{"id":2290,"date":"2023-12-27T07:44:51","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T07:44:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imagify.io\/blog\/?p=2290"},"modified":"2023-12-27T07:44:51","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T07:44:51","slug":"website-design-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imagify.io\/blog\/website-design-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Website Design Mistakes That Hurt Your Business Conversion Rates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is a guest post. Opinions and recommendations are the author\u2019s own.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your website acts as the welcome mat for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what happens if visitors come knocking and don’t convert into customers? A common reason may be your website design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, your website aesthetic may be great, but it’s not the only factor influencing your business’s conversion rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poor user experience, confusing navigation, or slow load times can all turn potential customers away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By avoiding common design mistakes, you can create a site that looks good and loads fast<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we\u2019ll help you get more insights into the website design mistakes you might be making. But we won\u2019t leave you there – we\u2019ll also unlock ways to prevent and rectify major design errors and boost your website\u2019s conversion rate immediately. A well-designed site has a 200% higher conversion rate than a poorly designed one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, why wait? Let\u2019s dive in and boost your web design and conversions right away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Relationship Between Design and Conversion Rates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you think about it \u2013 design is crucial for a website. After all, a website isn\u2019t physical. You can only experience it through its design interface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, your site design impacts your website visitor\u2019s behavior significantly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no wonder that conversion rates and website design are inextricably linked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you create a well-designed website, you offer a superior user experience. This means your site is easy to navigate and a pleasure to explore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the opposite is also true: if your site is poorly designed, for example, by including too much content or visuals, it can also drive users away. Or, if navigating is confusing, you\u2019ll lose potential customers in a heartbeat. Users will click away from a website after a few seconds of frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Performance matters, too. Websites should load quickly and run smoothly. No one wants to wait around for a page to load. The faster your site, the happier your visitors will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A well-designed website also shows that you\u2019ve put in the work and expense to make it what it is. And your audience is more likely to trust it and see your site and content as a trustworthy source<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, design and conversions are linked because good web design<\/a> supports and elevates great copy. Content has enough power to drive sales on its own, but there\u2019s no question that web design elements can enhance your copy and make sure it’s heard loudly and clearly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9 Website Design Mistakes Keeping Conversions Down<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We hope you\u2019re excited to explore the key mistakes you should avoid on your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll look at common but impactful design mistakes that could make your audience exit your site without giving your brand a chance to show what it can do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Not Keeping the User in Mind<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One fundamental mistake you might make is not prioritizing your users\u2019 needs during the design process, especially for those businesses aiming for a strong online presence, such as custom clothing<\/a> retailers or website designers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This happens more often than you think because it\u2019s easy to slip into a sort of tunnel vision when designing your site. You could get so preoccupied and impassioned with your vision that you fail to incorporate your users\u2019 needs and pain points into your design process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, you\u2019re running a high-end luxury hot tub business for retail customers. Your primary design focus should be on the lifestyle aspect to engage buyers instead of technical features like the tub’s volume, materials, and other industry details that a wealthy end customer doesn\u2019t care about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Poor Navigation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Imagine entering a physical store where the aisles aren’t marked, and the items are randomly scattered \u2013 it’d be a frustrating and dissatisfying experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same principle applies online. A study<\/a> by three marketing brands found that most users rely on a navigation panel to explore a site, and 37% of people would leave a site if it had bad navigation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any website with confusing menus and cluttered layouts can quickly overwhelm and frustrate your users, especially when it concerns essential information, for example, when applying for a job or filling out a vital government form. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"IMDb\u2019s
IMDb\u2019s cluttered layout<\/em> (Source<\/a>)
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019ll look elsewhere for easier experiences that meet their needs fast \u2013 and you need to fix this issue fast or lose out on conversion opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Masanto, the CEO and co-founder of PetLab Co.<\/a>, says, “Effective navigation is the silent hero of e-commerce success. At PetLab, we recognized that our site’s navigation was a hurdle in our customer’s journey, impacting our conversion rates. To address this, we innovated with a ‘Shop by Category’ menu positioned strategically below the main menu. This simple yet effective design allows customers to navigate directly to their desired category from the homepage with just one click. This change significantly enhanced user experience and streamlined the path to purchase, leading to a noticeable improvement in our conversion rates. It’s a clear example of how refining navigation can transform a potential website flaw into a powerful tool for business growth.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Not Using Progressive Disclosure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Progressive disclosure means revealing more information or features on a website as users progress through it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea is that presenting too much information at once is overwhelming and makes for poor user experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When people feel discomfort from processing too much information at once, they\u2019ll leave your site and likely never return. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Check
Check out a deliberately designed car leasing site that offers too much information <\/em>(Source<\/a>)
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Check out the screenshot above of a colorful and striking website. It has almost no progressive disclosure and reveals all at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visitors get everything, everywhere on the site – and while this makes for a great title for a blockbuster movie, you do not want this for your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Lack of Mobile Optimization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Statista<\/a>, in the second quarter of 2023, 95.8% of people used the internet via their phones vs. 63% that used their desktops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You cannot ignore mobile optimization when designing your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People are more likely to visit your mobile site over your desktop, so a lack of mobile responsiveness<\/a> means a definite loss of conversions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A surprising example is the Yale School of Art website. Neither its desktop site nor the mobile version seems to have entered the 21st century. However, you can see the problems with the site once you visit the mobile site version. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
An example from Yale School of Art<\/em> (Source<\/a>)
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5. Inconsistent Typography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Playing with different fonts can be fun and exciting. Different styles of fonts or typography can convey entirely different messages. For example, a cursive font indicates a product or brand that is casual or home-made. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A heavy-block font might convey seriousness, masculinity, or industrial vibes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be tempted to use different fonts to convey interest, but that\u2019s a big mistake. People who visit your site want information and little else. And if you have more than two or three (maximum) fonts, your audience will leave because they\u2019ll find your content disorientating and confusing, disrupting the overall browsing experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. No Brand Colors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Colors play a big role in branding and creating a visual identity for your website. It’s essential to use consistent brand colors throughout your site instead of random colors that don’t align with your brand image. This helps create a cohesive and professional look, making your website more visually appealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Check
Check out Berkshire Hathaway\u2019s website with virtually no brand color palette<\/em> (Source<\/a>)
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, having no brand colors can make it difficult for visitors to remember or associate your brand with a specific color, making it harder for them to recall and recognize your website in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is an example of a site that successfully uses a limited color palette everywhere. It has used its brand palette on different elements of its checkout page to create a consistent appearance while emphasizing its checkout button, coupon, progress bar, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"FunnelKit
FunnelKit checkout page using brand colors consistently <\/em>(Source<\/a>)
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

