8 WAYS YOUR WEB DESIGN CAN HURT YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS
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Using a splash page
Splash pages have no value in today’s online world. They just run up your website’s bounce rate because users can’t immediately find what they’re looking for, so they leave.
Instead of using a splash page, your website should have a standard home page. If you want to communicate a message or trigger an interaction, then use a modal or popup window. Using a standard home page also helps with SEO.
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Having an inconsistent style
If your site has a dissonant colour palette, does not follow typographical best practices ([regarding] kerning, leading, tracking, etc.) or uses inconsistent typography [multiple fonts and font sizes], it will not project professionalism to your audience and it will likely turn off prospective customers. Avoid style conflicts and create a consistent look for your web or ecommerce site.
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Confusing navigation
Don’t make it hard for visitors to navigate your site and find what they are looking for quickly (in just a click or two). Keep navigation simple by using a horizontal menu with short descriptive labels (typically no more than seven items) across the top of each page, with one level of dropdown menus. Also, be sure to include a search box at the top of each page, either in the upper-left or upper-right corner.
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Not making your logo clickable/go to the home page
36 percent of visitors will click your company logo to reach the home page, but if the logo isn’t clickable, they may think the site is broken and leave.
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Using too many (big) images (or animations or videos)
Images, animations and videos are weighty, and too many on a web page can significantly slow down your site. A recent Adobe study found that 39 percent of people will stop engaging with a website if the images take too long to load.
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Not embracing white space
By using white space, your content can deliver a greater impact to the reader. Sites that are full of text and graphics can be distracting and thus the reader retains very little information. That’s the opposite of your website’s purpose. Instead use discretion and include more white space.
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Overusing interstitials
Interstitials are web pages displayed before or after an expected content page. Not only are interstitials unbelievably annoying, but Google recently announced a penalty for overly intrusive interstitials. Legal disclaimers will still be allowed, of course, but sites trying to get your email address before allowing you to read a blog post [or whatever content you were searching for] may start to see a drop in their rankings, and an increase in their bounce rate.
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Not making your site mobile friendly
In 2015, mobile users surpassed desktop users and Google told us that they are giving higher priority to websites that have some type of mobile experience. Everyone must have a responsive website in 2018, and trying to pass off your desktop site to mobile users is the biggest no-no. Not only will this make you look bad to visitors but search engines will also penalise your site.