There are quite a few choices even professional web design and development companies make that we don’t all agree with. Maybe a web designer chooses a color combination some people don’t find pleasing, or doesn’t use collapsible menus correctly. But there are some design errors that simply can’t be pardoned. Here are seven deadly sins you need to make sure aren’t dooming your website design to the lowest circles of the Internet:
- Not Investing in Better Hosting
What does hosting have to do with web design? Well, proper hosting is a major part of having a quick load time for your website — and that’s something most users simply demand these days.
- Catering Only to Desktops
If your website isn’t mobile friendly, it’s deeply flawed. Mobile compatibility plays a part in everything from search engine optimization to conversion to customer service, meaning it’s essentially no longer optional. It’s actually extremely affordable to implement a responsive site these days, so there’s no excuse for delaying.
- De-Prioritizing Security
You might think that your website won’t be a target for hackers — you’re not a Swiss bank, after all — but in truth many hackers out there simply roam the net looking for easily infiltrated websites. If you own a website, you need to make sure it’s secure, and that goes double if you handle financial data or private information online.
- Hiding Your NAP
Your business’ name, address and phone number, collectively referred to as your NAP, should be located intuitively so web users can easily find you in the real world.
- Embedding PDFs (the Wrong Way)
Restaurants in particular are guilty of this. It may seem handy to just embed a file as a PDF, but it’s lazy design that makes it difficult for users to access the information they need. If you are going to embed a PDF, warn users with a phrase like “To download the full report in PDF form, click the link below.”
- Putting Important Information in Graphics
Some people get so fancy with their website design that they use graphics for everything, instead of plain text. But keep in mind that when you put important information (a phone number, for example, or your hours) in a graphic, they can no longer be copied and pasted. That can be quite a hassle for someone who’s texting information to a friend, looking up directions or compiling a larger list of information.
- Using Huge Chunks of Text
Walls of text virtually ensure that your site visitors aren’t going to read your content. Choose short paragraphs and bulleted lists wherever possible, and use formatting to draw attention to your most salient points.
What other mortal website design sins could be added to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments.
