When a website’s design contributes to its usability, functionality, and content, that website has achieved true excellence. Even if you’re a competent web designer, it’s easy to put off maintaining your website’s compatibility with modern browsers and other devices. To succeed, though, your website needs both high-performing content and an amazing user experience.
What you don’t want is for your hard work on your blog posts or service pages to go to waste because of poor design, difficult navigation, unclear layouts, or missed conversion possibilities. However, there are numerous topics that go under the broader category of website user experience making it difficult to know where to begin and what to prioritise.
Your website can take several possible forms in terms of design, from being sophisticated and minimal to being lighthearted and colourful or even streamlined and contemporary.
While your final design should reflect your unique sense of style, industry, and brand identification, there are some standards that should be adhered to regardless of how unique your final product ends up being. Web design that is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally sound contributes to the overall satisfaction of its visitors. You’ll find four easy ways to improve your website’s effectiveness and appeal below.
4 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Setting Up a Website — And What to Do Instead
No website structure
Having a well-organized website makes it simpler for visitors to find the information they need. Developing a website’s framework involves drawing up a plan for the site’s information architecture.
To add, your website’s architecture tells Google which pages are most vital to the whole. This means that the way your site is set up can have an effect on how well it performs in search engines. It’s also a very practical SEO tactic, as you can immediately begin working to enhance your site’s structure.
To avoid the mistake of having no website structure, start by developing a clear plan for your site’s information architecture. This means organizing your content into categories, subcategories, and pages, and ensuring that visitors can easily navigate through your site.
To achieve this, you can create a site map and prioritize the most important pages. Additionally, make sure that your website’s structure is optimized for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords into your URLs and meta descriptions, using descriptive anchor texts for internal links, and avoiding duplicate content.
By having a well-organized website, you can not only improve the user experience but also increase your chances of ranking higher in search results.
No target audience
If you want your advertising efforts to be successful, you need to reach the individuals who are most likely to be interested in your product or service. Factors such as age, gender, income, region, and interest can be used to narrow in on a certain target population.
Without first identifying your audience, it will be impossible to speak to them in their preferred tone or solve their problems. Lack of knowledge of your desired customer base will reduce the efficacy of your advertising, email marketing, and website content.
Start by conducting market research to determine who your ideal customer is. Consider factors such as age, gender, income, interests, and location, and create buyer personas to represent each segment of your target audience.
Use this information to create content that speaks directly to your ideal customer, using their preferred tone and addressing their pain points. This will help you to build trust with your audience and establish yourself as an authority in your industry.
Additionally, tailor your advertising and email marketing campaigns to each buyer persona, using targeted messaging and calls-to-action that are relevant to their specific needs and interests. By focusing on your target audience, you can increase the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and drive more conversions.
Lack of design and message
Making a solid first impression with potential clients requires a well-designed website. Plus, it can aid in lead nurturing, which in turn increases conversions. More importantly, though, it ensures a pleasant experience for site visitors and makes it easier for them to access and move around your website.
The way in which your website looks and functions has a direct effect on how your target market sees your brand. Their decision to learn more about your company or abandon your page in search of a competitor is largely dependent on the first impression they receive. The retention of potential customers is aided by a well-designed website.
Define your brand identity and messaging, and ensure that it is reflected in your website’s design. Choose a color scheme and typography that aligns with your brand’s personality and values, and use high-quality images and graphics to visually communicate your message.
Ensure that your website is user-friendly and easy to navigate, with clear calls-to-action that guide visitors towards their desired outcome. Use responsive design to ensure that your website looks great on all devices, and optimize your page speed to prevent visitors from getting frustrated and leaving.
Finally, regularly update your website with fresh content and design updates to keep your visitors engaged and improve your search engine rankings. By focusing on your website’s design and messaging, you can create a positive user experience and build a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience.
Horrible CTAs
An effective call to action (CTA) has a high conversion rate, which is the number of unique visitors who carry out the CTA’s request. CTAs are used by businesses to determine their target audience and produce leads, who are individuals who have an interest in the products or services that a company is selling and are likely to become customers in the future.
Ensure that your CTAs are prominently displayed and clearly communicate the desired action. Use action-oriented language that motivates visitors to take action, such as “Sign Up Now” or “Get Your Free Trial.”
The CTAs should be relevant to the content on the page and the visitor’s stage in the buying journey. For example, use a CTA to download a free resource for visitors in the awareness stage, and a CTA to schedule a demo for visitors in the decision stage. Use A/B testing to experiment with different CTAs and determine which ones perform best, and regularly optimize your CTAs based on visitor behavior and feedback.
By having effective CTAs, you can increase your conversion rates and generate more leads, ultimately leading to more sales and revenue for your business.
Avoid these Mistakes and Build Your Website With Brand You
Setting up a website can be a daunting task, but avoiding common mistakes can help make the process smoother and increase the chances of success. By avoiding these four mistakes, you can ensure that your website delivers a positive user experience, meets your business objectives, and ultimately contributes to the growth and success of your online presence.
With Brand You, you can avoid these mistakes for your website. Check out our web design packages today to get started.