Common web design mistakes and how to fix them

Having a poorly designed website is the equivalent of having run-down premises in a sketchy neighbourhood. By creating an environment that no one wants to be in, you will set your business up for failure. A well-designed and functional website creates confidence in your brand and invites potential customers to find out more. Every commercial and industrial business should take marketing seriously and avoid common web design mistakes by ensuring that their website is responsive, contains clear calls to action and has a simple, easy-to-use navigation system.

 

 

If you've ever been to a website on your phone and had it display exactly as it would on a computer - making it difficult or impossible to read - then you've encountered a non-responsive website. Responsive web design is about creating web pages that look great whether they are accessed on a computer, a tablet or a phone. If your website is non-responsive, you're missing out on customers, because people will get frustrated and move on to one of your competitors' sites. If people arrive on your website and don't like what they see, this will also lead to your site having a higher bounce rate, which will have a negative impact on your search engine optimisation (SEO) efforts.

 

The mistake: Having a site that isn't easy to read on a mobile device.

The solution: Create a site that's "responsive" and adapts to whichever device a customer is using to view your site.

 

 

Every page on your company's website needs to have a clear purpose and a call to action. If it doesn't have a purpose, it shouldn't be there. Your clients should never have to look hard to know what that page is about. Here are a few examples of great calls to action:

Your call to action should be closely linked to the text on the page, and leave your customer in no doubt as to what they need to do next.

 

The mistake: Having a webpage that doesn't explain to visitors what they should do next.

The solution: Provide a brief and clear call to action on every page.

 

 

A website that's hard to navigate has a lot in common with a meeting you have to have with a difficult client: sooner or later, you just want to leave. The navigation structure of a website creates structure and a frame of reference for users, making it easy for them to find what they are looking for. Best practices for website navigation systems include using the "three-click rule" which means that no "inner page" of the website should be more than three clicks away from the homepage. 

 

Top navigation system trends in 2021 include steering away from dropdown menus and replacing them with an entire page of options to ensure that you can fit in all the required information. 

 

The mistake: Making it difficult for people to find what they're looking for.

The solution: Keep all content within a few clicks of the homepage and have a clear, easy-to-use navigation system.