Websites are used to entice new consumers and give existing ones an experience that makes them want to continue coming back. Constructing a fully functional website with an engaging design is essential for marketing and branding and is crucial if you wish to run a successful company. Despite its high level of importance, website development is a task that many business owners still insist on trying to turn into a DIY project before realizing they really could have benefited from the expert guidance of someone skilled in this area.
Those who aren’t familiar with the characteristics of an effective and valuable site often make several kinds of errors that can end up bringing the reputation of a company way down. Here are some of the more common reasons it’s better to work with professional website designers in Redding before you waste time, money and energy on a poor design.
Developing a Distracting Design
Business owners often want to showcase so many different things on their website that it results in nothing but a hodgepodge of design elements and a look of utter chaos. Clutter is not only unappealing to the eye of the average consumer, but also so distracting that it can make a visitor want to leave rather quickly. Overdesign frequently comes from using too many images, hard-to-read text, an overload of color and non-complementary contrast and music and videos that automatically begin playing. Simplicity is key in good website design.
Creating a Complicated Navigation
Navigation is how users find their way around a website. When this becomes too complicated and frustrating for a user, they will simply move on to a competitor’s site that is much easier to understand. It should be effortless for visitors to move from page to page and to find exactly what they came to see in the first place. Some of the best ways website designers do this is by supplying a search box, utilizing icons and incorporating a navigation menu.
Displaying Irrelevant Content
A clear line must be drawn in determining what kind of images, videos and other content is truly necessary to get your company’s message across. Adding a personal touch is fine if it’s kept short and simple, but continuing to include content just because you have it can create confusion if it’s irrelevant to the products, services and information pertaining to the actual business.
Failing to Request a Call to Action
The goal of a website is to turn visits into profits. This can’t be done if a user isn’t compelled to take action in some way. A website’s call to action should be something that cannot be easily missed and clearly tells visitors what you would like them to do (for example, contact the business, subscribe to your newsletter or make a purchase).
Not Building a Responsive Website
Responsive web design is a must. This refers to a website’s capability to adjust well to whatever platform a user is viewing it on. You can’t expect that people will be visiting your site from a desktop computer or even a laptop anymore since mobile devices have become such a big part of our lives. The experience that a potential customer has with your website should be a pleasant one no matter what kind of gadget they are using.
Missing the Boat on Search Engine Friendliness
Good website designers understand the significance of building a site that is optimized for search engine results. This is how people will find your business when they search for a specific product or service. If your website is nowhere to be found in the results, it will be much harder to increase or even sustain the amount of visitor traffic you see.
Make your business as profitable and reputable as possible by enlisting the help of knowledgeable Redding website designers who will keep you from making these mistakes.
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About the Author
Tiffany Olson is the Communications Manager for Optimize Worldwide, a Northern California web design and search optimization company. Tiffany creates awesome content for SEO and technology blogs. Her link building strategies are impressive. Follow @TiffanyOlson88 for more WordPress tips.