(Hint: some are too silly!)
A website design is more than just appearance and layout.
……….(once it was though).
In 2023, the success of your website design relies on one thing- User Experience. It is the new holy grail of web designing.
In fact……..88% of users are less likely to return to a website after a bad experience point (XP).
Web designers are spending countless hours on designing, so why is this happening? Well, that’s because they’re making some silly web design mistakes that ruin all their efforts.
Let’s see what makes a bad web design And What is website design mistakes you need to avoid.
11 Common Website Design Mistakes to Avoid at Any Cost to Make It User-centric
#1 Make the design too fancy that it ruins the user experience
A classic Website mistakes examples.
Designers put their blood, sweat, and tears into designing to see that Wow reaction from the user. And to get it, they use too much stuff (elements, widgets, etc.) that ultimately take a toll on the user experience.
Less is more!!!
Always keep that in mind. Nothing is wrong with making the site look good unless it also serves its main purpose (aka User Experience).
Let’s not forget- 89% of consumers shop with a competitor after a poor user experience.
#2 Your site is taking too much time to load
Think about this for a moment…..
You’re searching for a particular product or information online and type a search query. You click the first result on SERP but see it loading and loading eternally.
Now tell me, what will you do at that time?
You probably wait for a few seconds, but when nothing happens, you leave the page and go to another one, right?
Yup, there is nothing more valuable than time.
If you can’t wait a few seconds to load the full page, how can you expect your user will do this? 47% of people expect a web page to load in two seconds or less.
So, please keep the site as light as possible. Retailer AutoAnything experienced a 12-13% increase in sales after cutting page load time in half.
#3 Hidden navigation menu
Come on!!! It’s 2023.
Who has time to find out your navigation bar?
We want everything instant and in front of our eyes. Don’t make that mistake to keep the navigation bar unnoticeable. Place your navigation aspect in front, sleek and easier. This is a straightforward trick but often works like magic in bounce rate.
#4 Poorly placed CTAs that annoyed the reader
If you use the CTA wisely, it’s crazy effective.
But terribly designed CTA and placement can do the opposite. Instead of getting the click, it will confuse your customer. Here are some simple practices that can increase your CTA rate instantly-
- Use action pack text
- Green and orange buttons are works best for CTA
- Make the text Large and Legible.
- Craft the CTA with a first-person speech
- A sense Of Urgency always performs well in CTA
- Incorporate Cart on your CTA
#5 Overlook color psychology by using an inappropriate color scheme
Color and emotion go hand in hand.
This is a huge mistake in web design. Whatever color you’re using on the site affect your user’s psychology as well as behaviors.
So be careful with the color scheme. Be gentle with the background color. And keep a balance on color text, color, and icons on site.
Remember, everything is in sync, and you’re building a masterpiece with the right balance.
#6 Not paying attention to accessibility
The power of the Web is in its universality.
That means it’s for everyone. it includes-
- older people
- people with “temporary disabilities.”
- or people with “situational limitations,” such as in bright sunlight or audio
- even who are using a slow Internet connection
When you neglect web associability for everyone, you’re actually missing out on a big piece of cake. It is an essential component. So, make your website accessible to everyone.
#7 Too many elements create cluttered
There is one thing bad-designed websites have in common. Guess what is it?
Overcrowding elements.
Using too many elements make your site overwhelming, and user gets annoyed. And most importantly, this will feel better for our eyes.
So, how can you fix it?
- Prune the number of elements and keep just those needed
- Utilize white and neutral shade
- Keep the design minimalistic
#8 Not prioritizing a mobile-friendly mindset
Like it or not- Mobile devices drive 58.99% of the overall web traffic.
So, if you can’t make the user’s mobile experience seamless, you are basically throwing yourself out of the race.
…..…even though you make everything else right & perfect.
A recent study shows that 74% of people are more likely to return to a site when optimized for mobile.
#9 Sudden Pop-ups that trigger the customer
Everyone hates those pop-up ads.
That’s because it feels like those aggressive salespersons at the door for a pitch.
As a marketer, we know it but still have to use it because it works. But you need to use pop up very strategically. Otherwise, it will be distracting and irritating. Here are a few tips that will gamify your pop-up game:
- Add a human element to your popup design
- Keep the timing between 0-4 seconds.
- Pop up for only first-time visitors
- Hone in on empathy & emotion
#10 Unoptimized Images & video that ruin the charm
You did everything- contrast the color, and make it intuitive & user-centric.
But forget to optimize the images or media you used on site? It’s like that single drop of lemon able to ruin 100 liters of milk.
We love images and media. So instead of skipping it, take time to optimize the images and other media to cut the server loading time. Here is how to fix it-
- Choose the right file format
- Avoid aggressive compression
- Use image optimization plugins
#11 Failure to make the site unique that accurately represents you (& your work)
Your website is actually your brand.
You used all your design talent to make the site look good and posh but failed to show a clear brand persona. Then you miss the chance the optimal brand awareness.
A site like this will have a crazy bounce rate. So, pay some attention to it. Wondering how to achieve it?
- Give a personalized About Us & contact us page
- Try Spot-on website branding
- Prominently display your best reviews and testimonials.
What are the five golden rules of web designing?
Clean Web designing goes above and beyond.
Practice ethical Website design communication to represent clear-cut solutions. So, how do you achieve it? Here are 5 golden holistic rules to make an intuitive design.
Apply the KISS (“Keep it simple and straightforward”)
No crazy combination is needed- keep everything simple (yet classy). Make everything minimal and functional from the color grid to the contact form.
Make navigation easy as pie
That’s the key.
When you make the navigation easy, Users are happy. When a user is happy, everyone is happy. The easiest way is to tailor the navigation bar according to your own audience and business.
Use font, color & typography that soothes the Eye
Human beings are visual creatures.
92.6% of people say the visual dimension is the #1 influencing factor affecting their purchase decision (over taste, smell, etc.). Use visual hierarchy smartly.
The clean layout clean is timeless
38% of users will leave a page if its layout or content is unattractive. (Source). A simpler design works better (Always).
Last but not least… Don’t Forget About the Users
What I mean is to have a User-centric approach. It’s actually the base of web design concepts. Understand their need, behaviour, priority, and preference. And apply them to each phase of design.
Thanks for the informative blog post! I would like to add a few supplementary points that may benefit your readers:
1. Choosing the Wrong Hosting Provider
2. Failing to Test on Real Devices
3. Inadequate Security Protocols
4. Rushing the Redesign Process
5. Not Considering User Feedback
6. Underestimating the Importance of 301 Redirects
7. Neglecting Social Media Integration
8. Inconsistent URL Structure
9. Disregarding Legal Compliance (GDPR, etc.)
10. Not Planning for Downtime.
I understand the challenges of website development, and I have found it helpful to seek assistance from professional companies that specialize in this area, such as Alakmalak Technologies. However, it is important to note that there are many other qualified companies that can provide web development services.