The 5 Most Common Mistakes I Notice on Websites
As a web designer, I spend a lot of time looking at websites. It’s one of those things that I both love and dread doing. Why? Because if a website is amazing, it is such a fun experience. And if it’s bad, well, it’s not. That being said I’ve looked at so many websites over the course of time that I thought I’d share some of the most common mistakes I typically notice on websites. This will be especially useful for you if you plan to purchase one of my templates and put together a site on your own. I hope these explanations help you get the most out of your investment in yourself and your business!
1. There’s Too Much Going On
Have you ever been on a website and had no clue what to do once you land on it? Yes, I think we all have. These websites are reminiscent of the early days of the internet when MySpace was king. There are no call to actions. There are a ton of images and colors. It is impossible to discern where you’re supposed to go or what the website is trying to convey.
Websites like these can overwhelm the users that land on them. If a site is immediately confusing, a person will just leave the site and go somewhere else. This is bad because it hurts your SEO if people consistently do this when landing on your site.
2. No Clear Call to Actions
People can feel weird about being too direct on the internet. I get it, I was the same way when I first started my business. It can feel weird telling someone exactly what you want them to do when they visit your website, especially if you do it consistently on a variety of pages on your site.
It’s important to remember though that most people are not actively engaging with your business as much as you are. 99% of people are not stalking you and not seeing all the content, information, and pages on your website that you’re seeing. With the overwhelming amount of content and information available on the internet, most people will not have the time or bandwidth to engage with all the content you create. In relation to your website, this means most people will not view every page on your site; instead, going through only the pages that are relevant to them.
That being said, CTAs are essential for driving conversion on your website. It gets users to perform the exact desired action you want them to do. Think, “Click here to book a consult,” or, “Reach out to inquire now.” Having consistent and direct CTAs makes it easy for your users to connect with you. Instead of having to think hard for themselves, you’re gently guiding them to a desired action. This is a win win situation for both you and them, as long as you’re not being super pushy and annoying.
3. Not Focusing on Value
You are a business owner providing a variety of services. It makes sense to talk about the services you’re offering and explain them to your audience on your website, right? Yes, and no.
See, the thing is, talking about the services you offer is only one piece of the puzzle. It’s also equally important to discuss the value your services are providing to your potential clients as well.
Think about it this way. There are an abundance of service providers on the internet today. We are in the small business boom of the 21st century. Everyone wants to be an entrepreneur these days. The internet has made this increasingly easy for us and it is an absolutely fantastic thing. But, and this is a big but, this means that service providers are increasingly in an oversaturated market online.
As far as your website goes, people need to know why the services you are providing are going to be of benefit to them. They need to know what value they are gaining from your services. They need to know what problem your services solve. They need to understand the transformation they will encounter by working with you. These are the stories that will convince them to reach out and work with you instead of someone else. Make sure to dive into these statements on the service page of your website. They are really important.
4. Not Optimizing for Mobile
Did you know that most people will judge your business based on the design of your website? It’s true. Furthermore, people are now more likely to judge your website first via its mobile view than its desktop view.
Think about it. We as a society are super dependent on our phones these days. We use them everywhere, all the time. Why wouldn’t we look at websites first on our phones?
If your website is not optimized for mobile viewing, this can destroy your website views and tank SEO. Furthermore, it can have a huge impact on your brand reputation.
This is why I’ve built my Squarespace website templates to be mobile responsive. They will look good on a variety of devices, from iPhones to iPads to Macs!
5. Not Showcasing Your Process
As I’ve mentioned in a lot of the previous points in this article, the world of online service providers is saturated these days. This is why it’s critical that you differentiate yourself from other people in your industry.
Showcasing your process is one such way to do that. It demonstrates to people what it's like to work with you. It makes it easy for them to visualize engaging with you in a working relationship. It also helps them understand what you do and how you do it.
Stand out from the crowd and make sure to break down your process on your service page.
Conclusion
Creating a compelling website isn’t always easy. That’s why it’s important to make sure that your website is built in a way that doesn’t contain these common mistakes. If this sounds overwhelming to you, or you’re not sure if you’ve built your website right, reach out so we can discuss the details and see how I can help. When I work with clients, I make sure all of these points and more are covered when we build a site together.
READY TO TAKE YOUR BRAND OR WEBSITE TO THE NEXT LEVEL? REACH OUT SO WE CAN CONSULT ON YOUR PROJECT TODAY.
Take care and talk soon,
Alex
