Common Web Design Mistakes

Common web design mistakes #1: Too much going on

Similar to going to a restaurant and looking at a menu with 50+ food options, a crowded website can quickly cause a visitor to feel confused and overwhelmed. This might include having too many vibrant colours, too much text or no breaks in text, numerous fonts, various columns or a large number of photos and videos. For example, the downfall of social media giant Myspace was largely caused by the introduction of Facebook, which provided a sleeker design that wasn’t disrupted by annoying ads and too many features. Good web design should aim to break content up into digestible segments and avoid having any clashing features that compete for attention.

Common web design mistakes #2: Website isn’t mobile-friendly

A mobile-friendly website or ‘responsive design’ refers to a site that automatically adapts to whatever screen it’s viewed on. This is a crucial part of modern web design as more users are searching products and services from mobiles over desktops – and that number is set to grow. So prolific are google searches using mobile that Google has even started prioritising websites with responsive design in search results. You can test if your website is mobile-friendly by using Google’s mobile-friendly test tool which will show you what your website looks like minimised.

Website mistakes to avoid #3: Takes too long to load

If you’re trying to capture a viewer’s interest, one of the most common website mistakes to avoid is slow load time – with the Google recommended time being two seconds or less. If your website is overloaded with plugins or too many images and videos, it can have a significant effect on your website’s load time. Having a web audit conducted can find what issues are causing the slow speed and if your website needs to be moved to another server.

Web design mistakes #4: Hard to follow navigation

A good user experience is paramount to good web design, and easy-to-follow navigation is one of the most important components. This might include putting a navigation bar at the top of the page, adding a mega footer with contact details and links to important information or making the logo link back to the homepage if clicked. Ideally, a user should be able to find the information they need in seconds and within one to two clicks.

Web design mistakes #5: Hard to read text

There are multiple ways text can be hard to read, including the colour, font style and how it’s segmented. If a website is hard to read (or a downright eyesore) a user will find it harder to absorb information, which can disrupt the customer journey and cause the user to search elsewhere. If you’re unsure what sort of font style to use, it’s recommended you stick to a Sans Serif (like Helvetica), opt for dark text on a white screen, and have a size 16 px with 1.5-line height. It’s also important to segment your content in different paragraphs with headers, so a reader isn’t confronted with a large block of text.

Web design mistakes #6: Strange layout

Most websites use a simple linear layout or grid format, which gives the user a navigational path to follow. This involves implementing a visual hierarchy and putting the most important information where a user’s eyes naturally focus (such as an F or Z pattern) and playing with colour and contrast to highlight CTA’s or key selling points. A good web designer will know how to properly layer content but the most important elements to remember are:

 Reading patterns

• Size and scale of font
• Colour and contrast
• Typographic hierarchy
• Alignment
• Negative space