In today’s market, a website is essential for building a brand and lifting your business off the ground. However not all of us can afford to hire a professional website designer, and even then it can be hard to get things exactly right. When designing a website for your business, there are a few absolute “no-no’s” that can make or break your success. These are the five mistakes you need to avoid when creating your site.
Grammar is EVERYTHING
If a customer spots a grammatical error on your website, you will instantly be deemed less credible and professional than you would if everything was perfect. When developing or updating your website, be sure to go through all text with a fine tooth comb to ensure there are no mistakes. It is a tedious, but very important task!
Making Your Customers Wait
How often do you waste time waiting for a website to load when you could be doing something else? I’m sure the answer is “not very often”. A website with a slow loading speed will instantly deter customers from seeking more information, making a booking or buying a product, because in the 21stcentury we expect speed and convenience. Having a website that is slow and inconvenient simply will not work.
Too Much Happening
While it may be tempting to design a website with flair and wow factor, it can actually be distracting and confusing for the people browsing your site. The best websites are high in quality with strong branding and visual content, but simultaneously simple in their font and navigation design. Websites with a white background, a dark (usually black) font and colourful photos are often effective due to the clarity and contrast. If you are going for a more colourful approach, t is important to be wary of shades that clash and colours that compliment each other.
Inactive Blog
It may surprise you, but many customers actually find new products and services through initially clicking on a businesses’ blog. If you have a “dead blog” attached to your website, you are essentially wasting space and losing out because you are not utilising this great asset. Posting informative, interesting articles on your blog will position your company as an expert, and encourage users to buy from you. It can also show you are passionate about what you do, which is always an attractive feature.
Responsive Design
One of the biggest factors to consider when designing your website is the mobility of users. No longer do customers solely access the internet from their computers, instead we have seen an incredibly fast rise in users accessing websites from their mobile phones and tablets. If you want a successful website, you need to adopt a responsive web design (one that can adapt effectively to a mobile or tablet screen). By doing so, you are increasing the convenience factor of your business and ensuring your customers are greeted with an aesthetically pleasing website and brilliant customer service, no matter which device they use.
By following these pointers, you should be able to avoid some of the most tragic website mistakes, but there is still a lot that can go wrong. When designing your site, be sure to check and re-check absolutely everything – and ask family, friends and customers for feedback. As technology is being updated all the time, running a business website is an ongoing, long term task that requires your attention if you wish to stay relevant. Though it can be consuming, it is definitely worth the time when you see the leads and sales it creates for your business.