Having a website is essential for your business — but your website needs to be one that inspired consumers to have confidence in your brand. And as any web design and SEO company knows, that means you need to keep up with the times.
Whether your website was built more than five years ago or you’re determined to handle web design services on your own, it’s possible that your web design could actually be scaring customers away. While custom website designers will usually know what to avoid, you might unknowingly have some outdated features on your website that could be hurting your reputation. If you’re seeking the high level of web design Clearwater businesses need to succeed, make sure to take note of these three features that should never appear on your site — and remove them as quickly as possible.
Auto-Play Video or Audio
You might think that setting up a video or audio file to auto-play will grab the attention of web visitors, but it almost always has the opposite effect. Anyone who’s ever opened a page with auto-play ads knows how annoying (and even startling) this experience can be. By setting up auto-play, you’re essentially removing the visitor’s choice — and most people don’t respond well to that. In fact, it might make them leave your site immediately. This doesn’t mean you have to eliminate video media from your site, of course. But let visitors decide whether they want to play the content on their own. That way, they’ll be more likely to appreciate what you have to share, rather than be flustered by it.
Overly Complicated Navigation Menus
Website navigation should be simple and straightforward. While most people are now accustomed to using drop-down menus, you should take care to streamline any of these navigation features to ensure it takes only a couple of clicks for someone to find what they’re looking for. Having a seemingly endless menu of subpages will make for a confusing experience. Aim to have your menu items displayed in a clear way without needing to hover or require a bunch of extra clicks. What’s more, every aspect of your site navigation should be easy to understand; if there’s redundancy or a lack of clarity, get in touch with custom website designers to overhaul this aspect of your site.
Generic Stock Photos
Images and other visual media are a necessity for good website design. But you need your site to stand out, rather than blend into the background. Visual appeal matters for many customers, so you should put the effort into securing spectacular images. This may require more than a standard stock image site subscription. If others in your industry are using the same images, your brand is going to seem rather generic. Whether you work with a local photographer, use stock images from a lesser-known provider, or hire a graphic designer to create one-of-a-kind images, make a choice that will support your brand marketing and that will allow your site to feel more unique and authoritative.
In order to convince prospective customers to buy products or services from you, it’s essential to have a knock-out website. And since holiday sales make up nearly 30% of a given business’s sales for the entire year, there’s no better time to hire custom website designers to give your site a facelift. Whether you currently have the features mentioned above on your site or you simply think you’re overdue for a new design, you can achieve the custom built website that reflects your brand and that welcomes customers with open arms. To learn more about how our custom website designers can take your business to the next level, please contact Studio98 today.