Common Web Design Mistakes You Should Avoid As A Small Business Owner
If you plan on starting an online business, or at least your own website, you’ll eventually have to deal with decisions regarding web design. It’s surprising just how unimportant the whole process can seem to some people while others think the decisions aren’t all that difficult to make. The thing is, implementing good web design isn’t as easy as you might think, and if you screw it up, you might end up sinking the business and its website long before it’s had a chance to set sail. Here are just some of the most common mistakes people make about web design.
Ignoring Responsive Web Design
Why some site owners ignore responsive web design these days is beyond me. Depending on the CMS you use, there are plenty of ways to implement responsive design, allowing your website to automatically optimize itself to the display it is being viewed on. And if you use a CMS like WordPress, oftentimes, responsive themes are free. But why is it important? Shawn Hessinger of SmallBizTrends.com says:
Well, with an increasing number of different devices and different screen sizes, it’s more important than ever that your Web presence is versatile. Whether viewed on an over-sized desktop computer monitor, a laptop, a 10-inch tablet, a 7-inch tablet or a 4-inch smartphone screen, your website should be functional for visitors.
The idea is to have one site that displays effectively no matter what device your visitor might be using to view it. Ignoring the importance of responsive web design might mean creating a site only some of your visitors can see.”
Ignoring the Basics
Sometimes, people will come in with a lot of really great ideas that they want to implement. They’re concerned about making the site look cool and having everything laid out properly. However, the more things you want in your web design, the more likely it is you’ll ignore some really important basics. James Mansfield says on Tweaky.com:
A frequent example is a restaurant website that oversells the style and ambiance when all we want is their opening time and phone number!
It’s a simple mistake, but one that happens all too often. By the time the site owner realizes it, they’ve already lost a valuable opportunity to convert traffic into customers that walk in through their doors. And it’s not limited to just restaurants either.
No Calls to Action
Let’s say you did manage to include your restaurant’s schedule on your website along with the phone number. That’s great, but if no one’s nudging them in the right direction to make a reservation, it’s as good as if that phone number were never there. It might seem too obvious of a thing to point out to visitors to your site. It’s right there after all. But believe it or not, calls to action are still important. Tristan Pelligrino of 55Digital.com says:
The reality is that you need to prod visitors to take action, no matter how simple that action may be. Whether it’s signing up for a weekly newsletter or simply taking the time to learn about a product, a CTA dramatically improves the power that your site possesses for your business.
Avoiding These Mistakes
To be frank, there are just way too many mistakes that make it possible to screw up the design of your site. Identifying all of them would probably be too hard to keep track of so the best thing you can do is to rely on a few simple reminders that will guide you throughout the web design process.
First, focus on your target market and make sure every aspect of the site is to serve them. Second, don’t skimp out on the web design services. You get what you pay for, so make sure you at least hire someone who has a lot of experience. Finally, actually use your website. There are plenty of things you can identify yourself if you just take time to navigate your site.
