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The Worst Website Mistakes

It's easy to go astray when building a website. Here's a quick list of the worst offenses.

Splash Pages

Don't make people wait to enter your site. Even if you think your intro is unbelievably cool, most people have a life and want to get on with it. You can't avoid this edict by having a "skip intro" link. You will still annoy people—not a promising start for a relationship.

Unwelcome Surprises

Surprises that come out of a computer are rarely good ones. So avoid having sound, for example, jump out at your users. Similarly, don't have a huge PDF file load or an email application open when visitors click on an innocent-looking link. Always give clues to help people know what to expect when they click.

Cartoon Mania

Moving objects naturally attract attention. It's such a distraction that visitors struggle with comprehension if there is any movement on a web page. Unless you are the Cartoon Network or are trying to demonstrate how to do something useful, don't make anything move.

Unreadable Text

Don't make it hard for people to read your web pages. If your audience contains anyone over 40, be sure to avoid tiny type, poor color contrast, or any but the most subtle graphics behind text. In addition, most of your text should be resizable for those with low vision issues.

Content Jungles

Don't make people feel like they need a machete to hack through your site. Organize your content into categories that are clearly labeled and distinct from each other, remove elements that don't clearly relate to your site, and edit all text into quick-reading chunks.

Corporate Speak

Websites filled will cliché slogans and buzzwords don't help visitors solve their problems. Skip the "Our Mission Statement" and "We are a Solutions Innovator" sections. Focus on the visitor—it's much more attractive than focusing on yourself.

General Sloppiness

Broken links, misspellings, and bad grammar reflect poorly on your business. It's reasonable to think that if a business doesn't care about its own website, it won't care about its customers either.

Nosy Questions

When you create a web form, sharply limit the number of fields. People will leave if the form looks too hard to fill out or they are asked for too much personal information. Get the contact first. You can always ask additional questions later.

Knowledge is Power

Avoid these website mistakes and you at least have a shot at gaining customers through your website.

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