Common Web Design Mistakes That Businesses Make

The design of a website will give a potential client the first impression about the business that owns the site. If it is appealing and functional, the customer will likely proceed to use it, otherwise he or she will turn away out of disappointment or mistrust. Here are the five web design mistakes that most businesses make.

1. Mass Targeting

Businesses are always looking for a way to increase their website traffic and page view but some of them do it in the wrong way by targeting everyone. All websites need to start the design process with a particular kind of visitor in mind. In this regard, the design process should put an emphasis on what that particular visitor or user will find useful and attractive on the website. If the website's design targets different kinds of people, some of its characteristics will displease some people.

2. Failing to involve experts in the design

Some business owners are frugal with their web design and try to minimize all design related costs. They choose to make their own websites even though they lack the necessary knowledge on user experience. In the end, they end up with average website looks and feel that fail to make a good impression.

3. Relying on a unique navigation

When users go to websites, they expect to find navigation links on the menu or on the sidebar. An attempt to make the website fancy by interfering with the universally accepted design framework will only lead to a frustrated user experience. At any time, a user needs to know where he or she is on a website and where to go for the content they seek.

4. Failure to direct users

The most critical factor for a business is the conversion of visitors into clients. A website must compel its visitors to do something while they are on the site. This is a 'call to action'. Most business owners provide rich content about their business but forget to tell the potential customer what they should do after interacting with the content. To forget a call to action message is the same as to let a customer enter a physical store and leave without talking to any staff. Users need direct instructions but instead, most web owners make them work and think too hard to understand the website's design.

5. Poor presentation of content

It is true that the content of a website attracts visitors and keep them returning to the site. A mistake that business owners make is to stuff content instead of arranging it in an easy to digest way. The overcrowding of content makes it hard for people to scan a website and decide whether it is relevant for their needs.

A business website is a huge investment. It needs a proper design to make it serve its intended purpose of providing visitors an opportunity to build relationships with the web owner. By using the above common mistakes for making websites made by businesses as a checklist, you can go on to build relationships with customers in an engaging way. This will result to good prospects for your business.