These days, it is practically a requirement to have a website if you have a business, organization or if you’re trying to advertise or promote yourself. You can hire someone to build one for you, but many people opt to do it themselves due to the massive cost of professional web design services. However, if you choose to create your own website, there are some things that you need to be aware of. You can’t just insert some pictures and text and expect it to be a success. For the inexperienced, the path of web design is fraught with pitfalls. Here are the top five mistakes to avoid.
1. Shoddy Design and Layout
Visitors want a site that is easy on the eyes and simple to navigate. Pick a white background and a few unobtrusive colors. Stick to them and avoid altering the color scheme on different pages of the site. Place your navigation bar on the left or at the top of the page since this is where most people expect it to be located. It’s also a good idea to place one at the bottom, particularly on lengthy pages.
2. Not Providing Mobile Support
More and more online browsing is being done via cell phone, and in response, many companies are providing mobile-friendly versions of their websites that fit on the small screens. It’s a mistake to ignore this increasing demand if you’re running a business. Making your site mobile-friendly might seem tedious, but the benefits are well worth the effort and there are many tools available to make it easier.
3. Too Little Information
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking it’s better to avoid putting too much information on their site in order to discourage excess traffic. People want immediate and thorough information. They don’t want to waste time calling or emailing for details that should have been available on your website. Also, not everyone will be visiting your site during business hours. If they’re kept waiting for a response to their inquiries, they’ll take their business elsewhere.
4. Disregarding Search Engine Optimisation
It would be nice if you could just slap together a site and attract lots of traffic, but it doesn’t work that way. People have to find your site somehow, and this is where search engine optimization comes in. Use high-quality keywords in your articles, titles, headings, blog posts and meta descriptions as well as in the alt tags of your images.
5. Including a Privacy Policy
People have become wary of websites in the last few years, and for good reason. The news is full of stories of website visitors having their browsing, personal and other information collected and sold or used without their permission or knowledge. You can improve customer trust and satisfaction by including a privacy policy. Let people know if you collect data, what you collect and how you use it.
A well-designed site doesn’t mean just having a nice layout. It also means providing quality content, reliable information and transparency of your policies. The fewer mistakes you make when building your site, the more successful it will be in attracting customers.
Isaac writes for Dewsign, a full service web design & development agency in Cornwall. Dewsign are trusted web designers in Cornwall and London.
