One of the essential assets of your business is your website. It is the face of your company and is most likely the first opportunity you'll have to make a significant impression on your potential customers and clients.
Believe it or not, people are going to evaluate the quality of your business based on your website's quality. That's why it's critical to invest in designing and creating a website that'll not only impress and WOW your site visitors but will convert them into buying customers.
However, many web designers and companies don't understand the importance of having a website that SELLS and WORKS. They have all these great ideas, but they can't figure out how to get them on your site in a way that converts visitors into customers.
They don't understand that merely having a website isn't enough. You have to have the right kind of website, one that generates leads and sales for your business. Because if you don't know how to translate those “great ideas” into actual generating profits for your business, then it's just another pretty face that will do nothing for your company but cost you money.
To avoid such a predicament, here are some things to watch out for that no web designer would dare tell you, so you can plan ahead and know what to do when they crop up.
Don’t Focus Too Much on Designing A Home Page
A homepage is a must-have in a website, and there's no denying this. You need a place on the Internet to house all of your content and call home. However, your homepage is NOT your moneymaker.
Too often, web designers get so wrapped up in designing homepages that they forget to focus on what will make money. Sure, it will be beautifully designed, extravagant, completely on-brand, but it will only drive little to no revenue.
Web designers often forget that people are coming to a website for a reason, and it's not because they want to admire the beautiful design. They want solutions to their problems, products they can purchase, or services they can use. So, give them what they came for—focus on the moneymakers, not the home page.
Focus on creating targeted landing pages and offers, and you'll see your revenue skyrocket. The easiest approach to get the most out of your traffic—and your advertising dollars—is to send it to landing pages that are designed to convert those visitors into paying customers.
Pick Colors Based On Effectiveness, Not Aesthetics
Choosing colors for your website is far more than simply seeing what's on the other side of the color wheel or choosing the most appealing combinations. You have to consider the message you are sending with each color. Additionally, there is even psychology behind choosing colors for your website.
However, web designers will often choose colors based on aesthetics without giving any thought to the message they're sending. And this can result in a website that doesn't look or feel right.
The truth is that you shouldn't worry too much about whether the colors look good on your website. You should be concerned about whether these colors CONVERT. Keep in mind that color is influential and powerful. People have different feelings about colors. If you know about color psychology, you can use people's feelings to influence them.
When you choose colors for your website, it should be based on the purpose of your site is. For example, if you're creating an e-commerce site in which something will be sold at some point or another, then you'll want to go with bright and vibrant colors because these are known to help boost sales. On the other hand, if you're creating a blog site where someone can come and read blogs on any topic under the sun, then less vibrant colors would suffice.
Emphasize or Highlight What Website Visitors Need to Do
Undoubtedly, web designers will design and create websites that look beautiful and amazing. However, in all honesty, it doesn't matter how good-looking your website is if your site visitors do not know what EXACTLY to do.
Worse, if they don't know where to go or what to do on your website, you can be sure that your bounce rate will skyrocket and leave a very bad impression.
As a business owner or entrepreneur, you are not getting a website designed for no reason. You're doing it because you have desire or ambition. To put it simply, you want to get something out of the entire deal.
In order to get what you want, you will need to tell your web designer or developer exactly what actions you want your site visitors to take. For example, if you have an e-commerce website where people can buy things from it, the main goal is probably to click on the "Buy Now" button.
If this is the case, then make sure that the "Buy Now" button stands out and be highlighted so that it does not look like a part of everything else (like some buttons). The same principle applies to sites with other goals in mind, such as subscription forms. Whatever action must be done should stand out and call attention.
Designing A Responsive Website
Years ago, most people were using a home computer or a laptop to use the Internet. Hence, if your website page looked good on a desktop or a laptop, you were done and dusted.
However, years have passed, and times have changed. Mobile web browsing became more popular and paramount than desktop browsing. Meaning more and more people are looking at websites on-the-go thanks to their mobile devices.
So, if web designers don't cater to the mobile experience, they're leaving a ton of money on the table.
So what is responsive design? This term refers to a website's ability to adapt itself depending on the device or screen size that it is being viewed on. An example would be if you are viewing this page right now through your smartphone, its appearance will change according to the device and look different compared to when you view it on a desktop computer.
As for web designers who fail at delivering mobile-friendly websites, they miss out big time! According to Statista, mobile devices have become an essential accessory of everyday life for billions of people.
In 2020, there have been a total of 4.28 billion unique mobile internet users, which means that at least 90% of the internet population worldwide use a mobile device to use the Internet. This statistic is forecast to increase in the coming years, as mobile technologies are becoming more available and affordable than ever.
Not only that, research done by Google and Ipsos Media CT revealed that 61% of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they have trouble accessing.
So what's the solution? If your website is not responsive, you should send it back immediately and get a Website Design Services who knows how to design one for you as soon as possible. Your customers will thank you for it!
Designing Based On Data And Not Solely on Feelings
Web designers are creative and artistic people. There's nothing wrong with being creative. It's actually awesome. However, creative folks tend to do things based on what they feel.
For example, "I feel like this button would look amazing in yellow" or "I feel this picture would look good over here."
While this method may work for some, it can often backfire. Especially when it comes to designing something as important as a website, and this is where data comes in more handy than ever.
Web designers need to do research and analyze the website's target audience. Find out what they want and how they interact with your site. Only then will you be able to design something that caters to their needs while still being visually appealing.
There's a sea of data out there on everything, from which areas on websites get the most clicks to the best colors to drive conversions. The last thing you'd want is a website that looks amazing but doesn't actually drive conversions or sales.
Pay Attention to the Copy
Of course, web design and development are essential. Even so, remember that no one ever landed a conversion entirely based on an attractive layout or creative graphic. You need to focus on the words, too. Design is only half of the equation; it's not everything. Make sure your words are just as powerful as your visuals if you want to see real results from your website or marketing campaign.
