Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Websites

Thinking about how to design a website? Design and content have to work together for the creation of a harmonious whole. These two elements are equally important and they have the power to increase your website’s popularity.

Most people who design their websites commit the same basic mistakes. When you start planning how to make your own website, try to avoid the following major shortcomings.

Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Websites

Poor Navigation

Special emphasis has to be placed on the navigation of a website. Poor navigation will ruin the entire project. The menu is what helps website visitors explore all of the pages. It has to be descriptive, logical and functional. A very small menu will interfere with usability and a highly descriptive one will overwhelm the visitor. Finding the balance is a delicate but essential task.

Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Websites

The Selection of the Wrong Fonts

Reading text on a screen is very different from reading a printed page. The eye gets tired easily. Fonts are of utmost importance. When designing a website, choose the font that will enhance readability. Highly decorative fonts are inappropriate for the web. Sans serif letters tend to be easiest to read. The color of the text is just as important.

Text that is Difficult to Scan

One of the most common mistakes involves the structure of the content. The best websites are very easy to scan. The key elements are highlighted, letting the reader know what the article is all about. When designing the pages, think about the text. Always use subheadings and bulleted lists. Pull-out quotes are another great way to point out the important parts of the text.

Too Many Ads

Websites need advertising in order to make some profit. When designing a website, you will probably feel tempted to include many ad spots on a page. This is another major mistake that you should try avoiding. Having fewer, more expensive ad spots is a better option. You will otherwise annoy and alienate the website visitors. Think about alternative marketing methods. You can offer paid articles, text ads and other less obtrusive promotional opportunities that are less aggressive than banner spots.

The web design you create or choose has to be functional and thematic. Think about structure and logical flow of information. Many designers and website owners commit some common mistakes. Careful preliminary planning and the selection of professional opportunities will minimize the danger. You know what the basic mistakes are. Use the information to pick the elements that work and to avoid the ones that will diminish the user-friendliness of the website.