With so many options when it comes to building a website, it can be difficult to know which route is right for you or your business. There are the obvious things to take into consideration like the type of business you’re running or the budget you’re working with but there are a few lesser thought of and common missteps that could happen to anyone. Don’t make these common website design mistakes:
1.) Relying on a free website builder
What you put in is what you get out and it couldn’t be more true in web design. We’ve all seen the ads that promise a gorgeous website in just a few minutes but it’s important to know that there can be a huge weight attached to going that route.
- you don’t own your own website
- search engine optimization is limited
- flash-based (difficult for search engines to read, can be slow to load, require a plugin etc.)
- very little diversification
- crowded servers (aka slow load speed)
If your website is important to your business then it’s important to think of it as an investment rather than a one-time purchase. Spending as little money as possible (or none at all) may end up costing you more time and money in the long run.
2.) Having a non-responsive site
If someone is described as “responsive” then they generally react quickly and positively. The same thing goes for your website. A responsive website adjusts content and imagery according to browser screen width. It knows how to look its best on desktop, mobile, and tablet.
There is nothing worse than looking at a non-responsive website on your phone. Did you know that 94% of users cite that unattractive web designs are the main reason they leave and 48% use it to determine a business’s credibility? Just because you have a website doesn’t mean it looks good on all screen sizes and you will definitely lose traffic and sales if your website isn’t responsive. Read more about the benefits of a responsive site in a recent blog post of ours here.
3.) Lacking a clear call to action
Be a good host and cut to the chase. If you hosted a cocktail party and didn’t have any glasses to put beverages in, your guests would leave. The same thing applies to your website! Have a call to action and make it obvious. Give your users the experience they’re looking for.
4.) Burying your contact information
Why are you building a website in the first place? Probably to increase the amount of clients or customers you have. Therefore, make your phone number and business hours easy to find.
5.) Not keeping it up to date
You need to be able to update your website easily. If you don’t have the necessary skills to do so, then hire a support team that can. A regularly updated site is loved by Google because it has fresh content and is, most-likely, more secure. An out of date website not only looks stale but can be easily compromised leading to security issues like stolen information.
At BuildThis, our goal is to remove the curtain of the seemingly complex web design and development industry for small to mid sized businesses. We offer project based website design and application development, ongoing project consulting and ongoing hosting and support. Have questions? We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out to us today.