Website design software is everywhere, and so are website design companies. You can even design your own website for free, if you so desire, on many different site builders. Considering the many options that exist, it’s completely understandable that small business owners often feel a sense of confusion when it comes to building a website. While there are many extremely desirable elements to website design, there are also some things you should avoid. Here are five website design mistakes you should be careful never to make.
Mistake #5: Using PDF Files Instead of Pages
It might be tempting to scan existing documents into pdf format and upload them onto your website. Give visitors a link to click, and up comes your pdf. Easy, right? Wrong! People hate finding pdf’s on websites. They take a long time to load, and they can be hard to read. Take the time to create a new page that contains the pertinent information. You can build links and backlinks, add great photos, and make your page a pleasure to visit instead of an irritation. Annoyed visitors leave a site and look for a better one – so skip the pdf’s.
Mistake #4: Using Bookish Text
People want information fast. They want to scan your site and see whether you have what they are looking for. So:
- Do not make your site look like the page of a book. Keep it interesting.
- Use photos and vary the text size to highlight different areas of your page.
- Use bulleted lists and quick paragraphs with headers that tell the visitor what they’re going to find under that heading.
- Make your site interactive. The more fun people have when they visit your site, the more successful it will be.
Mistake #3: Building A Flashy Site That Is Too Complicated For Users To Navigate
You can have the most beautiful looking website in the world, but without elements that are properly built using proven website design techniques, your site will be just more pretty pictures – and the internet is full of those! People want to go to a site, find what they are looking for, and leave. The better and faster the internet gets, the faster people expect sites to work.
Mistake #2: Preventing Smartphone Users From Accessing Your Site
This is a relatively new mistake in website design, and if you’ve got a website now, it’s worth looking into. Can people who surf the web on their iPhone, Droid, Blackberry or other smartphone get into your site? Can they find what they’re looking for, and navigate well? If not, your site needs first aid. Fast.
Mistake #1: Not Hiring A Professional To Handle Website Design
You might want to help your buddy who is learning about website design build his portfolio by building you a website, and while that might be OK if he has some experienced guidance, it also might ruin your chances of ending up with a great site that is both user friendly and high ranking. These days, website design is about a lot more than looking good. Hire a professional, and your site will do exactly what you need it to – gain you business, and increase your bottom line.
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Glennette Goodbread, Owner
Premium Web Design and Hosting
