Last Updated on July 1, 2021 by
Good, responsive website design is not optional in 2020. It is an essential asset to businesses and a critical factor that influences your online presence. Surprisingly, it is easy to have web design failures and get it wrong due to the numerous new website designs and features coming out.
There are many moving parts when designing your website – it is not merely about selecting lovely images and videos or writing great content. Your website is critical in converting leads to sales and for marketing your products and services. Just like your brand, you cannot afford to make mistakes, no matter how subtle, because they can cost you lost traffic.
Most growing brands fall victim to the same website design mistakes, which are typically subtle but tend to do a lot of damage.
Below are seven web design failures to avoid in 2020.
1. Outdated Web Design Approach
Most people are used to specific web design formats, and because they are familiar, they seem like the natural choice because they are easier for the brain and eyes to absorb. Unfortunately, it’s no longer the case, and you need a web design that will stand out from the crowd and make your target audience go “wow!”
Most new websites make this common mistake, and the fix is to make your new site unique. Be willing to use creative elements and experiment with moving colors, videos, images, and other trending features. For instance, you can use contrast to break the monotony of a uniform color by using light and dark shades.
2. Cluttered Layout
A cluttered and visually confusing website layout is a big no in 2020. Such sites fail to guide visitors through the content and risk losing them within seconds of their visit. Visitors bombarded by too many things and distractions with no clear direction will leave immediately. A suitable example of a website with too much going on is MGBD Parts and Services.
Give your website a focal point that guides your visitors to various parts of the site or where you want them to end up. Have a clean and straightforward layout that drives visitors to the checkout, a free trial, or a demo – for example.
3. Use of Moving Sliders
Moving sliders are not proven to be useful or to convert more. They are also not the best way to convey information on your site, according to this ConversionXL article by Peep Laja. Sliders cause banner blindness just like sidebar ads do. Therefore, many users tend to ignore or miss them altogether. The principle also applies to sliders that rotate. The University of Notre Dame found sliders ineffective, with only one percent of visitors clicking on them.
People use sliders because they seem high-tech and are easy for web designers to implement. To solve the problem, find another better way to present your information and highlight the parts you want to grab attention – without using sliders.
4. Poor Text Placement
Some websites fill their web pages with long prose paragraphs, which clutters their pages with text. As a result, a potential customer could fail to read the content because they are used to short texts. You end up failing to show visitors what you do and how you can help them.
To fix this, make your website easily scannable by dividing long-form content into short, readable chunks for a clean and spacious look. Create a design that attracts visitors to read your text until the end. What’s more, add high-quality and actionable content. An example of a website with an excellent content outline is The New Yorker.
5. Using Too Many Colors
The number and type of colors you use on your website can have a psychological impact on your visitors and their opinion of your products or brand. Using too many colors in your design makes your brand look not-so-delightful or appealing.
Instead, use color combinations of twos of threes that reflect your brand and are visually delightful – not too bright or dull. Also, do not select random colors. Your site’s color design should reflect a vibrant and elegant palette that makes it more attractive to visitors.
6. Not-So-Simple Navigation
Visitors decide whether to continue browsing your site or to close the tab in a matter of seconds. With shrinking online attention spans, you cannot afford to lose visitors because your navigation and menu are not easy to use. Users should find their way around your website with ease.
With no standard navigation design in place, businesses have the freedom to set their navigation menu – either horizontally, vertically, or centered. Navigation on a mobile phone is even trickier. Avoid these mistakes to ensure on-point navigation and better usability:
- Using generic labels: Plan specific and straightforward navigation with your audience and search engines in mind.
- Using non-standard navigation menu locations: Users automatically know and expect menus in specific places on a website, so they may miss yours if it is in a new position.
- Using a drop-down menu: These menus are annoying.
- Using the wrong order of items: The serial position effect says that the essential items on a menu appear first and last.
Simplify your menu structure and remove any unnecessary items that could confuse your visitors.
7. Not Being Mobile-Friendly
You would think that this is no longer a problem in 2020, but it persists. Many businesses still cannot make a mobile-friendly website for users, despite its numerous benefits and potential to drive droves of traffic to your site. More people than ever have access to smartphones and internet connection, which means that a higher percentage of internet users access it through their phones and tablets.
Make your website responsive for all devices. For example, users shouldn’t need to zoom in to read information.
The Bottom Line
Failure to leverage your website correctly will see you leaving leads, sales, and money on the table. As a powerful business tool for today’s company, websites can enhance the sales and marketing of any business. But with users growing ever-more critical and impatient, the need to use attractive and responsive website designs has never been greater.
Nimbletoad is your go-to digital marketing agency for quality web design services. We specialize in SEO, PPC, and web design services. Contact us today if you are looking to transform your bad website design and create a better user experience for your web page.
Drew is an avid photographer whose images have won many awards.In fact, all of the images on this site were taken by him.
When he is not helping Nimbletoad's clients stand out online you'll find him surfing, hiking in the mountains, or fishing off the coast for yellowtail.
He lives in Vista, located at the northern tip of San Diego, with his wife Brooke and their three dogs Nora, Oliver, and Fin.
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