There are some fantastic website designs out there, and then there are some that would be awesome other than a few things that detract from the overall impact and potentially drive visitors away. Are you committing any of these web design crimes?
Here are 8 ways that people ruin a potentially great website.
1. Colors. The colors you use in the design of your website can make it pop, or drive everyone away. Use too many bright colors, and the look is a bit “nervous.” The saturation and contrast of your colors makes a difference, as does your niche – particular niches need a particular feel, such as relaxing, exciting, inviting, etc.
2. Flash intros. Once upon a time, flash intros were all the rage. Today, there are still some that are informative and attention grabbing, but most visitors to your site do not like to be “demanded” to wait while your intro plays – they want quick access.
3. White space. Not referring to using white color, white space is the area between the elements. Unfortunately, some web designers feel that white is “boring,” so they leave little or none on the pages. The fact is, in your visitor’s eye white space makes everything look neat and organized, so they do not get that sense of clutter – good readability and focus are other benefits.
4. Distracting backgrounds. Enough said – we have all seen websites with such a distracting background that we couldn’t focus our attention on the message or content.
5. Confusing navigation. Easy, clear navigation is one of the most important elements of good web design. When a visitor has a hard time trying to figure out how to proceed to the next page, or how to find other information they are looking for, they will leave. Consistent, intuitive navigation is a must!
6. Clear message. Have you ever arrived at a website, and wondered what it was really all about? A clear message is a crucial element of great website design; your visitor should understand your website’s purpose from those first critical few seconds.
7. A “bottomless pit” of information. Content is one of the most important elements of designing a website that visitors will find informative and useful, but some simply have too much. Have you ever landed on a site only to find that there were so many blocks of text splattered allover the page, you had no idea where to go next, or to find what you were looking for? Keep the content neat and ordered.
8. Updates. Every website needs to be updated on occasion; after all, what visitor wants to return to your website to find that it’s the same old images or content they sawn 6 months ago, or, heaven forbid, two years ago? It’s most important to update your content regularly, but the overall design needs a fresh new look every now and then, too.
Keep these things in mind, and take a close look at your website design. When it comes to success online, great web design is essential today more than ever before. Don’t let your competitors out-design you!
