How important is your website? It’s so important, that it influences your credibility by 75%. In other words, a good-looking website gives you a lot more credibility than a poorly designed one.
That’s the reason why so many people prefer building custom websites over using templates. Custom-designed websites offer you a lot of control. You have the ability to build a website from scratch, rather than trying to make a design work within your vision.
There are still pitfalls when building business websites. You could end up with a website that doesn’t function or visitors don’t like.
What are the mistakes you need to avoid? Keep reading to find out and to get great website design ideas.
1. Don’t Plan or Research
Does a website really take planning and research? It’s a must if you want to be a success.
You need to learn more about your target audience. You need to figure out what type of site you need.
These things determine the design and the content. An ecommerce site needs to emphasize the products and search capabilities.
The website could serve as a brochure and people can book appointments online. There are some sites like competition sites that require more expertise. There are laws and regulations that you need to comply with.
All of these things are part of the planning process. You can then plan out the design, such as the number of pages, and the format of each one.
2. Forget About Users
Another common error that a custom website developer makes is that they don’t design with users in mind. They design based on what they think looks good.
They don’t take into account things like navigation, a fast site loading time, or a mobile-friendly website. All of these things impact the user experience.
As you plan the initial designs, you have to put yourself in the shoes of the user. Think about where they’ll come to your website from, the initial landing page, and the reason for the visit.
Someone visiting from social media has a different intention than someone searching from a search engine. You have to think about this step because you can design the site accordingly.
3. Grainy Visuals
Images have to be clear and sharp. Images that appear grainy or pixelated have an impact on how someone perceives your site and business.
You want to make sure that you use the proper image sizes when you design your custom website. Be sure to compress them, which reduces the image size while retaining quality.
You should also consider using video on your website. This is a great way to make a connection with your visitors. Just be sure you don’t upload the video directly to your site, as that impacts load times.
Host it on sites like YouTube or Vimeo, then embed the video on your website.
4. Too Much Text
People don’t read a lot of text. Most people process images, videos, and headlines. If they like what they see, they may read your content.
If users see a lot of text they’ll skip the content and go to another site.
If you do have a lot of text, such as a long blog post, you’ll want to break it up. Think like your users. They prefer to scan long-form content.
Add plenty of headings and subheadings. You should also have images to keep readers engaged.
5. No Calls to Action
A call to action is a simple way to tell people what to do next when they visit your website. For example, should someone book an appointment? Do you want them to download a white paper?
Each page on your website needs to have one call to action. You can pair calls to action with where someone is in the buyer’s journey.
For example, if someone reads a blog post that gives general information about your industry, they’re not ready to buy yet. You should have them sign up for your email list.
On the other hand, someone reading a blog post that compares brands is closer to making a buying decision. You can have them book an appointment or recommend specific products to close the sale.
6. Don’t Test Before Launch
You think your website is ready to launch, but there might be issues that you’re not aware of. There could be broken links and 404 errors.
Users might have a hard time using the site on their devices. These things all have to be worked out before you launch.
Get a group of members from your target audience together and have them use the site. Gather feedback and correct any issues before you launch the site.
7. Ignore SEO
Do you think that once your website is live, search engines will automatically find it? That’s a big mistake that you have to avoid.
Search engines take hundreds of factors to determine search results. Many of them are in your control. Things like fast load times, structured data, and optimized images are important.
Be sure to connect your site to Google Analytics and Search Console to monitor traffic and search results.
Building Custom Websites Made Easy
If you’re building custom websites for your business, you can’t just throw something together and hope it works. It means the difference between getting a new customer and losing business.
It takes planning and care. This article gave you website ideas and you now know what to avoid when building business websites.
You’re ready to take on the project and make it a success. Your next step is to get people to visit the site. Check out the Digital Marketing section of this site to learn how to get website traffic.
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