If you run a small business in Edmonton or anywhere in the world for that matter, you may be making a few of these common web design mistakes. Read on, and see how you can avoid these problems – and make sure that your website looks great, and helps you bring in more customers.
1. Not Paying Attention To Your Website As Part Of Your Operations
Websites are not “set and forget.” Even if you invest in a high-quality website, you’ll need to make website maintenance part of your regular operations, to make sure you’re providing updated, correct information – and that your website is clear, accurate, and easy to understand.
If you run a website for a restaurant, for example, and the latest menu is a year old, there haven’t been any blog posts for 6 months, and your address is wrong because you moved to a new location, these are all serious problems. You need to make maintaining and updating your website a priority.
2. Making Your Contact Information Hard To Find
Most of the time, customers are coming to your website because they want to make use of your services – or find your restaurant or store. Because of this, you need to make it as easy as possible to find your contact information.
Display information like your phone number and business address on your homepage, make sure you have a dedicated “contact” section, and make sure that it’s as easy as possible for potential customers to find your business. If a website visitor can’t find what they’re looking for in a few seconds, chances are they’ll leave – and they may not come back.
3. Using An Outdated Theme Or Design
If you haven’t updated your website in a few years, you may be using themes with things like GIFs, flashing images, unsightly stock photos, and other such outdated design elements.
Over time, the expectations we have for web design change. To make sure you bring in the most possible customers, you need to make sure that your website is up-to-date – and meets a customer’s expectations for a modern, easy-to-browse, professional design.
4. Unclear (Or Missing) Calls-To-Action (CTAs)
A Call-To-Action (CTA) is a design element that asks a user to do something, such as:
Call today for an appointment!
Shop right away!Get a free consultation now!
Get directions to our store!
View our menu now!
By using strong CTAs, you can make it easy for potential leads to get in touch with your business, get directions, and take other such actions to convert them into paying customers. But if you don’t use CTAs, it may be difficult for visitors to understand how to learn more, and begin doing business with your company.
5. Hidden Navigation Menus
This is a relatively recent trend, partially because of the rise in mobile website browsing. While a hidden navigation menu is okay for a mobile website, you should not hide your navigation menu on a desktop website. Customers may be confused about where to click to open up the menu – and then they may become frustrated and leave your website.
Avoid These Mistakes – Build A Better Small Business Website!
If you can avoid these common mistakes, you’re already on track, and your website is ahead of the competition. But if you want to learn more and make sure your website is optimized, contact me right away! As an experienced web designer in Edmonton, I can take your designs to the next level, and ensure your small business website looks its best.