Your First Website? Avoid These Costly Mistakes & Get It Right!
Building your first website can be an exciting milestone for your business. Whether you’re launching a new venture or taking your small business online for the first time, a professional website will be your most valuable tool for reaching new customers. However, creating a website can be tricky, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the process. There are several common website mistakes to avoid when building first website that can lead to poor performance, lost traffic, and costly fixes down the road.
1. Skipping Mobile Optimisation
One of the most crucial mistakes to avoid when building your first website is neglecting mobile optimisation. A significant portion of internet traffic now comes from mobile devices, meaning your website must be designed to function seamlessly across all screen sizes.
How to fix it: Ensure that your website is responsive, meaning it automatically adjusts to fit the size of the device it’s being viewed on. A responsive website design is essential not only for user experience but also for SEO. Google favours mobile-friendly websites, and failure to optimise your site could result in lower rankings, costing you valuable traffic.
2. Poor Navigation and User Experience
A confusing or cluttered website design can drive visitors away in seconds. Website mistakes that scare away customers typically stem from poor navigation, unclear calls-to-action, or overwhelming content. If users can’t easily find what they’re looking for, they’ll leave your site and probably never return.
How to fix it: When designing first website, focus on simplicity and ease of use. The layout should be intuitive, with a clear navigation bar that allows users to find important information quickly. A well-organised website will not only enhance user experience but also encourage visitors to engage with your content and explore further.
3. Ignoring SEO from the Start
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is vital to ensuring your website gets found on Google. Unfortunately, many first-time website owners make the mistake of ignoring SEO, assuming it’s something that can be dealt with later. This oversight can lead to website errors that hurt your business, as your site may not rank well, making it harder for potential customers to find you.
How to fix it: When building first website, make SEO a priority from day one. This includes optimising images, using relevant keywords in your content, and ensuring your website is easy for search engines to crawl. You should also focus on creating valuable content that answers your target audience’s questions. Hiring a website designers Southport can help ensure that SEO is properly integrated into your website’s design.
4. Failing to Include Key Features
Every business website needs certain essential features to function effectively. Some common first business website tips include including a contact form, clear product/service descriptions, and an about page. Forgetting these can hurt your site’s performance and make it harder to engage with potential customers.
How to fix it: Make sure your website includes all the necessary features. Some of the key features for your first website include:
- Clear navigation and calls-to-action
- About page to introduce your business
- Contact form or contact details for easy communication
- Product/service pages with clear descriptions and pricing
- Blog or resources for ongoing content
5. Overcomplicating the Design
It’s tempting to fill your website with flashy animations, pop-ups, and all sorts of design features. However, this can overwhelm visitors and harm the user experience. In fact, web design mistakes that ruin SEO often stem from poor design choices, such as slow-loading pages or unnecessary features that distract from your website’s main goals.
How to fix it: Keep your website simple and focused on your business goals. Clean, professional design works best. Use plenty of white space, avoid cluttered layouts, and focus on the most important elements of your website. A minimalist design will not only help visitors navigate your site more easily but will also boost your site’s performance.
6. Not Testing the Website Before Launch
One of the most overlooked aspects of creating your first website is testing. You should never launch a website without thoroughly testing it first. Many websites have bugs, broken links, or issues that are only noticed once the site is live. These website mistakes that cost businesses money can lead to frustrated customers and lost revenue.
How to fix it: Test your website on different devices, browsers, and screen sizes before launching. Make sure everything works properly links, buttons, forms, and images. Testing is an essential step in the process that can save you from having to deal with major issues later.
7. Overlooking Website Speed
A slow website is one of the biggest website mistakes new businesses make. If your website takes too long to load, visitors will leave before they even get a chance to explore your content. This can lead to high bounce rates and poor SEO rankings, both of which negatively impact your site’s performance.
How to fix it: Optimise your website’s speed by compressing images, minimising the use of heavy scripts, and choosing a reliable web hosting provider. You can also use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to measure and improve your site’s speed.
Conclusion
Building first website is an exciting step, but it’s important to avoid the first-time website design mistakes that can hinder your business growth. By focusing on key elements such as mobile optimisation, SEO, simplicity, and user experience, you’ll set your website up for success from the start.
If you want to avoid costly web design errors and ensure your website works for your business, consider working with a professional. MPA Digital offers affordable website design for startups and can help you create a website that not only looks great but also drives results. Visit mpadigital.co.uk to learn more and start building your first website the right way!