Biggest Web Design Mistakes To Avoid A Website Traffic Drop

1. Hamper Your Brand Reputation

“75% of consumers admit that their judgments for a company’s credibility are based on the company’s website design.”

Yes, it's true! Brand reputation is the public’s perception of any brand. 

Did you have any idea about how a few common website design mistakes can cost your brand reputation? Users can abandon their shopping cart after having a poor experience and incur significant credibility loss that can impact your future sales graph. 

It's concerning. Looking to shape your brand reputation, get professional website designing services to help you with the right strategy for overall business growth.

2. Customer Experience is at stake

88% of online customers declare that they never prefer to return to websites after having bad experiences.

What's the difference between the biggest profitable companies globally and the ones that deliver services in the same domain but are not that successful? The answer is "User Experience." If you want to make a mark in your niche and gain a competitive edge, you cannot ignore user experience. 

A bad web design makes the customer criticize the website's usability, hurts the purchase intent, and motivates them to check out the competitor.

3. Poor Conversion Rate

“57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website.”

Did you know how a few common web design mistakes can ruin the customer experience and make them refuse to make a purchase decision? Have you optimized your site with the right CTA, navigation tools, mobile-friendly, and many more elements that hold visitors throughout the sales funnel? If “No”, it's worrying!!

If you are struggling to get optimum conversion and looking to improve it, get conversion focus web design services and boost your conversion with the right conversion optimization strategy.

4. Low Return on Investment

“88% of online customers are less likely to return to a website after a bad experience”

If your website fails to turn visitors into paying customers? There must be something wrong with it. If your website is not designed and organized logically, it ends up your customer journey with a bad experience. This means the user is more likely to leave the site and spend their hard-earned money elsewhere. 

High ROI is ultimately what any business needs to stand. looking to improve it? Get ROI-driven web design services to get potential conversion and uplift ROI.

5. Low Engagement Rate

“38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the site layout is unattractive”

If your website design/layout is user-friendly enough to hold the visitor and get them to find the information easily they are looking for?

Website design mistakes such as cluttered navigation, busy layout, too much text, and a boring design and use of colors, could make your visitors uneasy. It could hamper user experience to a great extent and make them bounce back immediately thus lowering your site user engagement rate.

Want to overcome low customer engagement issues? Get custom web design services to get a website customized to your business needs ensuring great user engagement.

6. Higher Bounce Rate

94% of visitors would reject a website based on its design-related aspects. 

What is your site bounce rate? If it is more than 70%, it's an alarming call.

A high bounce rate is a great indication that either you’re not attracting the right site visitor or the visitors coming don’t have a good user experience. Few common web design mistakes like inconsistent basic design elements, and cluttered navigation could be a great cause of a higher bounce rate. 

Want to improve bounce rate? Get professional website designing services with promising expert designing capabilities to hold visitors for long and smartly drive them through the sales funnel. 

7. Competition gets the Benefit

89% of consumers shop with a competitor post facing a poor user experience. So investing in your website user experience will yield $100 against $1 you spend, or else competitors will keep gaining 88% of traffic that use gradually loose.

So, if you're looking to gain a competitive website design that doesn't let your users move to your competitors, get leading website design services that solidify your grip on existing customers and attract new customers.

Let’s move on to the next section to see critical website design mistakes that can ruin your online traffic.

8. Decline in Search Engine Rankings

Search engines, like Google, consider various factors when ranking websites in search results. User experience and web design play a significant role in these rankings. 

A study by Backlinko found that the average first-page result on Google contains 1,447 words and takes about 7 seconds to load. 

If your website lacks optimization, search engines may rank it lower, resulting in reduced organic traffic and visibility.

9. Reduced Mobile Traffic

As mobile internet usage continues to rise, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial for business success. 

According to Statista, mobile devices accounted for 56.4% of global website traffic. 

A non-mobile responsive design can drive away mobile users, negatively impacting your potential customer base and overall website traffic down.

10. Increased Customer Support Costs

According to a report by Forrester, 70% of customers expect a company's website to include a self-service application for finding answers to their questions. 

A website with poor navigation and unclear information can lead to an increase in customer support inquiries. If your website fails to provide relevant and easy-to-access information, customers may resort to contacting support, increasing your operational costs.

11. Lost Sales Opportunities

According to Statista, the average online shopping cart abandonment rate is around 69.57%.

Complex checkout processes and a lack of clear call-to-action buttons can lead to abandoned shopping carts and lost sales. A user-friendly and intuitive design can help minimize friction during the checkout process and improve conversion rates.

