Feel like your online shop isn’t working as effectively as it should? When it comes to your website, there are mistakes that are easy to make and overlook. Let’s take a look at a handful of website missteps you should avoid!
Common website mistakes can hinder user experience, impact search engine optimization (SEO), and affect overall performance. When it comes to your website, avoid making the following mistakes:
Slow Loading Speeds
For quality user experience, fast loading times it key. If a user arrives at your site and cannot quickly navigate through your offerings and pages, they may decide to leave, leading to high bounce rates. When it comes to the performance of your website, you should be checking on its speed routinely.This includes checking your site’s performance on different devices as well. Your site may work fine on desktop, for example, but may chug on mobile.
Poor Content structure
How you structure your content matters. Disorganized content, too much content, or too little content can all cause readers to stop reading your content. Make sure to balance your content as much as you can. For example, when it comes to long form text, break up the text into paragraphs, add in some images, and bold important sentences. You want your content to be easy to consume for all readers. Another thing to keep in mind is using your headers correctly, such as your H1 tags and so forth. This not only helps readers understand the flow of content, but also helps search engines as well.
Neglecting Regular Updates
There are a variety of pieces that keep your site running. Your plugins, servers, applications, and so forth all need updated occasionally to continue to function. Not updating crucial parts of your site can lead to broken features, slower loading times, or worse: security risks or an unreachable site. Even your content can become outdated, causing customers confusion and frustration. Keep a list of all your website’s software, plugins, and content so you can keep them up to date!
No Call-to-Actions
Call-to-Actions (CTAs) are a must when you want your customers to progress through your site and funnels. Without CTAs, customers may not know what they should do next. Every page on your website should have a clear purpose and a corresponding CTA. Use your CTA to guide the user into what you want them to do next, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or subscribing. Whether it’s a button or a hyperlink, state clearly what you want the user to do. For example, you could say “subscribe to our newsletter” or “read our blog.”
Inconsistent Branding
Many of us juggle our websites, social media accounts, emails, and so forth to keep customers in our circles. Each of these different platforms represent your business, so it is very important that they all properly illustrate your brand. All parts of your business should have a consistent branding incorporated into them. Consistent branding builds trust and recognition. Ensure that your things like your logo, colors, and messaging are consistent across all pages and platforms.
Want to learn more?
Listen to our latest eCommerce Made Easy Podcast where Carrie shares the most common website mistakes she has seen in her 20+ years of eCommerce experience!
