website faux pas: 5 things not to have on your website

When it comes to website design, most of us spend more time trying to add things to our website than being concerned about what things should not be on the website. In today’s highly competitive web world, our website is the single most important communication tool that we have. Our website is our storefront, our face and we have about 5 seconds on average to attract attention and keep it on our site. So, if people are critical of our website, it is usually related to something that probably should not be on it. We have a compiled list of our top 5 things NOT to have on your website.

Do NOT use excessive text that requires the visitor to read the page. We recommend having more “white space” than text, mainly because our world today has a bullet-point mentality. It is more effective to use short tags that can be quickly seen and read. If using more text as content, add pictures, images or even a video to break up the content.

Do NOT use such large graphics that your website takes several seconds to open. People will leave a website quickly if the page is slow to reveal its content. Remember: most of us want to open a website, scan it quickly and will make an assessment of favorable or unfavorable in a matter of seconds. Make sure your website opens instantly with all of the graphics and videos ready to play.

Do NOT use extensive pop-ups, flashing banners, or videos that cannot be muted. Too much movement can be distracting and annoying to the visitor. If your visitor takes the time to open your homepage, respect their time by keeping the pop-ups (usually banner ads) away. Make sure the videos can be turned off.

Do NOT use muted, dull colors on your website. Colors illicit emotion and the right colors can be very effective in attracting and even encouraging your visitors. Consult with others on color schemes for your website to help communicate the right message for your business.

Do NOT use fonts, graphics or styles that “date” your website. Be careful of using clip-art or cheap-looking graphics that diminish your professionalism. Look at other websites in your industry and get ideas of how to make yours look current, contemporary and relevant.

Take a closer look at your website and see if it passes our “faux pas” test. If so, congratulations! If not, we recommend seeking out professionals who can help you achieve the best website design for the image and message you want to portray.

About the Authors:
Tonilee Adamson and Bobbye Brooks are co-owners of Media 4 Women Enterprises, a marketing and media company that helps people achieve entrepreneurial success. From website design, video production, book publishing and social media marketing, Tonilee and Bobbye work with individuals and businesses of every type. Visit www.media4women.com to learn more about their services.