Mistake#1. Bad Navigation
While developing the website and complying it with the clients' requirements,the web designers tend to overlook the menus/linking structure and the website ends up with a complicated navigation which is not good for the users.After all, every website must be developed for users readability.
Solution:You can avoid the bad navigation problems by simplifying and labeling them so that the users do not require a high degree qualification to go through your pages.Simplfying the navigation includes having appropriate font size (neither too big nor too small) and using colors that makes the navigation stand out from other elements of the website.You may also have a different color for active navigation so that it's easy for the users to understand where they are.Labeling of navigation includes a proper channel/hierarchy of links which we also call as bread crumbs.A bread crumb helps user to understand the clear path of current page.Of course,implementing bread crumbs also help in search engine optimization as well.
Mistake#2. Browsers Attention
Due to the lack of attention on multiple browsers,most of the web designers leave a space for visitors to quit the website.There are several browsers like Internet Explorer,Google Chrome,FireFox,Safari etc. which are commonly among web users.On the top of it,each browser comes up with regular version update which affects the old websites.
Solution: Every web designer must make sure that a website must run properly on all the major browsers and their respective versions by testing the website on various tools available for cross browser compatibility.One of the best tools is CrossBrowserTesting which has a trial package along with the paid one.
Mistake#3. Presentation of Text
Since a website is the virtual face of the company,it is very important to take care of the overall presentation of both graphics and texts.Usually the web designers take care of graphics very well but they often don't pay attention to the presentation of texts & information on the website.Every web designer must remember one thing that most of the visitors usually scan the web pages in just 8 seconds so a website must be able to convey the important message to the visitors in few seconds.This can be done only when the text has been displayed in well formatted/indented manner.
Solution: The solution to the problem of messy text presentation is very simple.The designer can avoid this mistake by using proper headers,ample paragraph spacing,appropriate bold style,using underline for links,using bullets & numbering and taking care of text color vs background color.
Mistake#4. Broken Links
The broken gives a bad impression not only to the website visitors but also search engines therefore a web designer must make sure that the website should not have any broken links after the launch.A minor code/tag error can create the problem of broken links therefore sometimes it become very difficult for the website designer to notice the problem of broken links.
Solution: As mentioned earlier that it becomes very difficult sometimes to trace the issue of broken links especially in case of large size websites,it is recommeded to check for this issue using some nice tools.We,at Innomedia use Xenu tool which is very useful for testing a website for broken links.It's free to use.
Mistake#5. Design Consistency
Design consistency throughout the website is very necessary for brand building and every web designer must understand this.While developing the website,a web designer tends to forget following & maintaining the design consistency.Its not just about branding, but consistency also makes website easier to use because visitors don't need to find new ways each time they want to read any specific page.Here we are mainly talking about the design consistency which a web designer must follow.
Solution: A web designer must make sure to prepare a website checklist and keep the most important elements on the top to make sure that a website follows the standard design protocol.Those important points are navigation style,breadcrumbs usage,text/font formatting style,brand colors,fixed elements' coordinates (left top right and footer panel) & anchor text style.
