Before making any further argument, we can confidently state that web design is an essential aspect of any online business or website. It is the first thing that visitors will notice when they land on your website, and it can make or break their experience. However, many web designers make SEO-damaging errors during the website design, leading to poor search engine rankings and less traffic. Therefore, in this blog post, we will point out some common web design mistakes that can hurt SEO and how to avoid them.
Poor navigation
One of the most common web design mistakes we encounter out there is poor navigation. Navigation is one of the most important elements of web design, and it plays a crucial role in helping visitors find what they are looking for. Poor navigation can make it difficult for visitors to find the content they are looking for, and it can also make it difficult for search engines to crawl a website. To avoid this mistake, make sure that your navigation is clear, intuitive, and easy to use.
Unsatisfying UX
Among web design mistakes, a more common one is a sub-par user experience. User experience (UX) is the overall feeling that a visitor has when interacting with your website. It needs to be friendly, intuitive, and, above everything else, it needs to look like something that the majority of people are already used to. A poor user experience can lead to high bounce rates, which can negatively impact your search engine rankings.
To avoid this mistake, make sure that your website is easy to use, visually appealing, and provides value to your visitors. Feel free to draw inspiration from websites you find intuitive and easy to use. Sometimes you just don’t have to invent hot water but implement what was already established.
Since you want to help you advance, Captain has already written about UX/UI in the article listed just below this line.
7 Awesome UI Design Trends for a More User-Friendly Experience
Unfriendly mobile design
Furthermore, not having a responsive design for your website can be an SEO killer. Responsive design is a technique that allows a website to adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. With the increasing use of mobile devices to access the internet (more than 50%), it is essential that your website is mobile-friendly. This can not only improve user experience but also improve your search engine rankings.
Therefore, take your time when you are doing mobile design. Test your finished product on as many mobile screen sizes as you have available and do not hesitate to change the composition for each of them. All that work you put into the website is definitely going to pay off in the long run.
Slow loading websites
Frequent among web design mistakes are slow website loading speeds. As one of the most important aspects of web design, it can greatly impact the user experience. A slow-loading website can lead to high bounce rates, which can negatively impact your search engine rankings. Therefore, make sure that your website is optimized for speed and that it loads quickly on all devices. Avoid using too many plugins when working in WordPress and use only those that don’t suck the life out of your website just for a few more unnecessary features.
Another thing you can do to speed up your website is to optimize images. Although they can be a great addition to your website, large images can also slow down your website if they are just placed there without further consideration. We always recommend resizing images to the exact dimensions needed. Additionally, you can always convert your images from heavier JPEG or PNG formats into a much lighter WEBP and save more than 50% of the precious space (and resources).
You can read more about how to make your website load faster in Captain’s blog post quoted below.
Designing Fast Loading Websites: Tips And Tricks To Remember
What about a clear call to action?
Lastly, not having a clear call to action is among web design mistakes that can simply destroy what you worked so hard on by following all the steps listed above. A call to action (CTA) is a button or link that encourages visitors to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. A clear CTA can increase conversions and improve search engine rankings.
Make sure that your CTAs are prominently displayed and that they are clear and easy to understand. It is always advisable to make them stand out by using a highlight color from the chosen design palette, making them grow on hover, or even adding a nice entrance animation to your CTAs to immediately draw visitors’ attention.
Web design might look like a simple choice of colors and elements. However, it is a crucial aspect of any online business or website as it can be easy to make web design mistakes that hurt your SEO. The key to avoiding these web design mistakes is to have a clear understanding of what makes a website effective and user-friendly. However, it’s important to note that creating a website that is both visually appealing and optimized for search engines can be a complex task.
It may be beneficial to hire a professional designer who has the experience and expertise to create something that’s beautiful, functional, and quick to load. By hiring a top-notch designer, you ensure that your website is designed with both aesthetics and SEO in mind, ultimately driving more traffic and conversions to your website.
