the page and find the information they need. Take this post, for example. I used headings to break things up into sections so you can quickly find information. Additionally, using too many images or graphics can overwhelm the user and make it difficult to focus on the content.
Slow Website Loading Speed
I know how frustrating it can be when a website takes too long to load. Slow loading speed can cause visitors to leave your site, harming your business. Heavy images and media and excessive use of JavaScript are two mistakes many website owners make regarding page loading speed.
Heavy Images and Media
Images and media can make your website more engaging and visually appealing. However, if you use too many images or media files with large file sizes, your website will take longer to load. Optimize your images and media files by compressing them without losing quality to avoid this mistake. You can also use image and video hosting services like YouTube and Vimeo to host your media files instead of hosting them on your website.
Excessive Use of JavaScript
JavaScript can make your website more interactive and dynamic. However, if you use too much JavaScript, your website will take longer to load. To avoid this mistake, only use JavaScript when it is necessary. You can also use asynchronous loading to load JavaScript files after the rest of your website has loaded.
Lack of SEO
You already know you need a visually appealing and functional website. What you might not know (yet) is that it is equally important to ensure that the website is optimized for search engines. Without proper optimization, a website may not rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs), which can greatly impact its visibility and traffic.
Missing Meta Descriptions
One common mistake website owners make is not including meta descriptions on their web pages. This isn’t overtly design-related, but I’m adding it anyway because it’s important! Meta descriptions are HTML attributes that summarize a web page’s content. They are displayed in SERPs under the page title and URL and can significantly influence click-through rates. To avoid this mistake, always include unique and descriptive meta descriptions for each page on the website. Also, make sure the meta descriptions accurately reflect the page’s content and include relevant keywords.
Ignoring Alt Text for Images
Always add alt (alternative) text for your images! Alt text is necessary for accessibility, as it allows visually impaired users to understand the content of an image. Alt text is also crucial for SEO, providing search engines with additional information about the page’s content. Always include descriptive alt text for all images on the website. You should also ensure that the alt text accurately reflects the image’s content and include relevant keywords.
Need Help?
If you’re trying to DIY your website, or you have a website that you think might not have avoided some of these mistakes, we can help! Contact us to learn more about our solutions for small businesses and nonprofits.