As a small business owner, you know that having a strong online presence is critical to your success. Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your company, so it’s important to make sure that it looks professional and represents your brand well.
Unfortunately, many small businesses make common web design mistakes that can ruin their chances of making a good impression. In this article, we will discuss 8 of the most common web design mistakes small businesses make, and how to avoid them.
A distinctive and engaging web presence is no longer an option. A poor website can cause companies to lose customers, which means the money slips away. It happens in alarming numbers. Small business owners often design their websites to reduce costs and gain more control over the website. However, they may not fully comprehend the fundamentals of an effective website design and end up with designs that aren’t optimal.
What is the importance of web design to your business?
There are many reasons behind the importance of web design. First and foremost, it is the first thing that potential customers will see when they visit your website. A well-designed website will make a good first impression, while a poorly designed site will turn visitors away.
Secondly, web design can have a significant impact on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Poorly designed websites are often crawlable by search engines, which can lead to lower search engine rankings. Finally, web design can impact the conversion rate of potential customers into paying customers.
A well-designed website with clear calls-to-action is more likely to result in sales than a poorly designed site. In conclusion, web design is important to businesses for a variety of reasons and should not be overlooked.
What makes a good web design?
Before we talk about web design mistakes, let’s understand first what good web design is. A good web design has five basic elements giving a unique contribution to enhancing the user experience. Ensure that one component doesn’t derail the whole website. Here are the five components to consider when designing a website:
1) Content. It’s no secret that ‘Content is the King’. It is a major factor in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and is among the primary reasons that people check your site.
It is essential to put an enormous amount of time into creating top-quality web content that includes videos, information, relevant news, and high-resolution images for a “stickier” website. It will keep visitors engaged on your site for a longer time.
2) Usability. Great usability won’t get noticed by an end user, but poor usability immediately stands out. Your site must be easy to navigate, user-friendly, and accessible. It should also be mobile-friendly.
The user must know which page they are on the site at all times and be able to locate where they’d like to go in a matter of seconds. They must also be able to get to any page they want without browsing the entire site. Your site must try to anticipate what visitors are thinking and assist users to meet their needs with the least effort possible.
3) Aesthetics. In today’s world, a visually impressive website presence across every device is vital. But, it is important to maintain your image as a brand.
Your website should be a reflection of the personality of your business and connect visually to your customers. The aesthetic appeal of your website not just improves your brand’s recognition but also boosts your credibility.
4) Visibility. Even if you have the best visually appealing and user-friendly website available on the internet, it’s still ineffective if it cannot be found. Your visibility and presence through online marketing strategies, including SEO, social media, and email marketing are crucial for your website’s success.
It’s crucial to understand how to rank, what platforms you should target, and the best way to utilize your content. There are several factors affecting the way you show up in search engines, so make sure you have a strategy in place!
5) Interaction. Your website should engage your target audience, draw their attention, guide them through the various stages of your site, and then urge them to reach you.
Common Web Design Mistakes Small Businesses Make
Your website isn’t meant to show off. It’s designed to generate leads, increase sales, and increase your revenue, so be sure your site is effectively engaging with customers.
If your website is designed with horrifying mistakes, you could lose hundreds of dollars or more in revenue than you’d earn with a properly-designed website. Here are the common web design mistakes small businesses make:
1. Lack of accessibility
Accessibility is the ease of browsing your website. There are a few elements that make a website simple to use:
- The languages available on your website
- Jargon and tone used in the content
- The mobile version of your site
- The website design on different browsers
2. Spending too little or too much
Most of the time, a cheap web designer makes poor branding decisions, and then ended with a sloppy-looking website. On the other side, some businesses are attracted by high-priced digital marketing firms that may not be able to assist small businesses focused on ROI. In simple terms, be sure to research before choosing web designers.
3. Insufficient contact information
Part of the common web design mistakes is the lack of contact details. Contact information is more than just a telephone number. If you have a hotline available for visitors to contact, did you list down both the number and the hours of operation?
If you own bricks and mortar stores, have you included your complete address, including postal code and easy instructions on how clients can access your location? It’s simple for your customers to reach you by including your contact details in the header, footer, and sidebar.
4. Create high-quality content
Content is the king, they claim. When you publish high-quality content, that shows your expertise in the field. When you publish quality content more often, it helps boost the SEO of your website.
Despite all the marketing tips you’ve heard, it’s not necessary to blog multiple times a day, tweet multiple times per hour, etc. For small business owners, you can publish blog articles less but maintain that high-quality content.
5. Poor readability and colour schemes
In website design, color scheme and readability go hand-in-hand. To make sure your website design is one step ahead of your competition, ensure that you have visually impaired users at the forefront of your mind. If your site has colour-coded text on a coloured background, assist them by providing a high-contrast option.
6. No call-to-action
A missing call-to-action is one of the usual web design mistakes. It is essential to explain to your readers what you would like for them to accomplish. Your content must answer the question “what’s in it for me?” Then, the call-to-action button will tell the user what to do in the next step.
7. No Search Bar
A search bar is crucial to help your customers find the information they need. A search bar can be helpful in situations where visitors are searching for something that’s not clear on your site. Ensure that the search bar is visible from the front page.
8. Poor navigational issues
While there isn’t any way to measure how simple navigation can be within a particular website, it’s crucial to recognize that navigation must be natural and intuitive. Here’s a quick guide to help you get to the right place:
- If text is being used for navigation, it must be short and clear.
- If you use visual metaphors, adhere to the conventions and don’t reinvent the same ones just for style.
- Hyperlinks must stand out in the body of the text.
- Ensure that there aren’t dead links or redirection loops on your website.
Web Design With A2B Media
A2B Media specializes in web design for businesses of all sizes. We understand the importance of having a well-designed website that is user-friendly and informative. We work closely with our clients to ensure that their needs are met and that their vision for the website is realized.
We also offer a variety of services to help maintain and update the website on an ongoing basis. Our goal is to provide our clients with a website that they can be proud of and that will help them to grow their businesses.
Contact us today to avoid web design mistakes and learn more about our quality web design services.
