Let’s accept the fact that designing a perfect website is not a cakewalk. Creating a website that is eyegasmic as well as user-friendly is a real challenge for the designers and quite often they tend to make some common mistakes which can actually be avoided. Sometimes the designers keep creativity on priority and forget to focus on usability while some designers just pay attention to the functionality of the website and ignore the look and feel of the website which is the most essential factor to attract the visitors. Your company website speaks for your brand; if you do blunders, it will have a negative impact on the audience. Even a small silly mistake can mess-up your brand name. Before designing a website, put yourself in user’s shoes and see if the website matches their requirements and is all set to make public.
Instead of regretting about the errors committed, it is essential to learn from mistakes and design a foolproof website that enhances the user-experience. Here is the list of common mistakes committed while designing a website and also suggestions to improve the faults.
Grammatical or spelling mistakes:
The most common mistake which we commit right from our school days is grammatical and spelling mistakes. Spelling does matter a lot while putting any content on website. Wrong spellings may show unprofessionalism and also cause misinterpretation. Even if the content on your blog is quite engaging and creative, it may lose its essence, due to spelling and grammatical errors and disconnect the readers. Mostly, this error occurs, when you hastily design a website and post blog without rechecking it.
Solution:
There are many softwares readily available on net which you can use to improve your grammar and spelling and eliminate all the vocabulary errors. You can also appoint proofreader who will timely check the content put up on your website.
Search the search box:
Sometimes the user has to search for the search box itself on the website. This is the result of poor web layout. Search box is an imperative element on your website as it helps the user to search for the contents on your website which may not be visible. In some websites, even if the search box is present, the search results are not up to the mark. Usually when navigation of a website fails, search is the only lifeline for the users to explore the website and even if this component is unable or poorly designed or placed then it can detract your customers.
Solution:
You need to position the search box at the right place which can be anywhere at the top web page corner. Top right is the best position for placing the search box. Do not overdo the search box, keep it simple and understandable. Name it simply like search or find, instead of giving complicated names which is confusing.
Poor navigation:
If the map itself shows wrong direction then how will you reach your destination? Similarly if any website has poor navigation, then the visitors may struggle to reach their destination and ultimately will get frustrated and leave your website. Visitors want to check out your website easily and quickly and if the navigation changes on each page this will be really confusing.
Solution:
Create navigation which is smooth and non-complicated. Use easy text descriptions for each link. Don’t be very creative about navigation tool, keep it simple and clear. User should be able to reach his destination with at the most three clicks.
Unnecessary pop-ups:
What is the most annoying thing which you come across while exploring any website? It is the interrupting and irritating pop-up windows. These pop-ups are not only distracting but sometimes come in between of the content too, when you interestingly were watching or reading.
Suggestion:
One or two ads on your website is fine but do not make your website look like a newspaper displaying advertisements. You can duplicate a pop-up effect with latest methods available on net. Control the appearance of pop-up windows by moderating the effect. Modal windows which lead you to the advertisement page are a big turn-off for your websites.
Auto music or video playing:
You are sitting in a sitting in your office where everybody is busy working with pin drop silence, you open a website and all of a sudden loud sound plays, how embarrassed will you be? Having audio or video effect to your website is good option but not always and especially when it automatically plays. Usually when the audio plays suddenly, visitors get jumpy and directly exit from the website. Most of the visitors find the music effect exasperating.
Solution:
Avoid music when not necessary. If you feel, music is essential for your website then keep an option where the audience can choose whether they want to hear the music or not. Don’t keep on changing the music on each web page as a school level PowerPoint presentation. Never keep auto music play option and that too with loud sound.
Now you must have understood how to deal with your mistakes. So put in all your efforts and design an ultimate website that is ideal for your visitors.
