WordPress Gatsby Themes help you to Building a new website is not particularly complicated. Making it usable, however, is a much bigger challenge. Misunderstanding the role of a website leads to numerous mistakes. People think of their business site only as a way for customers to find them. However, the role of a site is much bigger and more complex. Overlooking certain important aspects of building a website can have disastrous consequences for your business. Let’s take a look at some common mistakes to avoid when building a new website.
No search box
Websites store a lot of information. A visible search box enables people to find what they need in a more efficient manner. Omitting the search box is one of the errors to avoid next time you build a website. Without a search box, visitors need to spend more time searching. Of course, the more time they spend scrolling through your site, the better, but in reality, the absence of a search bar won’t make people stay longer. On the contrary. If they don’t find what they are looking for quickly, they will get frustrated and leave, which the last thing you want.
Underestimating the importance of SEO
Before making things easy to find on your site, you need to make your site easy to find. Why bother helping people find specific information on your site if they can’t find the site in the first place? SEO is an important component of your online strategy. Since the demands of the search engine algorithms are constantly changing, optimizing your site for search engines is not a one-time job. Your SEO strategy requires regular updates. You need to stay informed and do your research on a regular basis to ensure your site appears among search engine results.
Complicated navigation – one of the biggest mistakes to avoid when building a new website
Another thing that frustrates visitors is difficult navigation. It is easy to get carried away when building a new site and put your own desires before your users’ needs. Too much clutter on your pages will prevent users from seeing navigation points easily. With links that are hard to find and buttons that are not visible, your visitors will get frustrated and walk away.
Users appreciate clarity and efficiency. Use logic, intuition, and common sense when organizing your site’s navigation. Intuitive, user-friendly navigation bars will make your website much more inviting. Use the main menu as a way for visitors to navigate the site. Avoid making your navigation too flashy and including anything too high-tech.
One of the easiest ways to avoid this common mistake and create a professional site from scratch is using a theme. A good theme is the basis of a good website. Customize a theme to suit your brand and organize and streamline your navigation according to that theme.
Ineffective plugins
Plugins or widgets can be of great help. However, it is easy to go overboard. One of the common ways businesses mess up their site is installing too many ineffective plugins. For instance, WordPress offers thousands of plugins that may seem useful. The downside is, the more you install, the more it takes your site to load, which harms user experience. Limiting the number of plugins will help your site work faster and better. Choose plugins that are truly essential, responsive, and can be styled to match your site.
Broken links
Sometimes, it’s not even a question whether your visitors will leave your site or not. No amount of patience and determination will make them stay when they come across a “404” page asking them to leave your site immediately. To prevent this from happening, make sure your pages are functional. It is a good idea to include a “contact the webmaster” link in your site’s footer. This way, a user can let you know when they encounter a broken link.
Not making your website mobile friendly
Knowing what mistakes to avoid when building a new website helps you attract and interact with customers and partners. Even if your company has a physical location, many people will engage with you online before they do it in person. Also, a good business website can help you reach customers you would never be able to reach in person. Therefore, you need to make your site available to everyone.
Over 50% of traffic comes from mobile devices. So, without a mobile friendly site, you will miss the opportunity to reach half of your potential customers. Ignoring mobile users sends a message that you do not really care. There are many mobile-responsive themes to choose from, but it’s not just about having a mobile friendly template. You also need to consider how your site’s layout translates to mobile devices so that everything runs smoothly.
Inconsistent branding
You want your brand to be recognizable online and offline. This can be achieved through consistent branding. Your website design should showcase the unique elements of your business that separate it from other similar businesses. The moment they open one of your pages, people should know it’s you. For example, use your brand colors throughout the website or add your company logo to the top of each page.
No Call-To-Actions
You want people to share your content with others and sign up to receive email marketing from you. You want people to find out more about the services you provide or the products you sell and become regular customers. Calls-to-action can help. Adding CTAs is an excellent way to drive conversions. As mentioned, everything should be clear and visible. CTA buttons should be a part of your website design, not an afterthought. Choose a contrasting color that stands out from the rest of the page, surrounded by white space.
No contact page
One of the biggest mistakes to avoid when building a new website is underestimating the importance of a contact page. You want to invite people to contact you, but if the contact page is non-existent or cannot be found easily, potential customers will go to your competition. Therefore, create a contact page and include it on the menu bar at the top of your site and remember to update it regularly.
