Common Mistakes during Web Design

Tired of running a web site that simply does not deliver? Are you not getting enough hits? Do your hits not convert to profits?

There are several reasons for the failure of a site. Bad design, poor service, tough competition. Usually, the problem is more inward than outward. While designing a site, designers often ignore some important factors that contribute to the site’s unpopularity. The following are the five common mistakes that designers make:

1. Poor content: The most common reason for the failure of a site is the use of wrong content. If the content does not capture the correct mood or niche, then the audience will not stick around long enough to buy products from the site. In addition to content quality, you must choose the right font for your site. The font should reflect the brand and mood of the site. One good resource in choosing a font is Dafont.com. It is a free resource that provides thousands of unique fonts, which are organized by name, artist, or style.



2. Browser incompatibility: Another common reason for site failure is when it is not compatible with multiple browsers. Almost 60% of the customer feedback is about the problem they have when the site is not functioning in a new browser. For example, Google Chrome is today the fastest growing browser online. So it is highly expected that if your site does not function properly in this browser, then users will be disappointed. One good resource is Browsershot.org, where you can check out the compatibility of your site in multiple browsers.



3. Dull color scheme: The color scheme in a web site should be aesthetic, balanced, and appealing. If you do not have an eye for color schemes, then you can try a free resource site called Colorschemedesigner.com. Here, simply enter a base color (for example, your logo color). The site will then display up to 20 compatible colors, which you can use to make your site more stylish.


4. Poor navigation facility: This is one of the largest mistakes that web designers make. If the navigation of your site is out of order, then all the effort and money invested in the above features is a waste. A site can be the most beautiful site in the world, but if its navigation system is out of order, it will surely fail. Sometimes, the problem is more of common sense. For example, many web sites show a "Home" tab first on their navigation, followed by a "About us" tab. Most visitors are not interested to know more about you. They care about what you can offer and at what price. So instead of telling them about you, you must focus on providing the "Products" tab after the "Home" tab, followed by the "Pricing" tab (if applicable). If you must provide the "About us" tab, then provide it on the extreme right side of the page near "Contact us".



5. Out of place call to action: Always place your call to action in the front and center and on nearly every page. If you want visitors to call you on the phone, then provide your phone number in your header so that it is displayed on every page. If your call to action is to purchase a product, then provide that option along with product description.

These are some of the most common mistakes that web designers make while designing a site. If you take care of these issues during design and are convinced about the buy factor of your product, then there is no reason why your site should not be successful.

Author is a promoter of Calgary Web Design.Check out more information about
Custom Web Design and Development.