1. Declutter
If your website has too many logos, badges, and accolades placed randomly about the pages it will appear cluttered. When a website becomes cluttered it splits the focus of the viewer. If you need to use trademark symbols or association symbols, collect them all in a central location, where they can be used to lend the most credibility.
2. Music Auto Play
Music that auto-plays can interrupt a person’s thought process. It can be abrupt, and it does not serve to draw the kind of attention needed to promote your site. So cut the music out of your web page immediately.
3. Mandatory Registration
Don’t create a pop up that forces your visitors to register for your site news, emails, or any other services. People visit your website with a purpose in mind, so make it an option to register, but don’t make it mandatory. People don’t want to have to register to retrieve the information they need from your site. This only works if the information is so valuable that you could charge money for it. People will register or subscribe if you have outstanding information for them.
[adrotate group=”4″]4.Imagery
In keeping with the theme of decluttering, imagery should be simple. Maximize your space by ensuring that the imagery you do use is relevant. Avoid using clipart or other types of generic imagery that does not help to make a point.
5. Wasteful Space
Make sure you maximize your space. While whitespace is a tool most don’t utilize enough, but it can serve to direct the eyes and focus throughout your page. Too much is distracting, and too little can be deafening, so make sure there is a good balance.
6. Substance
The contents of your page should be substantial. They should be well laid out, organized in a manner that makes it easy for your viewers to access.
7. Framing
The way your content is displayed is just as important as the substance of the site. If the framing is too busy, or in any way distracting it can take away from the content itself. It should adjust well to being on mobile devices, tablets, and varying sizes of screens.
8. Speed
Don’t let your upload speed prevent your website from loading. Make sure your page loads well. In every scenario you need to make sure that your website has a great upload speed, and that it loads properly across multiple devices.
9. Device Congruity
Don’t let your webpage look different, or work glitchy on a mobile when it works perfectly on a desktop. Your web page should load the same across all platforms. It should work well whether it’s accessed from a mobile or a P.C.
10. Links
Links can be a powerful tool, but don’t overuse them. Too many links make your page busy. Make sure each link has a vital reason for its existence. Also, make sure they are functional, broken or outdated links are irritating time wasters for your user.
11. Social Media
Make sure your social media is linked to your page, and vice versa. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with your visitors. Your social media can help you interact with users in a way that your website cannot. Your website should contain more information than your social media. They are not the same so don’t use them interchangeably; you need both.
12. Ease of Use
If your website isn’t navigable people won’t stay. Make sure your menus are well laid out and the information is easily accessible. Do use drop down menus that cover up content, and can be glitchy. Menus should be always visible across the top or side of your site. If you have too many menus, or they cover up content and become frustrating people likely will find a site that’s easier to navigate over yours.
13. Call to Action
Have you forgotten to prompt your users to choose you? It’s important not just to give information away, but instead to prompt people to do something with that information. If you are selling a service you want them to contact you, so make sure you have a call to action. Confirm that your call to action is in a place that makes it clearly visible.
14. Harmonious Design
Many web pages seem disharmonious when it comes to the content. Every internal page has a different background, color scheme, font, and so on. This creates confusion for the user. Make sure all related internal pages have the same design.
15. Visibility
Picture resolution is important. Don’t let your page appear grainy or pixelated. Make sure the page has high-quality resolution, and that graphics are appropriately sized for their use. This includes the ability to scale for those who have larger monitors or those using mobile devices. Remember you’re aiming for cross device consistency.
16. Dated Appearance
Make sure your website is updated regularly. From the graphics to the content, it should all be relevant for today’s market. Make sure you are keeping up with current trends. A dated website can cost you customers, by making it seem as though you are not invested in your business. Think of your website like your online version of your brick and mortar store. You would want to keep it clean tidy, and updated, do the same for your site.
17. Searchability
With all your efforts to make your site navigable, sometimes people will still be unable to find what they are searching for. This is where the internal search bar comes in handy. Don’t make the error of leaving it out. People may want information from your site in particular, but they are unable to find it. Having the ability to search your site internally will alleviate this issue. Make sure the search box can be easily located. Having one that users can’t find won’t really help. Most people look to the top right for this feature.
18. Responsiveness
Despite the association of speed to the term responsiveness it actually refers to the overall design of your website. Does it scale well across platforms without creating horizontal scrolling lines? Is it user-friendly across every platform? If you answered either of these questions negatively, then you need a redesign so that it becomes responsive. Search engines give priority to responsive websites; ergo your website needs to be responsive.
19. Texts and Fonts
Fonts should be legible and as simple as possible. There is no benefit to having crazy colorful or illegible fonts. Text boxes should be well written, coherent streams of thought. They should be non-obscured by imagery, and serve a purpose. Writing is like speaking, you don’t do it to hear your own voice. All text boxes should be pertinent information for your visitors.
20. Clickable Content
Don’t let internal links open new windows. Make sure that all navigation stays internally on your page. If a user wants the window to open in a separate window they can make that happen, but let them make that choice. Also, make sure that there is a quick link bar across the bottom of your page which includes links to major pages in your site. Not having links at the bottom or side of each page. This will help users get back to previous pages, or the home page, more easily. The most important thing is to make sure all your clickable content has purpose, and it’s not just filler content. People can become annoyed easily if they click through links that all tell the same story.
Small mistakes may seem small at first glance, but several small mistakes can add up. They could make a website unusable. Several hours of work goes into a masterfully designed website. Make sure yours are not wasted, and your website avoids these website faux pas. Avoiding these 20 things can elevate your website, and get your business in front of more eyes.
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