12. Higher Marketing Costs

"A study by Moz found that organic search (SEO) costs are about 5.66 times lower than the cost of paid search (PPC)."

When your website fails to convert visitors effectively, you may be forced to invest more in marketing efforts to attract additional traffic. By improving your website's design and conversion rate, you can potentially reduce your overall marketing expenses.

Let’s move on to the next section to see critical website design mistakes that can ruin your online traffic.

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1. Unresponsive UI

Did you know how much traffic you can lose if your site UI is unresponsive? It's no longer enough to design a website for a single device. The majority of website traffic comes from mobile devices, accounting for more than 51%. Ideally, your website design should be responsive & flexible enough to fit across different screen sizes.

Please check your site responsiveness for different devices, and if found a compatibility issue, it's good to fix it soon.

How to fix it:

• Follow a Minimalistic design approach
• Use responsive breakpoints
• Formulating the rules of fluid grid 
• Use Responsive imagery
• Define Typography
• Test responsiveness for different devices

Pro tip: Leverage a responsive design checker to check how a website looks responsive and compatible enough to deliver an excellent user experience. Take help from professional web design services to get the job done for you.

2. Poor Content Strategy, Quality, and Placement

A visitor will never stay on a website with outdated and unrelatable content. Instead, they will immediately browse other search results pages. Therefore, you need to have a content strategy and framework in place. 

How to fix it:

• Discover Which Content Will Get You Inbound Links
• Find Content Your Readers Will Share
• Make Email Signups, and Subscriptions a No-Brainer
• Create SEO-optimized content That Ranks Better
• Create content that resonates with your audience's interest 
• Have a content outline in place before coming up with the website design

Pro tip: Content that solves the visitor's pain points will also solve the business pain points as well.

3. Having Clumsy Navigation

A study by Stanford University found that ‘sites that were easy to navigate are more credible.’ But unfortunately, most site owners and web designers ignore the fact. Clumsy navigation will motivate your visitor to bounce back from the home page, which means they will never spend any quality time on the website checking over the product and services.

How to fix it:

• Plan navigation with a sitemap
• Prioritize your pages
• Stick to conventions
• Use a sticky menu
• Limit the number of items
• Add a search bar

Pro tip: Keep navigation bar consistent across all pages of the website. You can hire professional web design services, get the job done for you.

4. Not Embracing Enough White Space

White space is crucial to a website's UI layout, it improves readability, drives attention to the correct elements, and creates a well-balanced, clean image that significantly improves UI and enhances the page's UX(User Experience). 

How to fix it:

• Remove all elements around the object you want to emphasize.
• Use both micro and macro white space
• Manage visual hierarchy with white space
• Pay close attention to the white space around CTAs
•  It doesn't have to be white always

Pro tip: Avoid too much whitespace that can make your website look lazy and bland.

5. Inconsistent Design Elements

A website with consistent design elements helps visitors get familiar with UI patterns and components. Having consistent fonts and text arrangement can improve scanability, legibility, readability, and even site navigation.

How to fix it:

• Have menus in the same position on each page
• Have the same fonts, logo, and colors throughout the site
• Have a clear visual hierarchy
• Optimize interaction elements- like button labels
• Do optimum use of animation, videos, sounds
• Don’t overload your website with too many elements

Pro tip: Use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to achieve the same look and feel of all web pages that use the same style sheet. If you need any technical assistance, it's good to outsource expert web design services.

6. Neglect SEO Friendly Design Prospective 

SEO is a backbone for any business to stand online, but many don't realize that search engine optimization needs to be built during the web design process. A poor SEO strategy will never let your website rank well on the search engine.

How to fix it:

• Create SEO-optimized content
• Maintain optimum keyword density.
• Optimize header tags
• Use internal linking
• Optimize meta descriptions
• Use a readable URL structure
• Use image alt attributes
• Use minimalistic web design
• Avoid heavy media files

Pro tip: SEO ranking is more confined by user experience on your site, focusing more on usability and aesthetic feel inlined with basic SEO tips, will automatically boost your SEO & business performance.

7. CTA That is Not Action-Driven

When did you last optimize your website CTA? Is it performing well to direct the visitor to the sales funnel? Are they visible or tempting enough to drive conversion? CTA design that is misleading will never accelerate your conversion rate.

How to fix it: 

• Make CTA look like Button
• Customize CTA with Clear Messaging
• Get CTAs highlighted
• Leverage white space for effective placement
• Avoid vague button text or no text at all
• Avoid too many calls to action for one page
•  Don’t forget to test the CTA button for (color, copy, size, and placement)

Pro tip: Get a CTA copy that appeals emotionally to the user.

