Stay Away From These Common Mistakes In Website Design

It is not that difficult to create a website these days. With tools and templates that practically do everything for you, anyone, even children, can put up a website in just a short time. However, that is not to say that these websites are good.

You have probably seen websites that you think should never have been launched because they are so unattractive and difficult to use. These bad websites often contain some common mistakes that a lot of bad designers make. If you want to design a website that is attractive and user-friendly, read this article to find what you should not do in web design.

The URL of your website is its Internet web address. This is what people have to remember when they want to go to your website. Do not use a URL that is long and complex. People will never be able to remember it accurately, which means they will not get to your website.

Instead, opt for a URL that is simple and descriptive of what your business is. Use two or three of your keywords in your URL, separated by hyphens. A simple URL is better branding for your website.

Some web designers think that adding animation and moving text will make their websites look “high-tech,” and load up their websites with them. They do not realize that web visitors find these animated features distracting.

Using a little bit to bring a visitor’s focus to some important information is appropriate, but just slathering a page with animation makes the page look garish. So, do not overuse animation. Use it only to highlight a special feature, and use it in a way that does not scream for the visitor’s attention.

One drawback about using animation on a page is that it can slow down the load time of the web page. Web visitors get impatient when they have to sit there and wait more than 10-15 seconds for a page to load. If a page still does not load by that time, they are likely to visit another website. Therefore, do not fill up your pages with features that load slowly. Aim for a quick load time to keep your audience’s interest up.

Some websites have poorly designed navigation. When visitors land there, they do not know where to go next to search for information. They wind up stumbling around, just clicking on various links on the page. Before long, they wind up leaving the site because they could not find what they want. Your website should have a good sitemap and menu system.

Each menu item should have a clearly labeled link that will tell your visitors what type of content to expect. Every page should have this menu either at the top or on the side. When your visitors can efficiently navigate around your website to find what they need, they will have a positive experience and will likely come back in the future.

These are basic design concepts of which you should be mindful. Avoid the obvious design mistakes, and you will give your website a better chance to attract visitors.