Mistakes to avoid while web designing

Till date, we have had many articles ranging from the best ways to design a website to website checklist, including guidelines on how tro design a good website. We have also discussed the guidelines provided by google for web designing. Now, let's take a path crossed not so often. Let us see what mistakes the web designers usually make and the mistakes that should be avoided while web designing.

1. Unplanned website
A mistake in the foundation, and the structure you build on it is bound to fall. Planning your website is the most important factor in the success of your website. If you ignore this, your website is going to fail. Even before you have your website, you should have clear idea on the focus of the webiste. Why do you need a website ? Your plans , your goals ? Think over the information that you want to provide, also give a thought to what pages would you like to have on your website. In short, get clear with the idea about the purpose and focus of your web design.

2. No contact information or concealing contact information.
Why do people visit your website --- for information ! and eventually contact you if they are interested in your products. But if you do not provide any contact information or conceal the correct information, you are making the prospective customer frustrated. Have a contact us page on your website displayed prominently, provide all the relevant and correct contact information. Better, provide them with a link to your email on each page in the footer. While forms do look pretty and professional, they irritate the customer. If possible, do not use forms.

3. Dead links or broken links.
People come to your site for information about your company, products or services. But what if, you do not provide the information. You lose them ! Imagine, going to a multiplex to catch the latest movie and being told that movie print has not yet been delivered ? Same happens when, there is a dead link or a broken link on your website. If you are luring people to your website with information, than make sure that you do provide what they want.

4. Old or Outdated Information
How much shall we stress the importance of this point. Well, at the risk of sounding repititive let me tell that people come to your site for information, but if you provide old, stale or outdated information than you had it. People are always looking the information that is new and fresh. Make sure that you provide the latest information --- this will earn credibility for your website.

5. No Uniformity
I wonder why people always like to use as many fonts and colors in a single website. This is not the coloring book of a child, or you are not out creating a rainbow. Make sure that there is uniformity in your web design. Recently I was reviewing a website and I was horrified to see that it was made in 7 different fonts and as many colors. Induce uniformity in fonts, font size and colors. It's not to say that you should not use different colors, but keep it uniformed.

6. No Heirarchy - No Sitemap
Each and every web design should follow a structure, it is like every tree has a stem, a bark, branches, flowers & fruits. Web site designing should follow the same, every website should have its home page and every major page should be linked from the home page. Every page should be linked from atleast one other page. In short, every page should have a parent page linking to it. Create a sitemap which will show the structure of your website, so that it becomes easier for the visitors to surf your website.

7. Using Frames
Stop using frames. They are out. Period !

8. Blocking visitors mobility.
There are many web designers who like to show off their newly acquired skills, by using small codes, which are available freely, on your website. Like disabling the BACK button, or opening too many pop up windows, or disabling the right click button. Beware, this might be disastrous for your website. Do not block the mobility of website visitors, let them do what they want to and eventualyy you will see that they like your website or atleast they will hold it in good stead.

9. Slow website - Slow downloading.
If in an attempt to dazzle your web visitor you make use of excessive flash and graphic effects, than most probably the size of the web page will increase many folds, and the web visitor does not like waiting for it get displayed. Make sure that you make minimum use of graphics & flash, and use more of text instead which will enable your web page to load faster and the web viistor will be intrigued and attached to your website if it loads at a faster rate. Also consider that web page loading time is dependent on your web host. Rely on a good web hosting company to provide you with the best web hosting plans.

10. Plugins and font downloads.
You may be excited to use the latest cutting edge technology on your web design. But beware, before you do so. Since the latest cutting edge technology might need some plugins to be dispolayed correctly which you might have on your computer but the chances are that the potential customer visiting your website might not have the plug ins. Asking the web visitors to download something to view your website is incredulously stupid. No one has the time for that. So keept it simple !

If you avoid the above mistakes, rest be assured your website is in the right direction of being a successful website. Web Design Temple, designs state of the art websites. Creative and visually appealing websites are our forte.

<---- Back