Many people head to the internet when looking for a new restaurant or a product to purchase. Even with the high amount of internet traffic, around 29% of small businesses don’t have a website. Having a website puts your business in front of more potential customers and can increase your leads.
Developing your first website can be challenging. There are many beginner website design errors that you can make. Fortunately, many of these mistakes are avoidable and easily corrected.
This guide will discuss the top eight errors people make when designing a website. Learn about these common occurrences so you can avoid doing them when you create your website.
1. Not Prioritizing Responsive Design
Responsive design is one of the most important features your website can have. This refers to your website being accessible to your visitors no matter what type of device they’re on. Some of the devices people look at websites on include:
- Smartphones
- Desktops
- Laptops
- iPads and other tablets
- Gaming devices
- Kindles
Your website visitors should be able to easily navigate your website from any device. The layout should also be clear and attractive regardless of whether they’re on their iPhone or desktop. Failing to have a mobile-friendly website could result in visitors closing your website and heading to your competition.
2. Long Loading Times
People want instant gratification. With fast internet speeds, users expect websites to load almost the instant they click on them. If the website loading speed is too slow, you’re likely losing customers.
There are a few reasons why your website might be loading slowly, such as:
- Large image files
- Too many scripts and plugins
- Using unnecessary code
- Outdated CMS
By ensuring your website isn’t bogged down by unnecessary things, you can help it load faster.
3. Inconsistent Branding and Content
Your website should be tailored to your target audience. One of the goals of your website is to build meaningful relationships with your customers. You achieve that by clearly providing them with answers to their questions and establishing your authority.
You want to use a tone and language that’s appropriate for your company. For example, if your target audience is teenage girls, you want your content, graphics, and color palette to be something that appeals to them. An experienced copywriter can help you achieve that.
4. Focusing on Aesthetics Over User Experience
We all want our websites to look sleek and attractive. However, that shouldn’t be your primary focus with your website homepage design. Many new websites overuse graphic and design elements that may grab a person’s attention, but fail to communicate what your website is all about.
That’s why choosing the right theme is important when designing your website. A poorly designed theme that’s full of animations and other unnecessary visuals can make your website look unprofessional and cluttered.
The following elements of your website’s theme help communicate your message:
- Tone
- Style
- Layout
Keep your website’s design simple when you start. Your users should be able to easily navigate your website and find the information they need. Don’t incorporate a lot of flashy design elements that don’t have any meaning.
5. Choosing the Wrong Font
There are many ways you can go wrong with the font on your website. For example, choosing hand-drawn or cursive fonts can be challenging for most people to read on a small screen.
Difficult or unreadable fonts can decrease cognitive fluency. That refers to how easy it is for a person to read and understand what they’re looking at. A messy font decreases their understanding.
Other ways the font can harm your website include:
- Using too many font types and styles
- Incorporating fonts that conflict with one another
6. Not Using Your Whitespace Correctly
Your website’s whitespace can have a significant impact on website visitors. When used correctly, it can have the following effects:
- Increased attention
- Improved readability
- Boosted comprehension
- Maximized clarity
Your website’s content might be overwhelming if there isn’t enough whitespace on your website. Whitespace can focus your website’s visitor’s attention in one spot. The space around a block of content or an image shows the person that what’s being featured is important.
Keep in mind that there’s a delicate balance involved. Too much whitespace shows that it doesn’t have a purpose. It also decreases the focus and clarity of your website.
7. Not Having a Clear Call-to-Action
What do you want to achieve with your website? Do you want your visitors to purchase products from you? Are you interested in having people book a meeting with your sales team?
The goal of your website will frame how you design it. If you’re selling products, you’ll want to showcase what you have to offer. For those advertising certain services, you’ll want to highlight your portfolio.
In addition to highlighting what you offer to your customers, they should also know what steps they need to take next. Website visitors will come to your page with specific questions in mind. Your website needs to quickly answer these questions.
Some of these questions can include:
- How do I contact a real person at your business?
- How much do your services and products cost?
- Where is your location?
- How much do you charge for shipping?
8. Generic Pictures
Having cheesy stock pictures can harm your website’s performance. That’s because they’re confusing. These types of images take clarity away from your website.
Stock photos can add meaning to your website when they’re used well. Any image you use on your website should reinforce the message you’re attempting to communicate.
Using original photos is the best way to go. Your images should be relevant to your industry and what you’re offering.
Avoid These Common Beginner Website Design Errors
There are countless beginner website design errors people can make. While you don’t need to be an expert on everything, it’s important to take the time to educate yourself on the basics. Doing so will help you avoid potential headaches and increase the results you want to achieve from your website.
Did you find this article helpful? We have many blogs that are designed to help small business owners elevate their companies. Read another one to find out more useful information.
