Here are 5 big mistakes I see on websites, and how to fix them. Everything you do while creating your website can either help to gain the trust of your viewers or lose it.
Studies have shown that it only takes 7 seconds to make a first impression. This means that you only have a moment to make a promising first impression.
We make split-second decisions about products and brands every day based solely on their designs. Then once we are engaged, we look further at messaging. This means that having strong visuals is key in grabbing your audience’s attention.
How to fix this: Make sure you don’t fall victim to these website mistakes and make sure your website looks professional. Use high-quality images. Pick two fonts and stick to them. Use 5-7 colors and use them consistently. Need help with picking out colors? Download my free resource on designer approved fonts and color palettes for you to steal!
Leaving out your mission statement leaves your audience confused about what you do, who you do it for, and what problem you can solve for them. When we only have 7 seconds to keep our audience around it’s important to not leave this out.
Make sure your mission statement is at the top of your website before they begin to scroll down, or in techy terms “above the fold”.
How to fix this: If you don’t have a mission statement, take a moment to sit down and brainstorm what you do, who you do it for, and what problem you solve them. Put it together into a short descriptive paragraph at the very top of your website.
Many websites fail to leave out a clear call-to-action (CTA) or a “next step” That you would like your reader to take. When a reader makes it to the end of the website page and is met with a dead-end they will most likely be left confused about what to do next or click out of the page altogether, leaving this as one of the biggest website mistakes to avoid.
By having a clear call-to-action you can guide your reader on a journey through your website so that they get to know you and your products or services and ultimately book or buy from you!
How to fix this: Try to stick to just one or two actions per page. I like to have one primary goal (usually to have someone to book or buy from me) and then one secondary goal, what I want them to do if they aren’t quite ready to make that commitment (this could be reading another blog post or subscribing to an email list).
Having just one to two options creates clear communication and prevents your audience from freezing up. Too many options will overwhelm your audience.
So often I’ll land on a website and search around forever trying to find out where the person is located to never find my answer.
If you are a location-specific service provider like a photographer, it’s so important to have your location not only on your website but easy to find. This is especially important for SEO so people in your area can find you!
How to fix this: Add your location to either above the fold, the footer of your website, or on the contact page. Bonus points if you add it to all three places or add your location to your headings. Tip: If you are a brick and mortar shop, link your location to Google Maps so your website user can quickly get directions to your location.
Is your website secure? To find out, take a peek at your URL. If it begins with “http://” it is not a secure site. You will know if your website is secure it begins with “https://” or has a small lock icon in the top left hand next to your domain. While this point is not quite as fun as the others, it is still an important website mistake to avoid.
If your website is taking personal information from your users such as your viewer’s name, email from email subscribers or if your website has a contact form your website must be secure.
If your site is not secure Google chrome will inform your viewers as soon as they get to your website, which will create a feeling of doubt and mistrust right away and will more than likely leave a bad first impression.
How to fix this: To make sure your site is secure you will want to ask your website’s host provider for an SSL certificate. One thing I love about hosting my site with Showit is that they will automatically generate an SSL certificate for your website so you never have to worry about it or figure out the scary tech stuff on your own. Want to learn more about why I switched to Showit? Read this blog post.