Web design is not only a science, but an art as well. In the recent past, the Web Design market has become excessively competitive. Internet surfers have become incredibly smart; they can easilytell apart a good website from a pathetic one.
Additionally, mobile surfing has taken an upsurge like never before. People are looking for websites that they can use on any device of their choice, without feeling that they did not connect to a particular brand as they should have.
Summary
To survive the market, innovating your way of doing things as a web designer is inevitable. Many websites have had to have facelifts to get at par with the user’s expectations. The user’s usability experience tells it all, as such, you need to be very careful. You cannot afford to make any mistakes; with poor navigation, weak content and unattractive pages topping the list.
Running a website is no piece of cake. It takes a lot; it is actually daunting! You find yourself investing a whole lot of time, money and sometimes even emotions. Being met with mediocre results is something you do not look forward to.
You might be expecting a surge of visitors, only for you to get a trickle of them. Sometimes, the people who visit your site actually leave without making a single action. Most people would tend to look at their content in a bid to make it better, or even choose to focus on their marketing strategy.
However, the overall website design could be the missing piece of the puzzle. This very thing could be all you need in order to get things right.
In today’s insightful article, we’ll delve into the importance of web design and some of the mistakes you should avoid as web designer.
The Essence of Good Web Design
Before we even get into those mistakes that you should avoid, let us have a look into why web design is so crucial.
1. First Impressions
You never get that second chance to make a good first impression. The same sentiment holds a lot of water when it comes to matters web design.
Visitors make up their minds quite fast on whether or not to stay on your site. Therefore, you want the first impression they get to be as clear and positive as possible. Anyone who comes to your site should be able to get what they are looking for without having to think long and hard of what you have to offer.
It should be an easy to use site that does not complicate their navigation in any way. As a matter of fact, once anyone has had an unfavorable opinion of your site, they are less likely to return. Getting it right goes without saying. You must have the knowledge of the effective Color Theory for UX designs.
2. With good web design, you get to build trust
A good first impression is not enough to make visitors stay on your site. It will go a long way in ensuring that they actually do trust it and believe in what you offer.
They can actually develop some form of trust on your content even before they read it. Sounds crazy, but it is true. In such fields as medicine where trust is held in high regard, a well-designed website will be a plus on your side.
3. Provision of guidance
Any web designer builds a site because they have a goal in mind, not just as a show off. The purpose can be getting people to sign up for a certain course, buy a product or even contribute towards some form of charity. A well designed website will leave your visitors guided accordingly, as opposed to a poorly done one which leaves them clueless.
Design mistakes every designer must avoid
Seeing as we agree on the essence of good web design, let us delve right into some common mistakes that you as a web designer should avoid in order to have a cutting edge above all the rest.
1. A Slow-Loading Site
When it comes to surfers, every damn second counts. A major contributing factor to web abandonment is loading time. The user has zero patience for a page that takes forever to load, and it is actually justifiable.
As a web designer, you need to be super careful in creating a site whose speed is top notch. No peoplewant a slow loading site. Getting this right can put you above all the rest, eliminate competition and raise the ranks of your website.
Also Read: Latest Web Design Trends To Get Robustness In Your Website
2. Irresponsive Design
More than 40% of surfers use their phones or tablets to search for whatever content they are interested in. as a web designer, it is paramount that you build a site that can display quite well on these devices. Research shows that less than 17% of the websites worldwide have been created with a kind of ‘responsive design’. Google has introduced penalties on such websites. Given this, designing a responsive site will be a sure step in the right direction.
3. Being Unnecessarily Fancy and Stylish
There is nothing wrong in being fancy and stylish. However, in doing so, you might forget the sole and basic essence of the website. People visit your site to fish for information, not look at the overall design.
While making it attractive can help, overdoing it makes you miss out on the whole point and the users lack readability. In a bid to impress, you may end up driving a potential customer away. After all, too much of anything is poisonous.
4. Seeking Attention
This is quite tricky. You want your visitor’s interest to be piqued, so much so that they end up visiting your site. This way, you will have provoked them, rather than seeking their attention unnecessarily. You want them to have a reason behind visiting your site. You do not want to shout to them, making them feel as if your site is a ‘cry for help’. Your landing page should convey the entire idea of your website but not in a way that bombards the visitor.
Attention is the most valuable asset, but striking a balance is even better.
5. Complex Navigation System
Visitors want a smooth ride through your website, definitely not a bumpy one. Avoid creating constraints or even obstacles in the paths to your site’s accessibility.
Avoid drop down menus that hide information. In place of them, have a straight forward menu right in the eyes of the visitor, as this is what they look out for.
A complex and confused navigation system is an eyesore and it will only drive them away.
Takeaways
Web design is a very crucial field that faces a high competition rate. It requires a certain level of expertise and skill set. However, that is not enough; it goes way yonder. Bringing you’re A game to the table requires you to resonate with the user. Avoiding the above mistakes will see to it that your site’s traffic is impressive and gives you the results you so much crave.