We’ve compiled a list of 10 items to avoid when creating your website, along with the best methods for resolving them.
Whether you’re getting ready to launch a new website or aiming to enhance your business’s online presence, these are the things you should avoid and ways to fix them.
1. Vague Headlines
Your homepage header should be the spotlight of your website, making it clear to visitors who you are and what you offer. Often, homepage headlines fail by offering general statements about quality or value without really explaining what your business does.
Fix: Try to come up with a brief description that includes your business title. Instead of “custom made for your business,” try “custom websites made for your business”.
2. Social Media Icons
Social media traffic is great, but it’s only beneficial if it’s directed towards your site. Once visitors navigate away from your site to a social network, they are unlikely to return. Make sure that your visitors have fully experienced your website before moving on to your social media.
Fix: Move the social media icons to your footer instead of your header. Use less colourful icons and choose a minimalistic design that maintains visibility.
3. Dated Blog Posts
If your content strategy is all about sharing useful ‘how-to’ articles that are useful for your audience, why show the date? Putting dates, especially at the start of your blog posts, can make them seem old or outdated.
Fix: Remove the date stamp from your post or move it to the bottom. Out of sight, out of mind.
4. Long Paragraphs
Most visitors scan rather than read in depth. Keeping paragraphs short will help them find what they need. Don’t overload them with unnecessary information.
Fix: Keep paragraphs short (3-4 lines) or use formatting like bullet points or links for easier scanning.
5. Your Own Ads
Most of us ignore ads. When something looks like an ad, we don’t look at it. Yet, many business owners still clutter their websites with banner ads. It will not get your visitor’s attention.
Fix: Instead of using glaring banner ads, integrate your promotions naturally within your content. You can also try adding straightforward call-to-action text near the footer.
6. Testimonials Page
Testimonials act as ‘social proof,’ an important element in web design and neuromarketing. But for them to be effective, they need to relate closely to the claim they support. If they’re on a separate page or lack context, they lose their impact.
Fix: Make sure testimonials are visible on every page of your site, keeping them relevant to the content of each page.
7. Email Links
Email links fail in all aspects of effective marketing, from messaging to usability and tracking. What’s worse, they attract spam. Spammers employ bots to scour the web for email addresses, filling up your spam folder.
Fix: Remove every email link from your website and add a simple contact form. Set up an auto-reply email, acknowledging new leads and letting them know when to expect a response or thanking them for reaching out.
8. The “Submit” Button
A call to action gives visitors a glimpse of the benefit they’ll get for the action they’ll take. A good one is specific and focused on the benefit. A weak one doesn’t say much – like a button that simply says ‘submit.’ The clearer the call to action, the more likely visitors are to act.
Fix: Write your call to action using first person. Make it descriptive and emphasise the benefit to the visitor.
9. Dead End Pages
If your page only greets visitors with two lonely words at the top, it’s like saying ‘goodbye’ before they even get started. Just as you’ve hooked their interest and are about to convert them, you leave them hanging. But if the thank you page suggests another action, visitors are more likely to stick around.
Fix: Offer visitors another action to take. You’ve already captured their attention this far. Then, identify and address every dead end on your website to keep visitors engaged and flowing through.
10. Unreadable Fonts
While there are many font choices to make your brand a professional and polished appearance, it’s important to prioritise your visitor’s comfort. Excessive use of fonts and text sizes can divert attention from your intended message.
Fix: Keep it simple. Use a combination of 3 or 4 text sizes and limit yourself to a maximum of 2 complementary fonts for your entire page.
Implementing the above changes will not only create a better experience for the user but also, your website will become more Google-friendly which in turn will allow more people to see your website in online searches.
