Your website offers a visual representation of your business that allows you to interact and engage with customers. With the right design, you encourage visitors to linger on your site and increase the potential for a sale. However, poor design can quickly turn people away instead of drawing them in. To create a website that is both attractive and effective, work with expert Portland web designers who can help you to avoid the costly mistakes that could ruin your design.
Design Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Website
Having a good website offers a variety of benefits, but it can only be effective if crafted to the highest standards. A website that is poorly designed can have a negative impact on a business rather than a positive one. To help you draw people in rather than pushing them away, here are some major design mistakes to fix or avoid.
1. You Didn’t Opt for Responsive Web Design
In a world ruled by mobile devices, it is essential that websites be designed to fit the format of any screen at any given moment. Accessing a site that is only formatted for a desktop computer on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet affects user experience and ultimately affects the success of your website. Because you cannot know what device will be used to access your site, responsive design allows the site to fully adapt to screens of any size or origin without affecting appearance or function.
2. You Don’t Believe That Site Speed Is All That Important
Studies have shown that the longer it takes for a site to load or the slower a site is to navigate, the more likely it is that a visitor won’t stick around. Site speed has a significant impact on traffic and conversion rates. With countless other websites on the Internet, users know that they can find a quicker answer and a more convenient resource somewhere else. If your site takes longer than 4 seconds to load, it simply won’t compete at the same level.
3. You Get So Creative With Design That Function Suffers
Technology today opens the doors for nearly limitless creativity. With so many possibilities for exceptional design, be careful that you don’t lose sight of the importance of function, navigations, and overall user experience. Visitors don’t want to deal with a site that is confusing or difficult to use. Do not saturate your site with interactive messages, countless call-to-actions, or even music. Be careful that your design doesn’t stray too far from what users are comfortable with.
4. You Didn’t Choose Your Fonts Wisely
There are hundreds of fonts to choose from, making it difficult to narrow it down to the perfect one. If you can’t make a decision, stick to two or three choices and not more. Use one font for headings or important statements and another for content. While you’re narrowing down your choices, make sure to discard any options that could be difficult to read. Choose a few fonts that work well together and can easily be read
5. You Have an Overwhelming Amount of Content Displayed
You may have a lot of information, ideas, products, or services to publicize, but make sure it’s done in an organized manner. Overwhelming site visitors with text, images, colors, and shapes will only turn people away from your site. Instead, use white space to draw attention to important sections and prioritize the information that needs to be displayed.
6. You Aren’t Using Professional Photos
Low-quality images do not give off the professional message your business is trying to display through your website. If you are using photography in your design, make sure to invest in professional services that will offer high-quality images to accurately represent your own individual brand.
7. You Aren’t Giving Customers What They’re Looking For
There is no doubt that impressive and visually appealing websites makes a statement, but make sure that your website isn’t so focused on aesthetics that it fails to provide customers with the detailed information they want to find. Customers visit your site to find ways to communicate with your business, get pricing for a specific product, or receive details about what is included in a service. They want to know what makes your company different and find reasons to choose you over a competitor. Design, layout, speed, and appearance are all important but don’t forget to provide value and answers.
Cyphon Design has extensive experience in creating websites that will bring success for your business. Contact us today to learn more.
