Common Mistakes to Avoid When Designing a Website

With 27 years of working in this industry – Common Mistakes to Avoid When Designing a Website…

If you get a group of web designers in a room, this subject is likely to result in a very lengthy and passionate discussion. There is nothing we like better than eye-rolling at mistakes in web-design.

When thinking about what to include in this article, we stopped when it got to “97 Common Mistakes to Avoid when Designing a Website” and decided to stick with our top three bugbears. Although there are many, many more!!

Mistake 1 – Accessibility as an afterthought

Accessibility is not an add-on or an afterthought. It is not a nicety to be considered if time and budget allow. It is a key component of a brilliantly and professionally designed website.

So what can make your website accessible?

• Using Alt Text – if the image is important enough to be on your website, it should be important enough to be “seen” by all. Whatever the purpose for putting it there, should be included in the Alt Text. This will allow visitors who use screen readers to get the same story, and information, as others.
• Having correct names or labels – it may be clear to those able to see the webpage that the “read more” button relates to the image next to it, highlighting a certain feature. But if someone who is using a screen reader, is presented with a “read more”, or worse, several “read more” buttons how do they know what they going to read more about with the correct labelling for them?
• Colour contrast – web design can make the mistake of being focused on the brand and the brand’s colour palette without any consideration for the colour contrast that is needed for the visually impaired and colour blindness.

Make sure that you are up to date on guidance and advice, and that your website is fully accessible for all.

Mistake 2 – Messy and unclear navigation

We have no patience and expect instant gratification. A visitor is not going to search for the information they need, or how to take the journey we want them to through the website. If it is messy, complex and hard work, they will simply move on to the next website.

Make sure that your navigation is easy to see, understand and follow with the content being uncluttered.

Mistake 3 – Not having a clear message

When a visitor arrives at your website, they want to quickly know they are at the right place. Do you provide what they need? Are they your ideal customer? Do they like your approach/values? If your website doesn’t give that clear message – and gives a message that is consistent with social media and other marketing platforms – then the visitor is likely to go try elsewhere.

The message they receive is given by the written content, the images, and the branding. It needs to be clear and visible.

So what’s the answer?

Call us. We will make sure that your website does not make these 3 common mistakes – or indeed the other 94 our designers came up with!

Our expert team will design a website that performs well, looks great, and provides a brilliant user experience. And avoids all the common design mistakes.

Why not call us for a chat to see how we can help?