Engaging and retaining visitors’ attention is essential to running a successful site. An accessible site is a necessity for the company/organization. However, many common site mistakes drive visitors away, which lowers the potential customer’s conversion rate and bottom line. Investment in good mobile UX will also impact Google Search Engine rankings. A speedy, friendly site helps rank higher in Google SERPS.
In this article, we will explore typical website errors hindering website functionality and poor user experience. We will help you resolve each issue, eventually leading to a relevant audience, hassle-free user experience, and a mobile-friendly website and help you achieve business goals.
Unclear Goals
Each site must have clear goals and purpose. Without clear goals or purpose for what you want for business, what to put on it, what will be the strategy? Otherwise, it will be a poor, confusing site that will drive people away.
Spend some time to decide what the goals and objectives of your website are. If you plan on selling products or services, what do you plan to provide informative content to your users? Once you have a clear idea of what your goals and objectives are, you can align your website design layout and content to those objectives.
Before you come up with a single line of code or draw up an element, take some time to define your website’s purpose. With that in mind, the rest will fall into line.
Some of the most common website goals are
- Generating revenue or leads
- Creating brand awareness
- Showcasing products or services
- Informing individuals
- Providing customer support
If you know your destination and what you are going to offer or what content will drive customers in and generate income, then you will recognize that each page is helping you get to your destination.If you have not yet decided on your goals, do the expert exercise to help you.
Put on paper what you would like your website to do
Create a “Customer Journey Map” to trace the steps of a visitor from start to finish through your site.
Having a web design brief covering goals, scope, and timing from the outset can prevent miscommunication and keep everyone on the same page.
Cluttered Website Design
A neatly designed website simplifies the customers’ navigation and understanding of what the website is all about using precise information. Make your website design brief and simple so that the users may readily search for what they need. If your website design must be precise and users find it convenient to use, they will never return to your website.
Few tips to create a user-friendly website:
- Applying generous white space
- Applying clear and concise headers and subheaders
- Creating simplistic navigation menus
- Keeping pages concise
- Restricting the use of images and videos
- Implementing calls to Action
Your site should reflect your brand and be easy for the visitor to use and wrap their heads around. If your site depicts a formal atmosphere, then it needs to be a formal atmosphere on all pages. If it’s playful or relaxed, then it should depict that too. That way, the visitor will be able to navigate it better and be able to locate what they’re looking for.
Call to Action
Call-to-Action button is also crucial in the lead of customers or leads. It makes you sign up, perform a specific Action, schedule an appointment, or buy something. The button is also helpful to know the visitor counts. Your website should have a clear Call-to-Action button on all your pages.
If you can’t even determine what CTA button would be appropriate on your web content, attempt A/B testing and check what works better for you. Match your purposes with the CTAs for attaining greater sales or leads.
Website Copy
Website content should be in readable persuasive language convincing visitors to take Action. It should be readable, concise, and grammar and spelling error-free. A good website content should have case studies, reviews, customer testimonials, and stories engaging the visitors. It will also help the visitor with what they need, making informed decisions on what they can do, their background, and their history of satisfied customers.
Good content will help keep your visitors; your content will come in handy to your site. Your content has to be readable, relevant, informative, and well-written for users to clearly understand and stick around on your site. Create content that will answer your viewers’ questions and the answers to which they seek and fix their problems. Stuffing keywords into your content or using overly promotional wording has to be evaded.
Loading Speed
Slow page loading is a huge turnout for web users. They will definitely abandon that site when it is difficult to load the page and search for an alternative. This implies that the site needs to be optimized to its maximum and there are issues. To address these issues, try compressing images, minifying CSS and JavaScript files, and using short caching techniques. Moreover, increasing the web hosting package loads faster web pages.
Mobile Responsiveness
Users use mobiles predominantly for surfing, so there’s a need to make sure that your site is mobile-responsive. This will help get big traffic on your website. An intelligently built, mobile-responsive site will instantly optimize its screen and rotation as per the device. This will get users to linger on your website and also create a satisfactory browsing experience.
Broken Links
Broken Links negatively and drastically affect your site, and this may be a reason for visitors to lose their way. To keep your online presence in good shape, check and fix broken links from time to time. With the help of plugins or tools used to fix broken links promptly, you can offer your users a smooth browsing experience.
Navigation Problems
Simple navigation is essential for a website; it helps users access information easily. Poor navigation chases away visitors and damages your website since they need help in finding what they are looking for. To solve this issue, organize your website content into categories and subcategories so users can easily find what they are looking for. The hierarchical structure will make the visitor’s experience easy and gather information, providing them with a direct way to view the content they wish to see on the website. It will retain visitors and engage your site.
Too Many Pop-ups
Pop-up advertisements are good for collecting emails or promotions. Too many pop-up advertisements are harmful and break users’ browsing experience. Don’t place too many, which will frustrate users and drive them away. Place them sparingly, and they should be easy enough to close.
Lack of Contact Information
The need for correct information on your address and contact number is an ill sign for your website. Your visitors who need more adequate information to reach your website will find it suspicious and questionable. Provide correct address and contact details on the home page and footer of every page.
Intrusive Advertisements
Intrusive ads totally ruin your website’s credibility and get the visitors annoyed. These also spam your website and rob it of its genuineness. Otherwise, Ads are fine for earning revenues and monetization. But placing your keywords ideally on your website is a smart idea which never takes away from your website content and is relevant to your viewers.
Conclusion
A well-designed, user-friendly website is crucial for keeping visitors and achieving business objectives. Steer clear of common pitfalls such as unclear objectives, confusing layout, slow speed, and navigation problems to provide a smooth user experience. A distinct call-to-action (CTA) invites visitors to participate, and being mobile-friendly enhances visibility. Flawless website copy that is engaging and mistake-free fosters credibility and trust.
Fixing technical problems like broken links and too many pop-ups improves usability and avoids frustration. Giving correct contact details assures users of your authenticity. Moreover, restricting intrusive advertisements keeps the environment professional and interactive. By finding and fixing these website errors, companies can increase traffic, enhance conversions, and establish long-term customer relationships. An optimized website improves brand reputation and search engine rankings, ultimately leading to success. Regular site audits and improvements will ensure a positive user experience, helping you stand out in today’s competitive digital landscape.