Using Flash

Flash used to be able to add excitement to your website with interesting animation. But it’s 2015 and using Flash just isn’t practical. It can adversely affect your SEO because it is difficult for search engines to read content that isn’t in HTML format. The use of this software results in long loading time and it has no mobile support because very few mobile devices support the software. Mobile searches have surpassed desktop searches, and if a visitors mobile device requires them to download Flash to view their site, they will probably visit a different website.

Boring Landing Pages

Driving traffic to your website is only the first step of the marketing equation. Capturing your visitors’ attention and enticing them to return is the second part. We live in a world where first impressions are everything and if people are unable to grasp what you do within 5 seconds, chances are they will lose interest because you failed to make a lasting impact on them. If this is the case, you might want to look into changing your landing pages.

Relying on Stock Photos

Using images and visuals are essential in a website. There may be instances when you don’t have the financial resources to hire a professional photographer. Thus, stock imagery can be very helpful when designing a website. However, if you constantly rely on stock images, there’s a greater chance that a competitor may use the same image on their website. This might lead visitors to assume the worst: you’re lazy, you’re unoriginal, or you stole it from your competition and tried to pass it off as your own.

Weird Design

Sadly, some websites just have awful color schemes and typography. These two factors can affect the way that a visitor reads and absorbs information. Your website should read exactly like a book, and a visitor should not have to struggle to be able to read your content. Try to stick to one or two different font styles, and try to pick a color scheme that represents your brand.

Lack of Whitespace

Have you ever heard the saying “less is more.” This applies to Whitespace because truthfully clutter looks awful. If there is too much going on with your design, the visitor may become overwhelmed by the massive amount of images, animation, content and links. Too much of this can result in navigation problems because the visitor won’t be able to decide where to click next. Chances are the viewer will become frustrated and leave your website.

Contact Information & Form

If you sell a product or service, then your contact page should never be difficult to locate. What if a visitor is trying to gather further information and has no way to contact you? Make sure that your website has the a phone number, physical address and appropriate contact information. You may want to look into adding a contact form to both your contact page and home page. It also might benefit you to add contact forms to the bottom of your internal pages as well.

Missing Other Relevant Information

When customers visit business websites, they want authenticity; otherwise, they probably leave your website if they get the sense that yours is not reputable. The most effective way to create authenticity is to build trust and credibility. Surprisingly, many websites are missing information that can help build this trust. When designing your website make sure you do not forget to include:

• Contact Info
• An About You section
• Any new products/services
• Interesting, up-to-date statistics
• A Team Page
• Certificates, Awards, Associations
• An updated blog or news section

While it is true that elements like responsive designs and simply navigation are important, sometimes it is not enough. As a result, businesses will need to establish authenticity and trust in order to attract and retain visitors.