8. Unattractive Website Color and Theme

Will you stay on a website that looks messy and unattractive? Definitely “NO,” and the same applies to your users. “First impression is the last impression” if your website is getting traffic but not able to hold visitors or struggles with low engagement, your site color theme could be a possible reason.

How to fix it:

• Color should emotionally connect with the visitor
• Understand color phycology based on geographical location 
• Website color should uplift your brand logo
• Consider gender while choosing a color for your website
• Follow the 60/30/10 rule to come up with the right color
• 60% dominant color, 30% secondary color, 10% accent color

Pro tip: Keep the theme elegant and straightforward as it enhances the aesthetics of the web design. 

9. Slow loading speed

40% of customers will abandon a page if it takes three or more seconds to load. If your site is getting low traffic, this could be a possible reason. Hit back to check your website loading speed; it might be affecting your online traffic and engagement rate.

How to fix it:

• Enable Caching
• Eliminate flash files
• Remove unnecessary heavy Plugins and Add-ons
• Optimize and compress images
• Minimize your code. 
• Use a content delivery network (CDN) for better loading of content.

Pro tip: Use a minimalistic design approach to leverage light design elements. You can take the help of professional web design services.

10. Lack of visual hierarchy

When was the last time you paid attention to your website’s visual hierarchy? 

Visual hierarchy plays a vital role in planning your information architecture to help your users navigate in an organized manner. A site with a poor visual hierarchy adds uneasiness and friction to the user experience. So if your site is facing this issue, it's recommended to fix it soon.

How to fix it:

• Consider reading patterns.
• Consider visitor behavior while designing elements.
• Use size, color, and contrast to draw the eye fast.
• Use optimum white space to create emphasis.
• Use Proximity and repetition to create unity.

Pro tip: Leverage color to draw attention and evoke emotion. 

11. Website Clutter

A cluttered website with excessive elements, too much text, and overwhelming visuals can confuse and frustrate visitors, leading to high bounce rates and reduced user engagement.

How to Fix It:

• Streamline the layout and eliminate unnecessary elements. Use white space strategically to create a clean and organized look.
• Highlight essential information and calls-to-action, ensuring they stand out. Remove or de-prioritize less critical content.
• Create an intuitive navigation menu with clear labels, helping users find what they need without confusion.
• Compress images to reduce load times and ensure they enhance the content rather than overpower it.
• Maintain a consistent visual style and color scheme throughout the website for a cohesive and professional appearance.

Pro Tip: Conduct user testing to gather feedback on the website's layout and design. Identify pain points and make data-driven decisions to declutter the website effectively.

12. Keyword Stuffing

Overloading website content with excessive keywords in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings can lead to a poor user experience and potential penalties from search engines.

How to Fix It:

• Instead of stuffing keywords, create high-quality, valuable content that addresses users' needs and intents naturally.
• Incorporate related terms and synonyms to make the content sound natural and relevant.
• Conduct proper keyword research to identify relevant and valuable keywords to target in your content.
• Use relevant keywords in page titles, meta descriptions, and headings, but avoid over-optimization.
• Prioritize creating content for your target audience, and ensure it reads naturally and engagingly.

Pro Tip: Utilize SEO tools and plugins that offer insights on keyword usage and provide suggestions for improving content optimization.

13. Including Important Information in Images and Not Optimizing On-Page Elements

Presenting crucial information within images can hinder accessibility and SEO, as search engines cannot interpret image content. Ignoring on-page elements like meta tags and headings can also impact search rankings.

How to Fix It:

• Include relevant text descriptions alongside important images to provide context and improve accessibility.
• Always use descriptive alt tags for images, allowing search engines to understand their content and improve accessibility for visually impaired users.
• Optimize title tags for each page with relevant keywords and a clear description of the page's content.
• Use hierarchical heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to organize content and signal the importance of different sections to search engines.
• Write compelling and concise meta descriptions for each page, summarizing its content and encouraging clicks in search results.

Pro Tip: Regularly audit the website's on-page elements to ensure they align with your SEO strategy and comply with accessibility guidelines.

14. Not Caring About Your Mobile Visitors

Neglecting mobile responsiveness can alienate a significant portion of your audience, as mobile users constitute a significant portion of internet traffic.

How to Fix It:

• Implement a responsive web design that adapts to various screen sizes and devices.
• Use tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test to identify and fix any mobile usability issues.
• Optimize images, CSS, and JavaScript to improve mobile page load times.
• Ensure buttons and other interactive elements are large enough and spaced appropriately for easy touch navigation.
• Regularly test the website on different smartphones and tablets to ensure a smooth user experience.

