“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” – Will Rogers (American Stage and Film Actor)

Since it’s impossible for you to be everywhere, it’s essential that your able to control the conversation and narrative around your business or brand and your website gives you the opportunity to do exactly that. To ensure you are putting your best foot forward, avoid these top five mistakes businesses often make when launching a website:

Too much information:

If visitors can’t understand what your site is about within a few seconds of arriving they will leave at once. An overcrowded website is never a good thing. Try to avoid cramming too much content, images or buttons on a page which increases your page load time and confuses visitors on where to look and what your site is about. Remember, white space is your friend – give your content room to breathe.

Too little going on:

On the other extreme, websites with next to nothing can also leave users unenthusiastic about your business. Minimalist design is a popular trend right now but it only works when done right. You need to be sure you’re including basic information so your visitors know who you are and what your business will do for them. It’s all about balance.

A Bad CTA:

Or even worse, none at all. A call to action for your website is the single most important thing to drive interaction. A good CTA will tell your visitors what they need to do and create a sense of urgency to act now. The CTA should direct your audiences towards what actions they need to perform and things they will get in return (the “what’s in it for me” angle). Keep the CTA concise and place in a prominent position on your page.

 

Hidden Navigation:

We live in an age where everything is delivered to us in an instant. Anything longer will make your people abandon your site. Make sure the navigation menu/bar is one of the easiest things your audience finds on your site and that is makes your site easy to navigate. If important information is buried on sub-pages within your site, users will grow frustrated with looking and go somewhere else to get the information.

 

Lack of contact information:

Lack of contact information is another common mistake seen across several sites. Your ‘Contact Us’ page should always be a main header in your menu navigation. Providing contact information at the bottom of every page is also advisable.

 

Correct placements of ads:

If you’re running a site that accepts advertisements, be judicious in the placement of ad slots. If they annoy you, they will undoubtedly do the same to your visitors. Pay extra attention to pop-ups, make sure they are easy to close and don’t hinder readers from consuming your content.