5 Web Design Mistakes That Will Cost You Money

In 2016, a well-designed website is essential; consumers all but expect it. A poorly designed site not only gives a bad impression of your business, but could actually end up costing you money.

Here are five common web design mistakes that you should avoid at all costs:

1. Creating a site that isn't mobile friendly.

These days, most businesses are well aware of the importance of creating a site that is mobile friendly. If they aren't, then chances are their web designer will alert them to the fact.

However if you have somehow missed the memo, it's crucial that your website works on a mobile device. Just last year Google announced that on a global scale, more people are accessing the net via mobile devices than on desktops – a tipping point that was long-predicted.

An increasing number of Australians are accessing the internet via their mobile devices, and therefore if your website isn't mobile friendly you are missing out on exposure. In addition, if you build a site and don't make it mobile responsive from the get-go, it's going to cost you a lot more to make it happen further down the track!

2. Poor navigation.

<p.Internet users don't take kindly to sites that are difficult to navigate; if they're finding it hard to locate the information they require, they're going to leave. Intuitive navigation is critical to your site's success. Users should be able to find the information required with ease and it should be where they 'expect' to find it.

3. A lack of social links.

In this day and age, everyone is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms – and this extends to businesses too.

If your business has a number of social media pages, it's important that they are linked to your website. By displaying links to your social pages clearly throughout your site, it makes it easy for users to share product images and content.

4. No search bar.

If your site is large, sometimes even excellent navigation isn't enough to help users find exactly what they are looking for. A search bar solves this issue, as it allows users to quickly and easily find the information they are looking for.

If a user cannot find what they need and your website is lacking a search bar, you can guess what is going to happen – they will probably leave your site and look elsewhere!

5. Slow load times.

Internet users have very short attention spans. In 2016, people expect a page to load quickly – if it doesn't it is likely they will leave and try another website. According to Kissmetrics, 47% of internet users expect a website to load in two seconds or less – and around 40% of users will abandon a site that takes more than three seconds to load. Talk about a short attention span.

Great web design isn't just important in 2016, it's expected. Take your time and choose a reputable web designer who will get it right; your business will thank you for it!