5 Signs Your Website Uses Bad Web Design
Just because a website looks great doesn’t mean it’s going to generate an abundance of conversions or become a preferred destination for online searchers. The reality today is that a site not designed to please both search engines and the real people you want to visit it is going to be more of a liability than an asset. If you’re not sure whether your site’s design is cutting it, follow the advice of the experts at Saba SEO, a premier web design company in San Diego, and check to see if your site shows any of these five common signs associated with bad website design.
1. No Custom Home Page
If all your home page does is welcome visitors with a generic greeting, visitors aren’t likely to stick around. The trend with home page design these days is to create a clear, concise design with a purpose. For instance, a customized home page can briefly state what you do and list your main services or products.
2. No Landing Pages
The purpose of a landing page is to capture visitor information. If your website doesn’t have any landing pages, you’re likely giving visitors way too many distractions, keeping them from providing the desired information. An effective landing page has:
- A simple design
- An uncluttered look with no unnecessary distractions such as footers, logos, and sidebars
- A descriptive headline and compelling content
- A subscription form that asks for only minimal information (to overcome the natural tendency to not share too many personal details online)
3. No Clear Specific Purpose on the Home Page
It’s perfectly fine for a website to serve multiple purposes, but it’s not so good if you try to do it all on one page. Instead, include single pages, and design each one for a specific purpose, such as driving more sales, getting more subscribers, attracting more blog readers and social media followers, increasing brand awareness, and encouraging more comments or shares. For instance, you might:
- Use your home page to introduce visitors to your brand
- Have separate product and service pages
- Use your contact page to encourage email subscriptions
- Strategically use your footers to reference your social media links
4. No Optimization for Mobile
A website that completely ignores mobile users isn’t likely to rank on page one. More than 80 percent of the people who go online these days do so with a smartphone or other mobile device. Plus, Google has shifted its ranking policy to consider how a website appears and functions on mobile devices. These are two of the most compelling reasons to make sure your website is designed with mobile visitors in mind. A simple solution is to use a responsive website design that allows your site to be viewed as intended on any screen. If you aren’t sure about how to optimize your site for mobile viewing, consult a San Diego web design company for advice and assistance.
5. No Newsletter Signup Form
Your website can serve many purposes, one of which should be building up your email mailing list. Email is still a highly effective way to reach out to new and existing customers and encourage even more interaction with your brand. A simple way to boost your email list is to include a newsletter signup form on your site. Just make sure it’s in a prominent location.
Luckily, these website design missteps can be corrected. Some design flaws may be a bit more difficult to correct than other issues, especially when you throw SEO issues into the mix. However, a comprehensive approach to website design centered around creating the best user experience possible can serve you well and increase the odds that your website is an effective online representation of your business. For advice on any aspect of internet marketing, from web design to SEO, San Diego businesses can count on Saba SEO for the highest levels of expertise and professionalism. Call us today at 858-277-1717 to speak with one of our friendly representatives.
