Mistakes to avoid when building a website
Classic mistakes to avoid when building a website
A website that is distinct and compelling is no longer an option.
Businesses that have a poor website will lose consumers, which means money will be lost out the door. Unfortunately, this occurs on a disturbingly regular basis in our society.
In order to save money and have greater control over the project, many small business owners choose to create their own websites.
Unfortunately, they don’t always grasp the fundamentals of effective web design, which results in a website that is less than ideal in its execution and functionality.
Listed below some of the Website Blunders to avoid
1. Not Checking Auto-renew Option your domain registration
Whether you are getting your domain name from Godaddy or siteground make sure you have checked the Auto-Renew option.
I had a client once that failed to have their domain set to auto-renew.
Their domain was a 4 letter highly valuable domain name. And they ended up having to buy it back from a poacher for over 5 figures. OoopSyyy …
Pro-tip.
Even better than auto-renewing your domain is to pre-purchase the registration for 10 years in advance. There is evidence that this slightly helps with your SEO ranking on Google.
2. Not having a Regular website backup
Data loss should be avoided at all costs.
That means you’ll need a complete backup of your website, as well as a backup of your personal information.
Furthermore, data loss can occur even when no human error is present. Even if you and your team know what you’re doing, getting backups is necessary.
3.Not Checking for any Broken Links
If you’re getting your site redesigned, one of the most important things is to not mess up your existing SEO (search engine optimisation).
This is done primarily by not breaking any links on your site.
Meaning, you either want to keep your URL structure the same as much as possible. Or you want to set up redirects from the old URLs to the new ones.
ProTip:
Are you keen to know if you currently have any broken links on your site?
You can use a third-party tool like this one to see if you any broken links: https://www.
4. Not Submitting website sitemap to Google Search console.
Submitting your sitemap to Google Search console allows Google bot to crawl and index your site more effectively by giving them a full list of your siteâs pages.
Before you submit your sitemap to Search Console, you will need to generate your sitemap file and upload it to the root of your site, most commonly under the path: /sitemap.xml.( For both pages and Blog posts) .
Pro tip:
The Sitemap generation can be done using any SEO Plugins like Rankmath or Yoast SEO if your using wordPress CMS to Build your website.
5.Not Unchecking the de-index box in WordPress
Developing a new WordPress website is usually done in a ‘test’ setting.
This is done so that you can preview the ‘latest’ website before it goes ‘online.’
By default, WordPress marks the latest test site as de-indexed by Google, ensuring that it is not indexed on the internet while you are still developing the website.
So make sure, you Uncheck the No Index Check box before going live .
6. Too many major change at a time
Some Businesses want to update their company’s name, website URL, and website design all on the same day. It is not something I would suggest.
Especially if you don’t want your Google rankings to suffer.
If you know you’ll be changing your domain name, do so at least a month before or after you launch your new site. This gives Google enough time to notice the shift and make the necessary changes.
When you make a lot of changes at once and something goes wrong, it’s hard to figure out what went wrong and repair it.
7.Not getting rid of duplicate content
Often review a writer’s work on Copyscape before taking their work in your website.
This will inform you if any of the material is duplicated elsewhere on the internet.
Duplicate content is frowned upon by Google, and if you use it, your search results will suffer.
You can also use “Copyscape” to see if someone else is using your material on their website.
8.Not getting your site SSL and HTTPS Secure
If the URL starts with âhttpsâ rather than âhttp,â the site is protected by an SSL certificate. A padlock icon in a web browser often means that a site uses an SSL certificate to provide a stable link.
It’s Vital to ensure that every website that handles any kind of information must be SSL Certified.
WebSites that don’t follow these guidelines are vulnerable to hackers and identity thieves, and Google can even warn users that your website fraudulent.
9.A Horrible Call to Action
Your call to action (CTA) is the entrance to your company. It directs your visitors to do something, such as: Please click here! Get a discount coupon! Learn more about this product by visiting its website.
It goes without saying that it is critical that your call to action (CTA) effectively communicates what visitors are expected to accomplish.
Visitors should be provided with sufficient information so that they understand what they will get from taking action and what information they will be required to supply.
When it comes to being helpful, there is a small line between being useful and being irritating. Make sure your call-to-action is succinct and clearly communicates what you want customers to do.
Try to limit the amount of form-filling they have to do, and allow them a few minutes on your website before displaying the call to action.
10. Lack of contact information.
Another typical blunder is the absence of contact information, which is strangely enough.
It is critical for visitors to determine whether or not to make a purchase or use your services at that point. It is critical that they have the necessary contact information as soon as they determine that your organisation is the right fit for their needs.
Having to browse through your website for contact information will most likely result in a visitor being dissatisfied and leaving.
Your âContact Usâ page should always be accessible with a single click, or your contact information should be located at the bottom of every page on your website.
11. Images that are unsightly or irrelevant
Additionally, photographs and graphics are utilised in website development. Images may express complicated ideas quickly and efficiently without the need to physically read text.
Having said that, many firms employ photos that are either irrelevant or of poor quality for no apparent reason.
Images that are not of the finest quality will detract from the appearance of your website and turn visitors away.
In the same way, using unrelated graphics will only confuse your readers and cause them to question what you are attempting to communicate.
12.Advertisements in all of the wrong places
Advertising is a necessary evil in the world of web design – especially on blogs, where it is considered to be one of the primary sources of cash.
However, too many advertisements, as well as advertisements that are too loud and bright, will frustrate your visitors and cause you to lose revenue.
Examine your advertisements with a critical eye; if they irritate you in the least, it is likely that they will do the same to your visitors.
Pay close attention to pop-up windows. While they’re making a comeback, make sure they’re easy to close and aren’t taking up the entire screen.
13.Inadequate Content and Whitespace Utilization
Your website’s and marketing campaign’s content is critical.
The content of your website is what informs users about your business and the products or services that you offer. Pay close attention to the fonts you use and the layout of the text on the page.
Along with the actual words you write, the typeface transmits your brand image, so choose a legible and attractive font.
Utilize white space effectively to guide the viewer’s attention throughout your site and to make massive blocks of content less frightening.
Many people make the grave error of including an excessive amount of text on their websites.
Wherever feasible, break up language and utilise visual components to illustrate topics. Content should be updated on a regular basis; otherwise, clients may believe you’ve gone out of business.
14. Site Navigation is Hidden
Issues with navigation will quickly erode your website’s popularity. We live in an age when everything is instantaneous, and anything longer will cause visitors to abandon your site.
Making your navigation menu difficult to locate is a common web design error.
Have you ever visited a website and been unable to locate the menu or search bar?
It’s vexing. Ascertain that your website’s navigational elements are simple to comprehend and even easier to notice.
Wrapping up!
That’s what there is to it. Some common mistakes to avoid while working on your current or next website project.
Please let me know if there is anything I’m missing, and I’ll add it to a future list.
