6 Reasons Why Bad Website Design Will Cost You In 2020

6 Reasons Why Bad Website Design Will Cost You In 2020

It takes 50 milliseconds, or 1/5th of a second, for a user to choose to stay or leave your website. For visitors to your website, your brand’s competency and credibility are judged entirely on the basis of how you appear within the first few seconds.

The best websites not only keep viewers hooked to your website, but can also lead to long term brand loyalty.

These websites combine real user experience (UX) with the latest design trends and high-quality content. With more and more new businesses creating websites and an online presence, it is hard for a website to stand out from the crowd without a consistent plan of action.

This means that while good websites see an increase in their number of visitors, bad website design will actually make you lose followers as they head over to your competitors instead of you.

A web design company can help you stay away from bad web design practices and also provide you with a checklist of goals your website must meet. What exactly should your website say about your business?

Show Them For The Big Picture

Every brand has a story. There is one thing that sets your business apart from all your competitors. Make sure you design your website to bring out that story.

Good website design and UX creates a journey that your viewers take that leads them towards the one clear action you need them to take. This could include a series of things like signing up for an emailer to booking a test drive for a car.

Write To Be Read

The digital world has significantly evolved the way we read today. Long-form content was popular two decades ago, as was reading books from one end to another.

However, with social media, advanced technology, and dwindling attention spans, people now prefer getting the major bits of information in a jiffy rather than thoroughly examining the details over a long period of time.

Research into user experience has shown that online audiences scan information rather than read. And user behaviours are changing faster than ever, with new trends surfacing year after year. Smart website design takes these behaviours into account and provides concise, useful information for your website visitors. With effective formatting like bullets aided by cool visuals, you will always stay two steps ahead of your competition.

Visuals Make A World Of Difference

If your audience is judging you in a matter of seconds, your visuals need to be more compelling than anything else. Visual sensory perception in human beings is stronger than all other senses. You might not retain the title of the book, but you will almost always remember the cover art. For the same reason, visual elements that bring out your brand story are fundamental to great website design.

When it comes to website design, visuals are not only limited to images. It includes typography, fonts, colours, icons, white space and other such elements that give your users a smoother, more comfortable browsing experience. Agencies that offer e-commerce website services will be able to help you align each visual element in a way that compliments your brand and the user experience you wish to create.

Speed Up Your Page Load

As we mentioned before, attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. The virtual world of endless feeds and information has taught people to value gratification and services delivered instantly and without a buffer. Research shows that about 40% of your audience will drop off if your pages or website load too slowly.

There are many things you can do to reduce your page load time. Allowing for file compression, or optimising your website’s code is among the basics. However, make sure that anything you do doesn’t affect the quality of your website’s visuals or customer experience.

Go Mobile

More than 80% of internet users and online shoppers use mobile devices. Despite this, many businesses don’t optimise their websites for mobile use. This can make it harder for users to reach and interact with you.

In the end, users are going to drop off if you don’t make the right first impression. Keep them hooked and give your business the advantage it needs.