Top 7 Mistakes

Made on Websites

Through our experience with our clients and in this industry, the RedTree team has noticed a lot of common mistakes made on websites. Luckily for you, we were paying attention to the patterns and compiled them here for you. Here are the Top 7 Mistakes on a Website.

1. Outdated Design

The design of your site says a lot about your business. The more outdated the design, the more outdated your visitors will think your company is. Avoid large chunks of text with no visuals. Humans are visual beings – so use some good ones! Your website is not a stagnant fixture, make sure you update it frequently!

COMMONLY OUTDATED ELEMENTS:
  • Gradients
  • Side Bars
  • Heavy Navigations
  • Box Designs

2. Overlooking Tech Standards

The standards of what constitutes a good site change often, but that doesn’t make them any less important. We see a lot of clients that fall behind in their research and education in tech. The nature of the field is that ongoing research and education are a must.

STANDARDS YOUR SITE SHOULD HAVE:
  • Mobile Functions
  • SSL Certified
  • Fast Load Speed
  • ADA Compliance

3. Too Much Content

Many sites try to be every part of the sales process. They are filled with little details about what their business provides. With all this content, your site visitors get overwhelmed and stop reading. Alternately, too little content leaves visitors with more questions than answers. Knowing your content strategy ahead of time helps tell a sync story.

CREATE CONTENT THAT IS:
  • Concise
  • Engaging
  • To the Point
  • Encompasses your Services

4. Not Speaking To Your Audience

Not speaking to your audience is another frequent problem and missing the mark can be damaging. Highlight what your company or product does for the customer and say it in clearly defined terms that they understand. How do you know what your customers understand and want? Talk to them! Ask for feedback and what needs your company met.

Read more here

SPEAK TO YOUR AUDIENCE:
  • Define Terms
  • Be Customer Focused
  • Don’t Be Too Technical

5. Not Using Your Data

There are many different services you can implement to track and analyze your site and the content on it. Implementing these services is easy and can be incredibly helpful. Make sure you set up some form of analytics and use it to make decisions about your site. These services can also help you use keywords people search for to help people find your site more easily.

USEFUL SERVICES:
  • Google Search Console
  • Google Analytics
  • A Keyword Search Tool

6. Picking The Wrong Platform

Another common problem we have noticed in the industry is businesses building their sites in the wrong platform. There are many different options available; WordPress, Shopify, and Squarespace to name a few. Each platform is optimized for certain features. Knowing what your company’s present and future goals are is essential to choose the right platform.

Read more here

WHAT TO CONSIDER:
  • Your Present Needs
  • Your Future Needs
  • Ways it Can Help You Grow

7. Poor User Experience

A poor user experience can be classified as a lot of things; most broadly, it is a site with an inconsistent and confusing web presence. It is difficult for the customer to find something or there is a bad flow. A poor user experience causes your customers to lose trust in your brand. Evaluate your user experience to help improve your customer’s journey through your site.

SIGNS OF POOR UX:
  • No Clear Call to Action
  • Confusing User Flow
  • Inconsistent with Branding
  • Confusing Site Architecture

At RedTree we have dealt with these problems and more, in-depth. We have become experts in how to fix them. Need help eliminating these from your site? Contact RedTree and don’t branch out alone!