Nowadays, websites have become crucial branding and marketing tools for many businesses. A well designed site will attract many visitors and result in increased revenues. However, a poorly designed site will give a negative impression of your business and turn away potential customers. Here are some common mistakes you need to avoid when designing a business website.
1. Having a complicated design
It is important for a business website to appear professional and attractive. However, the design should not be too flashy or complicated. A site which is over-designed is likely to push away visitors instead of attracting them. It is therefore advisable to keep your design as simple as possible. Use navigation which makes it easy for your visitors to find what they are looking for. If visitors enjoy a pleasant user-experience, they are likely to spend more time on your site and visit again in future.
2. Not considering your target audience
Many people rush into designing their business websites without giving much thought to their target audience. As a result, they end up with a product which is not effective. Before you begin designing your site, take time to carry out some research on the target market you would like to reach. Use the information collected to design an appropriate site. For instance, if your target audience is teenagers, it would be advisable to use images, fonts and colors which are youthful. In addition, you will need to ensure that your site is optimized for mobile devices.
3. Choosing the wrong designer
The kind of web designer selected is very crucial for the success of a business website. If you opt to work with a cheap designer, you are likely to end up with a mediocre site. On the other hand, a large web agency, though expensive, might also not be able to meet your specific needs. Therefore, before choosing any web design service, you need to establish your needs first. Take time to carry out some
4. Not having a clear call to action
When people visit your site, they should know what you want them to do next. This could be contacting you, signing up for your newsletter or purchasing your product. It is therefore very vital to include prominent calls to action in all the pages of your site. Make sure the ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Sign Up’ buttons are large enough and appear above the fold. To encourage visitors to take the action desired, you could offer incentives such as discounts or free products.
5. Failing to update your content
Having a well-designed site is not enough. You must ensure that the content on your site is updated on a regular basis. If people don’t find any fresh information about your business, products or services, they might eventually stop visiting your site. You could consider starting a blog within your site where you can frequently post content that is relevant to your prospects and customers. This could be information about new products, special offers of general industry news. Fresh content will not only drive traffic to your site, but will also enhance your search engine rankings.
6. Mobile incompatibility
Nowadays, many people access the internet using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It is therefore very important to have a design which is mobile-friendly. You can either optimize your site for mobile devices or create a totally separate mobile version of your site. Before launching the site, take time to test it on different devices to ensure that users can access it easily.
7. Broken links
Visitors usually get very frustrated when they click on links which are not working. If there are broken links on your site, you might end up missing on a repeat purchase or a new buyer. Take time regularly to check and fix any broken or incorrect links on your site. Make sure the links direct visitors to the correct pages.