When you’ve spent hours perfecting your product, you don’t want a shoddy website to cost you leads.

Business websites can suffer from “good ideas, bad execution” which limits your brand’s reach and ruins its reputation.

It’s not enough to slap your contact number and your location on there. Websites are your online presence.

In a study looking at what influenced a user’s opinion of a website (either its design or content), 94% of participants claimed it was the website’s design.

Unsure about investing in web design? Read on to find out why Bad Websites don’t convert.

All Bad Websites Have the Following

Clutter

You want your website to show you’re professional and credible in your industry. Bombarding your page with flash animations, auto-play videos, and pop-ads ruins your chances to impress.

Large files like videos and pictures can slow down the speed of your website. And 38% of people say they will stop engaging with a website if images are taking too long to load.

White space is key for improving a website’s usability. If it’s too cluttered, users will return to the SERP (Search Engine Result Page) for a better result.

When a customer “bounces”, it tells search engines that you’re not the right solution and this will ruin your SEO. It’s simple: good design = good SEO.

Missing or Confusing Call-to-Action (CTA)

A bad website confuses Visitors. Make it clear what you want them to do whether it’s buying a product or contacting you. CTAs should be direct and specific.

Poorly Formatted Content

Content marketing should be part of your strategy. Useful, high-quality content improves SEO, builds customer loyalty and boosts conversion rates.

Try to update your company’s blog twice a week. Post ‘How-to’ articles, lists, and tutorials that provide valuable tips for your readers. This shows you’re active and involved in the industry.

All content, from web copy to your blog, must be well-formatted. Choose a clear, readable font and ensure there are no typos or grammatical errors.

Also, avoid fluff and weak language like “we’re the best” which says nothing to the customer. Instead, explain what to expect from your services and how your company is different.

Many businesses believe keyword stuffing drives SEO but it does the opposite. Make sure your backlinks are correctly sourced to improve your ranking.

Confusing Navigation

95% of users said a positive user experience is the most important factor when they visit a website.

Poorly designed websites are difficult to navigate and this will frustrate visitors. Good navigation is intuitive and simple so visitors can find what they need with no hassle.

You should seek help from a web design company so a developer can create a website that is easy-to-use and aligns with your brand’s identity.

Non-Responsive Pages

72% of people want mobile-friendly websites and optimizing your website will rank you higher on Google.

Outdated websites that are only compatible with desktops or laptops have a limited reach. Your website should work well on any device. A responsive page makes visitors stay and engage with your business with longer. This will build trust, authority and brand awareness.

Lack of a Clear Purpose

Your website must have a clear purpose. Visitors should know straightaway what service you provide and how it benefits them.

No Company Details

People don’t trust brands. They trust people.

Profile your employees so customers know who they’re dealing with. Humanizing your brand is key to establishing trust.

No Testimonials

88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Featuring customer testimonials will prove you’re reliable and offer a good service.

No Contact or Location Details

A poorly designed website makes it impossible for the visitor to know your location and contact details.

Your details should have the same placement on every webpage and it should be easy to find. Visitors should know how to contact you the second the page loads.

Little Visual Appeal

It takes 0.05 seconds for users to form an opinion about your website.

Make sure your web design uses a font that’s easy to read and is in a legible color. Pick colors that reflect your brand and complement one another. You must also make sure every page should follow the same theme to create a seamless customer experience.

Side Effects of Bad Websites

Ruins Your Credibility

Bad websites cluttered with stock imagery and animation look unprofessional. For customers to take you seriously, your site has to be clean and easy-to-use so users can buy your products or contact you.

Makes You Look Outdated

Keeping it old-school not only ruins your SEO, but it shows you’re behind on technological times. Or worse, they’ll think you don’t care about your product enough to update your site.

77% of people own smartphones so it’s crucial your website is mobile-friendly. It’s become a new standard for maintaining an online presence and will increase the chances of users engaging and spending more time on your website.

Makes You Lose Customers

After all that time invested on SEO and your product, you don’t want your website to stop customers from taking the next step. A website that’s difficult to navigate will frustrate customers and they’ll be more likely to bounce. If your competitor offers the same services but with a more intuitive site, you’re unlikely to see the customer again.

If you need help designing a website that converts, we’d love to talk to you. Check us out here for more details.