Creating a website for your business? Don’t make these common mistakes
Too many small business owners try to design their site so that they can save money while maintaining control over their projects.
This is a major mistake, because you may end up with a poorly functioning site that doesn’t meet your customer needs. If you want to avoid this then you may want to go through a website design company.
With that in mind, you still need to make sure you avoid these mistakes. If you don’t then you may find that you end up paying for it later down the line.
Too much going on
The first thing you need to do is make sure that you are portraying important business information from the get-go. People who cannot understand what your site is about within the first few minutes will probably end up leaving.
While it is important for you to list information, you do need to make sure that you aren’t cramming too much information above the fold. A crowded site is never a good thing, not to mention that it could mean that your site ends up taking a long time to load. One way for you to avoid this would be for you to use as few images as possible.
Too little going on
Websites that have next to nothing on them lie at the other end of the spectrum. Minimalism right now is a huge trend. It works too, if you do it correctly. Some small business sites are too cryptic and they leave too much to the imagination.
This is a major mistake. Your visitors want to see who you are and they also want to know what your company can do for them. If you rely on simple imagery too much then this will leave your customers guessing, and this is not a good thing.
Confusing layout or site structure
If you have a confusing site then this will have a variety of typefaces and a lot of different images. On top of this, you have a mixture of color palettes and none of this will relate to your brand.
This happens for a number of reasons. It can happen when you don’t have a good idea of your brand image and it can also happen when you view your site as having individual sections, rather than it being a bigger picture. Make sure that you stick with a theme and that you take note of what your purpose is when designing a page.
Terrible CTA
Your CTA is the gateway for your business. It essentially tells your visitors what you want them to do, whether it is to sign up for your email, learn more about a product or even use a coupon that you have given them.
On the other hand, you have to know that there is a major difference between being helpful and being downright annoying. If possible, you need to make sure that your CTA is concise and that people know what to do without you harassing them. Keep any forms that have to be filled out to a minimum, and also make sure that you are respecting their time.
If you are looking to enhance the user experience further, partnering with a professional B2B web design agency can ensure that your CTAs are seamlessly integrated, enhancing both user engagement and lead generation.
If you can do this then you are bound to see a major difference in terms of how many leads you can generate.
Poor white space
Content is such an important part of your site. It is also important for your marketing campaign. Content tells your readers about your business and it also tells them what products or services you have to offer.
Make sure that you pay special attention to the fonts you can use and how content is laid out on the page. If you can do this and if you can take the time to use your space properly then this will help you out a lot. One thing to take note of here is your typeface. This will convey your brand image, alongside the words you use.
You also need to make sure that your font is legible and that it is attractive. Make good use of your white space and also make sure that it brings the eye around your site. Content should be updated regularly too. If you don’t then you may give your customers the impression that you have gone out of business, which is the last thing you need.
Irrelevant images
Photos and graphics are such an important part of website design. Images are great if you want to convey complex thoughts without having to read through everything. That being said, a lot of businesses use images or poor-quality photos without any second thought.
This is a major mistake. Images that are not of the highest quality will turn off your visitors. They will also confuse them, as they’ll wonder what point you are trying to convey. If you want to do something about this, make sure that you are taking great photos of your products, and also make sure that you are paying for stock imagery where possible.
Free images are great, but there is a chance that your customers will have seen them around before, and this can make you look untrustworthy. If you want to help yourself with this then you can go through a website designer. Here is an example of a specialist website provider for car dealers, if you work within that niche.
Hidden navigational bars and search functions
Navigational issues will destroy your business brand. You have to understand how important it is for you to make your site seamless in transition. Making your navigational menu hard to access is a major mistake and it’s entirely avoidable.
Have you ever been on a site and failed to find the search bar or the menu? If so then you will know how infuriating it can be. Make sure that all of the navigational elements of your site are as sound as they can be so that things become easier to find.
Missing your target audience
If you are a small business owner then you will understand how important it is for you to reach the right target audience. You have probably spent hours creating your customer profiles and figuring out how to attract people.
This is very significant when it comes to website design. Some websites are highly professional and this is great, but at the same time, they try to speak to too many audiences. If you try and please everyone then you may struggle to target your niche.
You may also end up with a muddled website. Identify your audience and make sure you profile your target audience too. If you can do this and if you can cater for it then you will be able to reap the benefits in the long run.
1.3 billion people worldwide live with a disability. This equates to 16% of the global population. If your website does not meet accessibility standards, you are missing the opportunity to reach a wider audience. Moreover, you are putting your company at risk of lawsuits. An accessibility audit and a successful remediation roadmap will guarantee that every user, regardless of their abilities, can navigate your website and engage with your content.
Lack of contact information
Lack of contact information is a huge mistake, to say the least. The second a visitor decides to make a purchase from you, or your services, you have to make sure that they have the right contact information.
On the flip side, if someone has to search through endless pages for your contact information then they will get frustrated and end up leaving. This is the last thing you need, so make sure that your Contact Us page is only ever a click away and that your email or phone number is at the bottom of every page.
Having distracting ads everywhere
Having ads everywhere is also a major mistake. If you have ads everywhere then this will make it much more difficult for you to get sales. Advertising is a necessary evil, and this is especially the case if you run your blog. That being said, if you have too many ads or if they are noisy and flashy then this will annoy your visitors far more than you might realize.
One way for you to work around this would be for you to analyze all of your ads properly. If they annoy you, even in the slightest then this is a major sign that they have to go. Pay attention to pop-ups and also take note of things that appear too big on the screen.
If you can do this then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to get the result you are looking for. When it comes to ads, always keep your target audience in mind. Partner with other companies who reflect what your customers are looking for.
There is no point in advertising dog food, if you run an IT company for example. If you run a doggy daycare business, however, this makes perfect sense. You never know, your ad may end up looking seamless when posted onto your site, to the point where your user may not even realize that there is an ad there.
If you can achieve this then you will be well on your way to making sure that your site appears professional, so be mindful of that if you can as it will make a major difference to your campaigns and your professionalism.
