Entrepreneurs the world over constantly find themselves looking for a way to conserve their budget. Often, this leads small business owners to take matters into their own hands any way they can—especially when it comes to website design.
Some reason that later down the line when their business is off the ground, they can hire a designer to refresh their online presence. However, what they fail to realize is that web design can dramatically increase brand awareness right from the get-go, contributing to a stronger business foundation. In fact, failing to follow a professional design process leads to mistakes. Mistakes you can’t afford to make. Consider the top 10 mistakes that make your website look unprofessional with a DIY design.
1. Relying on a Basic Design
One of the biggest mistakes made by new companies is using a default website design. Think about it—if you’re using a bootstrap design to save cash, wouldn’t other businesses do the same? To stand out from the competition you have to use a unique design, not copied graphics and formatting. Your business is original, shouldn’t your website design be?
2. Typography Issues
Text looks far different on page. Too little contrast between headlines and body text can confuse readers and come across amateurish. Use bold where applicable to guide readers to the next point with ease.
3. Dark Colored Backgrounds
Dark colored or black backgrounds never look good with the exception of when a professional designs them. Most designers use white or a light gray for their background with black text to contrast. This improves readability and is easier on the eyes.
4. More than One CTA
More than one call to action (CTA) on your website will distract from your message and confuse your readers. Instead of using several CTA’s, place one clearly defined by an icon or button for the greatest effect.
5. Spacing Issues
Striking the right balance of white space and text can be difficult. A couple of rules to keep in mind to avoid making spacing mistakes include grouping your images together properly and leaving a proper amount of space around them for a better effect.
6. Poorly Written Copy
Nothing detracts from your branding quite like poorly written copy. Have someone at the very least proofread your content before you finalize your website.
7. Design that Makes it Impossible to Read
If your text is bunched together or too small to be easily read, then your message will be lost. A lack of contrast between the background and text can frustrate readers. Readability issues are a huge no-no for any professional business website. Avoid them at all costs!
8. Unpredictable Branding
Consistency is key in branding. Customers should easily recognize your brand when they stumble across your website or social media pages. From your logo colors to your sales copy, everything should blend easily.
9. Going Off Trend
Heavy web design will inevitably feel outdated for individuals viewing your website. Although originality is important, staying up-to-date with the latest design trends is equally as important. Unless you’re a seasoned web designer, stick to clean lines and trendy designs.
10. Failure to Use Templates Properly
Bootstrap startups frequently use templates for their design. Some common problems with doing this include inconsistent branding. Logo colors don’t fit template colors or the overall design doesn’t blend together. Avoid this by hiring a designer to customize the template according to your brand.
For an affordable and high quality website design, avoid the mistakes mentioned here.