Web design incorporates a number of factors, which well managed will work together to give the ultimate online presence to your business. However, traipse through the results that the Google search engine rolls out and you will likely come across websites which just do not work. Unprofessional, bland, crammed, slow, the list of poorly executed web design features goes on and on. We look at five of the most common web design catastrophes which contribute to an unsuccessful website so that you can be sure to avoid them.
Animation Over-Use
Animation can be a useful tool for injecting life into web design. Purposefully implemented, for example using hover animations, it can allow positive engagement and interaction. That is because the human eye is attracted to motion. It is quite clear when animation has been enforced but for all the wrong reasons. Animation over-use can be the killer of conversion rates. Rather than a fun and functional addition to the web design, the purpose of your website and business story will become lost in busy animation. Unable to access the information they are looking for, your users will likely abandon the site, in search of a clear and professional alternative from your competitors.
Inclusion of Un-Optimised Images
We live with the need for speed. In our technological world we have the expectation of immediate satisfaction, particularly when it comes to our quest for online information or purchases. Every image added to your website will add weight in terms of the website’s overall downloadable file size. Unsurprisingly, the higher the quality of an image, the greater its file size. High quality images are crucial to gaining the user’s trust and portraying professionalism and positive brand identity. However, these high quality and file size heavy images can significantly reduce the page loading speed and create a negative user experience. Where a positive user experience is key to a good conversion rate, a web designer should always optimise the website images by balancing quality and file size.
Auto-Play Media
We are well-equipped in multi-tasking. It is an exercise which regularly sees a mobile phone in one hand looking to buy or find something that a bit of scrolling and clicking through the internet will allow, whilst occupied with something else. Imagine this activity on your bus, train, or tram during the daily commute, or even at your desk. You innocently, trustingly open a page only to be blasted with a piece of loud auto-play media. It is frustrating and embarrassing and should be avoided. Never forget that we humans like to be in control, or at least think that we are.
Getting Lost in Bad UX - Navigation
Finding our way easily about a website is essential to a positive user experience and subsequent maintenance of a good conversion rate. This comes down to website navigation.
Like your local supermarket is logically laid out with overhead placards to further signal the way, your website should guide the user through the pages with visual aids to support a strong UX. This is especially important in mobile-friendly website design where easy navigation is absolutely necessary on smaller screens. In any case, navigation means the difference between conversion and website abandonment.
Tricky Text – How Content is Presented on the Page
Content is King, so they say. It’s all well and good to have informative content on your website; in fact it is absolutely necessary. It is even better if your content writer is able to weave an active and engaging human voice throughout. If this content is not well-presented within the pages of a website, it is unlikely that your users will want to read it at all. Poorly designed content within a website sees overwhelming blocks of text, text which is too big or too small, and text which is not clear due to the contrast between text and background not being high enough. Content contributes to building trust and brand reputation, so don’t fall into the trap of jargon-infused word vomit. Ensure that your content is optimised, engaging, and well-structured.
For a fully optimised, professionally designed website without a hint of these bad habits, get in touch with us at Christian Michaels for a free consultation.
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