Web design encompasses the creation and maintenance of a website, inclusive of the layout, user interface, text, and graphics. With about half of the world’s population being able to access the internet, websites have become indispensable tools for increasing visibility and getting information out to potential customers.
Compared to other forms of advertisement, like print and broadcast media, websites not only offer a more affordable way to sell your brand, but they also allow for more personal business-to-client interactions. It is essential to have a well-thought-out plan for your website to avoid the pitfalls from the start. Here are the five biggest sins of web design and how to prevent them.
Not Linking Social Media
Not using social-media platforms is a sure way to bury your business. An excellent way to integrate this is by linking your webpage to your social media accounts. Do not stop at having the icons as a header/footer.
You can drive traffic to the social media account by including a subtle call to action on your webpage, and again, this should be as effortless as possible. Enable clients to sign onto our website or leave reviews by logging in via their social media accounts.
Consider making information on your website shareable via social media. If one client can share your information regularly, you can increase the traffic to your site.
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Relying on a Free Website Builder
Free website builders might seem attractive when you think about the coins your business can save on paid website builders, but it may cost you in the long run. For starters, most free website builders do not fully integrate SEO optimization. A lot of that work has to be done yourself, or done by someone you hire–it’s not included.
Secondly, you do not get to have a unique domain name, which makes it harder for clients to find you. They also tend to use one server for too many sites, thus making your page slow to load. Nothing drives clients off your page faster than slow loading because it costs them both time and money.
More: Template Monster
Hiding Core Information
Another major mistake is to make it difficult for a user to find vital information on your website. This is guaranteed to work against you. Online users want to see the information they are looking for as quickly as possible.
With so much information out there, if one look at a website does not promptly yield the information being sought, then the user moves on to the next site. A great page has the most vital information prominently displayed or easy to find. Having a search bar to specify what a client is looking for is one way to make information quickly available.
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Ignoring Reviews
Most people say online reviews help them to make decisions on purchases. Businesses cannot afford to ignore online reviews. They can potentially affect the reputation of your company and your local search rankings as well as consumer decisions.
Good reviews will give good rankings on search engines and a positive image of your products and services. Negative reviews should never be ignored or overlooked. Tactfully responding to or finding a way to resolve them is your best shot at maintaining a positive image.
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Keyword Stuffing
While the inclusion of keywords might rank you higher on search engines, the same search engines will actually penalize your site for overdoing it. Reading the same words over and over again also gives a negative experience to visitors on your site. As a rule, ensure that keywords do not make up more than two percent of the total words on a page.
Avoiding these pitfalls will give you a robust site that will help manage and sell your brand and take your business where you want it to go.
