Common mistakes you should avoid when building your website

Your website is a window into your business, art or whatever it is that you are trying to accomplish and convey to the online world. Regardless of the purpose of your site, always keep in mind that it will be a representation of your abilities and skills.

A poorly designed website will translate into a failing business, because nowadays, almost everything takes place in the online environment.

That doesn’t mean you have to stress yourself out of your mind or spend a fortune on professional web designers. There are a lot of ways to go and a lot of things you could do in order to build your perfect website, so we are not going to focus on them, but instead, here are some of the things you should never do:

• Ignore mobile optimization. This might be the most common ‘rookie’ mistake you can make. Your smartphone is the fastest route to the World Wide Web, because it is portable and handy and it has become the most used device in that regard. No matter how fancy your website looks on your desktop computer or laptop, it will be completely useless if it’s not mobile responsive.
• Don’t choose a slow web hosting provider. This one requires no explanation. Nothing is more annoying than trying to access a page and being forced to watch that annoying never-ending circle. A slow loading website is doomed. Choose a fast server and a good, reliable hosting plan/provider.
• Don’t greet visitors with background music. Your website is not an elevator or a concert venue. In most cases, music will just distract or even annoy users, taking their mind and focus away from the real message your site is trying to convey.
• Don’t make a messy homepage. First impressions are crucial in the online world. Your homepage is what users will see when they first access your website. And people are almost never patient. So if your website is cluttered and too busy, they will hit that Close button in a blink of an eye. Make sure all the content and information are well organized, everything is easy to find and access.
• Avoid complicated domain names, which are too long, too hard to pronounce or memorize. A resonant, catchy name will help any type of website.
• Don’t exhaust your visitors with too many pop-ups, especially poorly-timed ones. Nobody wants to be assaulted by pop-ups asking you to buy, subscribe to, like and so on, before you even get a chance to figure out what the site is all about. Give people a break and a chance to get to know your website, your intentions and to find out the information they want first.

Don’t forget to call to action. Although nobody wants to be exhausted by too many ads, pop-ups and messages, doing the exact opposite is just as bad. You have to find an equilibrium between the two. Stimulating users to take action and get involved is very important, as long as you do it the right way. So make sure you integrate call-to-action buttons on your website, urging visitors to sign up for your newsletter, share your content and so on. Just make sure you are doing it in a subtle but effective way.