A well-designed and fully functioning website is a must-have for any business. Whether you want to simply showcase your offering or provide a full e-commerce solution, your website should work hard for you 24/7, helping grow your business.
Stanford web credibility research suggests that 75% of consumers judge a business’s credibility based on their website so ensure you aren’t making any of these website design mistakes.
Out of date content
A website is not a static billboard. When was the last time you added new content to your site? Visitors want to see relevant, up-to-date content. Make sure you regularly post new blogs and update case studies and testimonials. These are all chances to showcase your credibility and expertise to potential customers, building a compelling case for why they should do business with you. As an added bonus, fresh content also boosts your Google search rankings.
Mobile un-friendliness
According to Google, more than 50% of online searches now come from mobile devices. They have also announced that all websites are now moving to mobile first indexing. If you haven’t caught up on this yet, it means that Google now considers the mobile version of your site the primary site and uses this version first in their search rankings. It’s no good having a website design that looks beautiful on desktop but is confusing on mobile. Make sure you test the appearance of any new page or blog on mobile and optimise them for various interfaces before you push the publish button.
No call to action
Once you get a visitor to your website, what do you want them to do? This is your opportunity to provide useful information or resources, showcase your products or services or encourage purchases. Show visitors what you want them to do and provide lots of ways for them to get more of what they are interested in. Include simple, easy-to-find ways for visitors to sign up for your newsletter, connect to your social platforms, find related content with internal linking or download a free offer.
Confusing navigation
People don’t have much patience when it comes to the online world and confused, frustrated customers don’t buy. Once visitors get to your site, navigation needs to be well organised, intuitive and simple. Make it easy for them to quickly find what they need and have their questions answered. This may sound easy but it’s more complex and detailed than you think. A good starting place is to work through the types of questions your potential customers will have when they visit your site. Ensure answers are on hand and conveniently placed and get rid of redundant content that could distract your visitors.
Hard to find contact information
Research by Myles Anderson has shown that consumers of all ages prefer to contact local businesses by phone after viewing their websites. Make sure you have clear contact details on your site. Include not just an email address, but also your physical address, a phone number and a contact form. Display these prominently so it’s easy for potential customers to contact you. Provide several options so they can choose the channel they feel most comfortable with.
Summary
Here we’ve covered some simple website design mistakes that you can fix to ensure your site is performing in the best possible way for your business. Make sure you have all of these covered along with other basics such as having a professionally designed site and ensuring there are no typos and errors. Remember, your website needs to be a constantly evolving presence. Don’t neglect it and let it sit idle if you want to get the best results.
If you want some help figuring out how to make the most of your website design, get in contact with us here at Energise to see how we can help. Our digital marketing team are experts in website design and optimisation and will work closely with you to ensure your website works hard for you 24/7.
NB: This article was published in the EMA “BusinessPlus” magazine. Enterprises of all types and sizes join the Employers and Manufacturers Association, for opportunities to learn and grow, make valuable business connections and change the world. EMA provides its members with professional advice and training to succeed in many aspects of business.
