Avoid These 8 Common Web Design Mistakes

Website design errors are prevalent, and they are made by businesses who try to build their own website as well as by expert web designers. Some of the faults to avoid are self-evident, while others necessitate a little more web design san antonio expertise. Consider the following eight typical web design mistakes to avoid when developing or reviewing your website:
 

Poor Navigation

Poor navigation is one of the leading causes of a high bounce rate. When the navigation causes the user to get lost and not be able to find their way back to the homepage they can get frustrated and leave the site. When designing a site remember that the back button of the browser should not be considered a part of the navigation of the webpage. All main pages should be just 3 clicks or less away from each other.
 

Slow Loading Sites

Big Flash files that play as soon as the site opens or music that begins when the site loads are both causes of sites loading slowly. As a web user slow loading sites are frustrating and if the user waits around long enough for the site to load it can be annoying when the movie or music begins to blare, especially if this is their first time on the site and they weren't expecting it.
 

Picking Random Colors for Your Website

Don't stray from your brand colors. When picking colors for your website stay true to your brand by selecting colors that can be seen in your business and on your business cards, etc. Do not pick random colors for your website that have nothing to do with your company. Also remember when selecting colors that contrast is important. When the text on your site is too close to the color of the background it makes it extremely difficult to read.
 

Big Blocks of Text

Even if it's really well written, when a site visitor sees a big block of text on a website it is hard to read and the visitor tends to leave the site or wander around instead of reading it. The text on the site should be broken up into smaller chunks that are visually more appealing and easier to read.
 

Sites Designed Entirely in Flash

When designing your website you need to stay up to date with the technology as well as with the latest design trends. With the ever growing popularity of iPads and iPhones, Flash sites have fallen out of favor. Sites designed entirely in Flash show up as blank screens on these popular mobile devices.
 

Contact Information That is Hard to Find

When a visitor visits a site and wants to make contact in order to purchase something, to ask a question, or to make a comment but can't find a way to get in touch with the site owner it can be frustrating for the visitor and for the company a potential customer might be lost. The contact information, or a link to the information, should be in the header, the footer, or a sidebar so a site visitor can find out how to get in touch with you.
 

No Clear Goal for Each Page

There should be a goal in mind when you decide to build a website and the same is true for each page of the website. Each page should have a goal as to what you're trying to do with that page. The page should be designed around the call to action and the goal. You can determine which pages aren't working well by tracking which pages have a higher bounce rate.
 

A Website Design That isn't Flexible

Technology changes rapidly and your business changes as well. You need a web design that will allow you to expand your site if needed or move different content around the screen or around the site with ease so that you can determine what works best. Sites need to be updated frequently so that search engines and visitors will like the site. A flexible website will be more easily updated and upgraded.

For more tips and information about website design, visit Odyssey Design Co.

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