5 Web Design Mistakes You’re Making (That Are Turning Off Customers)

5 Web Design Mistakes That Are Costing Your Business Sales

An estimated 274 million people in the U.S. will shop online this year, according to one source. 

Your company’s website will likely be the first — and possibly the last — interaction a potential buyer will ever have with your business. It is your online storefront, salesperson, and customer support representative all rolled into one. But even good websites won’t convert browsers into buyers if glaring design mistakes get in the way.

Considering how much is at stake, it pays to retain the services of a professional web design agency that can ensure consumers get a good first impression.

Here are five web design errors that are probably costing your business money — and how to correct them.

1. Poor Navigation and User Flow

If your users can’t quickly and easily find what they’re searching for on your site, they’ll leave. And they may never return. Unclear menus, the need for excessive clicking to find things, or cramped pages can confound users and increase bounce rates.

Properly and logically label menu items, use as few dropdowns or submenus as possible, stick with a consistent page structure, and include simple call-to-action buttons.

2. Slow Page Load Times

A slow website is one of the fastest ways to lose business. What that implies is that if your site is taking more than a few seconds to load, viewers are likely clicking away without ever seeing what you have to give.

Things that can bog down a website include uncompressed images, packed code, too many plug-ins, and poor hosting.

Install image compression software, limit CSS and JavaScript compression, and limit third-party plugin utilization. If your host doesn’t support your traffic demands, make arrangements to switch to a faster, better host.

3. Non-Mobile-Friendly Design

With more than half of all web traffic originating from mobile devices — according to some sources — mobile-friendly design is a must rather than a mere option. A website that won’t work or display well on a smartphone or tablet will make users angry and send them to a competitor whose website looks better on any screen.

Common mobile design errors to avoid include text that’s too small, buttons that are too small, horizontal scrolling, and images and graphics that don’t rescale properly.

Implement a responsive web design methodology that will automatically resize and reconfigure based on screen size. Test your site on different devices and browsers. And make text readable, navigation touch-enabled, and vital information easily accessible.

4. No Trust Signals

Even if your product or service is superior to the competition’s, new buyers will not buy until they trust you. Without a sense of credibility and legitimacy on your website, customers will not give personal or payment information.

Red flags that scream distrust include having no SSL certificate (HTTPS), using stock or low-resolution images, having no reviews or testimonials, and including insufficient “About Us” or “Contact” information.

Make your site secure with an SSL certificate and display trust badges of security software or payment processors. Display genuine customer reviews and testimonials. You should also display full contact details, and use professional graphics.

5. Cluttered or Overwhelming Design

While creativity is great, pages with excessive animations, pop-ups, colors, or clunky content overwhelm users. When users are unclear as to what to look for, they will be less likely to pursue your intended action — be it buying, subscribing, or calling.

Keep things simple. Use whitespace effectively to provide room to breathe and direct the eye to important content. It’s also a good idea to use a standard color palette and font. Subheadings, bulleted points, and graphics can also provide text breaks and readability.

Your website is one of your biggest business investments, but it must be user-friendly. Avoid the five web design follies described above and you’ll be able to simplify the user experience, drive conversions, and ultimately sell more products or services.