Websites are designed in many forms and fashions. All serve a different purpose depending on the type of business. Once you’ve found a web design that works well for your business, avoid making easy website mistakes that can deter customers or clients from using your business.

Mobile-Unfriendliness

Now more than ever, it’s in your business’s best interest to have a well-designed website that looks great on desktop and mobile. With a large percentage of web searches on mobile devices, it’s important to ensure that your mobile site is clean and easy to navigate.

Mobile-friendliness also plays a major role in where your website will be ranked in search engine results. Google prefers a business with mobile-friendly websites by increasing their rankings above websites that aren’t mobile-friendly.

Take the first step and find out what Google thinks of your mobile-friendliness and work from there.  There are many ways to make your website more mobile-friendly. It all depends on how your website is housed.

A lack of consideration for your website’s mobile appearance is a mistake that should always be avoided. Not only will a great looking website on mobile boost the customer experience, but it will also help new customers find your website with ease.

Broken Links

Can you think of a time when you were seeking a product or service online and you clicked a button that didn’t work? How about when a link directs you to the infamous “Page Not Found” page?

Page malfunctions like broken links and faulty buttons don’t leave a good impression. You don’t want potential customers to have negative thoughts about your website or company based on these kinds of website mistakes. Broken or non-functional links communicate unprofessionalism and say that your business may be unreliable or dated.

Along with the negative impact it can have on customers already visiting your website, a malfunctioning page can hurt your website’s SEO, Search Engine Optimization.  Search engines like Google and Bing aren’t able to effectively peruse your website because they cannot understand the broken links. 

A proactive and easy way to avoid this problem is to set a monthly reminder to run a link/button check. Open your website and start clicking through all the links and buttons to ensure functionality. This will get you in the habit of consistently  checking the functionality of your buttons to ensure they are operating properly.

Lack of Favicon

What’s a favicon? A favicon is a small icon that appears in the browser tab and shows up each time the website is opened. It’s a very common item to forget to add to your site.  Favicons also show up in your browsing history, browser’s bookmarks bar and other places across the web. 

Your favicon should be a simple piece of your branding that’s 16×16 pixels with decent contrast and a transparent background. Once you get this added to your website it will add professionalism and another way to solidify your brand.

Confusing Navigation

Website visitors should be able to find their way around your website with ease. How you use your navigation bar is key. The navigation bar is a section of interface that’s intended to guide users on where to find specific website information. On the desktop view, your navigation bar should be visible across the top instead of hidden in a hamburger menu. While the hamburger menu provides a cleaner look, keeping the navigation bar visible helps SEO and makes it easier for visitors to navigate around your website.

First time website visitors are usually seeking answers to  specific questions. It’s wise to think through what types of questions they will have and make sure the answers are easily found and understood. 

The moral of the navigation story is to be as clear as you can be. You don’t want customers leaving your website because they can’t find what they’re looking for.

Spelling Errors and Grammar Mistakes

When visitors come across a typo or grammatical mistake, it instantly diminishes the quality and credibility of your business’s website. Because tools like spell check and Grammarly are readily available, these errors are less forgivable and more of a deterrent for customers.

Think of it this way, you must put the same level of professionalism, attention to detail and care into the products/services of your business as you do  your website. After all, your website is a direct reflection of your business’s values and priorities. The number one priority should be serving your clients.

To avoid spelling and grammatical mistakes, proofread your work over and over again. Having someone else proofread your work is always helpful, likely their set of eyes will catch something yours glanced over.

Pro Tip: Set reminders to check links, buttons, ease of menus, and website copy regularly. It may take a lot of time at first to avoid or correct these website mistakes, but the benefits are worth your time.

Website management is a specialty for us at LegalZing! We help business owners ensure their websites are well-designed, maintained and have the most effective SEO possible.

We know you have a lot on your plate as a budding entrepreneur and we want to see you succeed! Let us help with anything website related. Don’t have a website yet? No problem, we can get one going for you in no time.