The power of excellent copy is limitless. With the appropriate combination of words, you can persuade people to do almost anything. Good copy can make people feel happy, excited, motivated, and more. When it comes to online marketing, the right words can be the difference between a successful campaign and one that falls flat.
Web designers often focus only on the design and forget about the importance of copy. While an attractive layout is certainly important, it's not nearly as effective without well-written text to support it. Make sure you focus on both aspects of website design if you want to see real results.
Focus on Positive User Experience
Many web designers focus exclusively on the look and feel of their designs rather than the user experience. And this can lead to websites that are visually appealing but are difficult to use and navigate. Users may not be able to find what they are looking for or may not be able to figure out how to use the website.
Good web design should focus on both the visual appearance and the user experience. The design should be attractive and functional so that users will enjoy using it and will be more likely to return. A good user experience is essential for any website, especially a commercial website. If users don't enjoy using a website, they will go elsewhere.
A good user experience is also very important for search engine optimization. Search engines are interested in websites that are easy to use and navigate, and attractive. If a website is challenging to navigate or doesn't work correctly, the user will not find what they want. It means less traffic, which can mean fewer sales and customers for businesses. Also, it can mean that the website won't rank high in search results.
Avoid Using Hard-to-Read Fonts or Texts
There are many text layouts and fonts available out there that, from the web designer's standpoint, are super awesome. However, it does not AUTOMATICALLY mean that they should be used on a website. In fact, there are a lot of instances where using hard-to-read fonts or texts can hurt the website's user experience.
In some cases, web designers might be tempted to use difficult-to-read fonts or texts because they want to make their designs look unique or impressive. However, it is essential to remember that the primary goal of any website should always be to provide users with a positive and easy-to-use experience.
Using hard-to-read fonts or texts can work against this goal and ultimately lead to lower conversion rates and decreased visitor engagement.
Designing With the Website's Audience in Mind
In general, web designers will talk to you about your vision, goals, and brand for your website before designing. Although all these things are essential, there's one missing element that is integral to the design process.
And that's the audience, the people who you're designing FOR. A website should be designed in such a way that your audience can navigate, understand and feel the brand identity of your business quickly. And if they're unable to do this, then chances are high that they might leave without engaging with any other parts of the website.
That's why before designing a website, web designers should always ask their clients who their target audience is so they can design around them. For example:
If you have an eCommerce site selling workout clothes for women and men, we would want to know what age group these people are in? What type of style do they prefer? Do they like flashy products or more subtle color schemes?
In the end, you want a website that reflects what you do as a business and resonates with your audience. So web designers need to know who that audience is before they jump into designing.
Refrain from Using Visuals Everywhere On the Website
There's no denying that web designers ADORE visuals. A well-placed image or graph can construct a more collective and coordinated experience, boosting conversions.
But when visuals are used for the sake of using, visuals will undoubtedly do NOTHING but add clutter and mess to your site. Worse, it may UNDERMINE your chance of converting your visitors into leads and paying customers. Remember that every single visual on your site needs to have a clear-cut purpose.
Avoid Using Generic Stock Photos
Generic, tacky stock photos are the norm for most web designers. However there is an alternative that can really make your site stand out from others and create a more personal feeling.
Why generic stock photos are terrible:
- Generic stock photos could have little to no relevance to the page they're being used on. They don't tie into the page or website design. It's not original. It's uninspiring. It's not personal., which turns away visitors as a result.
- Stock photography tends to be overdone – it has been overused in web design for many years now that people instantly recognize them when they see them, stock images most of the time doesn't fit within your brand, those are generic stock images from websites like iStockPhoto or Shutterstock! Using such photos will make your website look or feel not real and genuine.
- Generic stock photos are often don't make your audience feel the authenticity. Millennials LOVE when brands connect with us on a personal level, bad stock photos don't provide that approach.
If you want to use images or pictures to drive conversions and keep people engaged, you need to stick to custom, original photos or raw image. Doing so will make your website look more professional and reflect positively on your business or brand.
Don’t Overcomplicate The Web Design
Sometimes, web designers try to overcomplicate things to get fancy results. They tend to go too far and do more than necessary just because something looks cool on the Internet.
Although these additions may make your website look better, your conversions will surely decrease. The reason for this is that the more complicated your website design, the more challenging it is to navigate.
Also, the more hoops you ask your consumers to jump through, the more likely they are to leave. So, keep your web design simple and easy to navigate from the beginning. The less complicated you make things, the more likely your consumers will stay on your page and complete their purchases. Keep in mind that people like SIMPLE and EASY.
Additionally, your website is not an art project—it's a business tool. Keep it simple, and you'll see better results.
Thinking The Success Of Your Website Begins and Ends With Web Design
Web design is just one aspect of what it takes to be successful with your website. You need to make sure that you are using all aspects of digital marketing in order to drive traffic to your site and increase conversion rates.
There are many aspects to digital marketing that work together in order to make your site successful. Search engine optimization (SEO) will help you gain visibility for the keywords your customers use when trying to find your products and services online.
Content writing is a great way of providing valuable information about what you do, which builds trust with potential clients. You can also use social media to reach a wider audience, as well as remarketing to keep potential customers interested in your products and services.
Not only that, but you also need to make sure that your website is designed in a way that encourages users to stick around and explore. Navigation should be easy to use, and the overall layout needs to be visually appealing.
Conclusion
For sure, you will never hear about these 13 killer mistakes from a web designer. Instead of investing in an attractive website that doesn't work for you, be sure to invest in a valuable, award-winning web design company or digital marketing agency that will help you achieve online success. Make sure to avoid these costly mistakes, and you'll be on your way to a website that makes money.