Mark and I have been designing websites for over 12 years now. In that time, we’ve come across a lot of web design mistakes. Are you making these mistakes on your website?
1. Confusing Navigation
While there is no standard for navigation, users should be able to find what they are looking for easily. Your website’s navigation should be simple, consistent and distinct on every page. Avoid using uncommon language that users may not understand and make sure your content isn’t buried on pages.
2. Poor Contrast
Contrast is an important part of design that often gets overlooked. You don’t always have to put black text on a white background, but make sure the colors you do choose are easy on the eyes of your users.
3. Bad Images
Images make your site shine. Poorly lit, grainy or badly cropped photos devalue your products or services. You don’t have to hire a professional photographer to get good images.There are plenty of great stock photo sites that offer quality images, but if you do plan on taking your own photos, here are some tips:
- Invest in an actual camera (not your phone)
- Photograph in natural light
- Shoot your subject at a variety of different angles
- Remove any clutter from the area that may get in your shot.
4. Complicated Contact Forms
When it comes to contact forms, the simpler the better. No one wants to fill out a form that asks for a bunch of unnecessary information. Contact forms should be easy to navigate and only require information that you really need.
5. Slow Load Times
You only have a few seconds to impress users, so it’s important to make sure your site loads quickly. Compress images on your site and use caching plugins to make your site load quickly.
If you’re making one of these 5 common web design mistakes, it’s time to think about a redesign. Contact us today to chat.