Pro Tip: Consider adopting a mobile-first approach when designing or redesigning your website to prioritize mobile users' needs.

15. No Social Integration

Failing to integrate social media links or handles on your website can limit your online visibility and hinder social engagement with your audience.

How to Fix It:

• Add recognizable social media icons that link to your official profiles in prominent locations, such as the header or footer.
• Incorporate social media share buttons on your blog posts, articles, or other shareable content to encourage visitors to share it with their networks.
• Embed social media feeds on your website to display real-time updates and foster engagement.
• Showcase social media testimonials or reviews to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
• Cross-promote your website content on social media platforms to drive traffic back to your website.

Pro Tip: Regularly update and maintain your social media profiles to keep them active and engaging for your audience. Encourage visitors to follow your social media accounts for updates and announcements.

16. An Elegant 404 Page

A generic or unhelpful 404 error page can frustrate users and make them abandon your website. A well-designed and user-friendly 404 page can turn a negative experience into a positive one, helping visitors find what they were looking for and encouraging them to stay on your site.

How to Fix It:

• Ensure the 404 page clearly communicates that the requested page couldn't be found and provides a friendly message.
• Include a search bar on the 404 page to allow users to search for the content they were looking for.
• Offer links to popular or relevant pages, helping users navigate to other parts of your website.
• Provide contact details or a link to customer support to assist users who need further assistance.
• Maintain the same design and branding elements on the 404 page as on the rest of your website for a cohesive experience.

Pro Tip: Monitor your website's 404 error logs to identify broken links or missing pages. Regularly update and redirect URLs to relevant pages to avoid frequent 404 errors.

17. Serving Irrelevant and Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

Overusing pop-up ads or displaying irrelevant ones can annoy visitors, disrupt their browsing experience, and lead to higher bounce rates. Balancing the use of pop-ups is crucial to maintain a positive user experience while still achieving your marketing goals.

How to Fix It:

• Display pop-up ads at appropriate times, such as when a user is about to exit the site or after they've engaged with some content.
• Ensure pop-up ads are relevant to the content or page the user is viewing, increasing the chances of engagement.
• Provide a clear and accessible option to close the pop-up without hassle.
• Limit the frequency of pop-up ads, so users aren't bombarded with multiple pop-ups during their visit.
• Experiment with different pop-up designs, timing, and content to find what works best for your audience.

Pro Tip: Implement a delayed pop-up strategy, showing the pop-up after the user has spent a specific amount of time on the page or scrolled through a certain portion of content.

18. Filling Up Your Webpage with Every Element Imaginable

Crowding your webpage with excessive elements, such as text, images, videos, and widgets, can overwhelm visitors and make it difficult for them to focus on essential content or calls-to-action.

How to Fix It:

• Identify the key elements you want visitors to focus on and make them stand out. Remove or minimize less crucial elements.
• Use whitespace strategically to create a clean and visually appealing layout, allowing content to breathe.
• Stick to a consistent design style and avoid using too many different fonts, colors, or styles.
• Organize content using a clear visual hierarchy, with headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make information easily scannable.
• Embrace a minimalist design philosophy, emphasizing simplicity and clarity.

Pro Tip: Consider conducting user testing to get feedback on your website's design and identify elements that may be distracting or unnecessary.

19. Stock Images That Are of Poor Quality, Irrelevant, or Look Unprofessional

The use of low-quality or irrelevant stock images can negatively impact your website's credibility and user trust. Authentic and high-quality visuals are essential to create a positive impression.

How to Fix It:

• Opt for real images of your products, team, or workplace, showing the human side of your business.
• Invest in high-resolution images that are sharp and visually appealing.
• Ensure images are directly related to the content and enhance the user's understanding or experience.
• Consider hiring a professional photographer to capture unique and tailored images for your website.
• Maintain a consistent visual style for images across your website, reinforcing your brand identity.

Pro Tip: If using stock images, select those that are unique, relatable, and free from clichés. Customize images with your brand's color scheme or add overlays to make them more personalized.

By addressing these critical website design mistakes, you can create a more user-friendly and visually appealing website that enhances user experience, keeps visitors engaged, and strengthens your brand's credibility and trustworthiness.

Get more web design and development insights, and a must-read difference between web design and development.

By now, you are well aware of the critical issues your website is facing and why is your conversion rate constantly declining. However, this is half the battle won; you need professional web designing services or an expert to fix these issues for your website and get your online presence scaled up.