7. Not Enough White Space<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

White space is an essential design element many websites overlook. It refers to the empty areas on a webpage and helps balance out the elements on the page, making it easier for users to navigate and absorb information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without enough white space, a website can look cluttered, causing visitors to leave without fully engaging with your content or converting quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
When there isn’t enough white space – Source<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

This page by the Smithsonian has no space to breathe. It\u2019s mostly occupied by ads before the user can see the post. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Not Focusing on Accessibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having a website accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities, is not a luxury but a necessity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accessibility features<\/a>, such as alternative text for images, transcripts for videos, and color contrast for visually impaired users, should be embedded early on in your design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ignoring these standards can potentially exclude a large number of users from fully interacting with your site, leading to a diminished user experience and lower conversion rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. No Clear Calls to Action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A well-designed website will guide users clearly and intuitively toward their next action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without clear calls to action, users may struggle to find relevant services or products or may simply close a tab and move on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t worry about sounding pushy and salesy. If you\u2019ve done a good job of providing value, your audience will expect and respect a call to action, inviting them to convert. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are some of the top website design mistakes you might make that are driving paying customers away. These small but impactful issues add up and have a disproportionate effect on sign-ups, sales, and more. So, don\u2019t take them for granted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Fix These Website Design Mistakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To avoid and remedy the web design mistakes mentioned above, it’s essential to take a proactive, user-centric approach throughout the design and development process. Here’s how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conduct User Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the foundation. Before you begin designing your website, conduct thorough user research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means identifying your target audience<\/a> and understanding their needs, pain points, demographics, and browsing habits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing user research will inform every aspect of your design, from the layout and navigation to color schemes and typography. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, an eCommerce store targeting millennials might opt for a minimalist design, accessible language, and social media integrations. While a blog for tech enthusiasts will have a more media publication format and won\u2019t hesitate to incorporate jargon and code blocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can do user research in several ways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n