Three Persistent Web Design Errors to Avoid
Time to learn from these repeated mistakes
Designers have been repeating the same web design mistakes since the digital age began. It’s reasonable to assume that, given the incredible level of competition, these errors would have gradually begun to phase out as digital marketers fought for online market share. Unfortunately, they’re still as prevalent as ever, and you don’t have to go far to encounter a website with one, two or even all mistakes present.
In this article, we’ll outline the main culprits responsible for a negative user experience and how you should go about rectifying the errors.
1. Lack of Clarity
How sympathetic you are to the needs of the user.
Unexpected locations for content
We’re now so accustomed to Internet browsing that we’ve formed collective habits and behaviours that can even be viewed as universal. For example, the login, account information, settings and view basket CTAs are typically placed in the top right corner of the web page. The names for different categories that we usually see remain the same regardless of niche or industry. Making changes to these will cause unexpected confusion and disrupt our usual habits.
Competing links and categories
Once again the names for category links should be labelled clearly, unambiguously and distinctly. If the names for various links sound similar, users will likely leave for a competitor whose content is sorted in the proper way. From a website navigational perspective, users want to be in and out as quickly as possible and won’t waste time trying to decipher what each link contains.
Hidden fees and prices
Hidden fees are what you would call a conversion killer. Hidden fees include subscription fees, delivery fees, convenience fees and any other fee that isn’t explicitly stated before the transaction takes place. Hidden fees that are suddenly revealed alongside the prompt to enter bank details will stop a conversion dead in its tracks. Full disclosure is preferred from a design perspective as opposed to this dishonest and unwelcome surprise.
2. Issues with UX
How easy it is for visitors to navigate and find what they’re looking for.
Incompetent search results
It’s incredibly common for websites that have their own built-in search element to provide poor, inaccurate or useless search results. You’d think that, in 2020, this would be a highly refined and efficient website feature, but it still serves as a hindrance rather than a help.
Link repetition
Lengthy workflows brought on by repetitive links cause the user to exert avoidable effort. This process can be circumvented and streamlined by working backwards; whereby, the designer figures out an effective and direct route to the page prior to its creation. There is no magic number for the number of clicks a user should take to find what they’re looking for – but they should definitely get closer with each click.
Flawed filters
Filters are well-intentioned and are excellent for a smooth user experience when implemented correctly. The issue arises when the tags are inaccurate or insufficient. Avoid this confusion by putting in the effort to do it the right way.
3. Flawed Information Architecture
How quickly the user understands the site environment and content through labelling, organizing and structuring.
Excessive information
If a user lands on your website, only to be hit with a sudden deluge of text once the page loads, do you really think they’ll stay to read it? Studies have shown that, when it comes to readable content, the lesser there is, the better. The text should be broken up, bullet-pointed and consolidated into information that’s easier to read and digest. Blocks of static text will have visitors backing out of your website in record time!
Opening New Windows
Links that open up unwarranted windows on a user’s screen are a major self-defeating aspect of web design. These pop-up windows are the scorn of web browsers owing to the disabling of the back button and the inconvenience it creates.
A mobile-friendly web design is often viewed as a priority among designers, which is hypocritical considering pop-up windows negate the ‘friendly’ aspect of the feature. New windows that open on a mobile phone are much more tiresome to deal with.
If a user wants the content to appear on a new page they would simply click ‘Open Link in New Tab’, or ‘Open Link in New Window’. Don’t undermine the user by doing it for them!
Wrap Up
The fact of the matter is that, nowadays, designers should have proficient knowledge of current UX trends – simply being a designer isn’t enough. Your website design should look and feel good, if the latter isn’t the case, you’ll find that users will leave your site in droves and won’t return. Start making incremental changes today to see steady improvements and buck the trend of perpetual design errors.
