9 Costly Website Design mistakes

So you are considering a new website? Not sure if you need a website? Unsure what to put on the website or where to begin? A few things to avoid.

Written Jan 15, 2009, read 1648 times since then.

#1 – NO website. This internet thing is not just another fad. It is here to stay and is your ticket to the growing global (or local) online marketplace. I still cross paths with businesses large and small with no website. These technological dinosaurs probably still use rotary phones, shun voicemail and cell phones, and store contacts on index card rolodexes. Who wants a dinosaur as a vendor? Anyone?

#2 – Piggybacking - Almost as bad are companies or people who have a business identity and brand but use gmail or hotmail email and piggyback off somebody else for their website hosting. Nothing undermines brand credibility like bradtheitguy@hotmail.com or www.thecablecompany.com/bradtheitguy. I see this quite a bit on vehicle advertising. For the low cost to reserve a name and setup email and a basic website, why not personalize your brand, especially when your competitors already do?

#3 – Choosing design over function. You want one of those flashy animated sites with music on the landing page and loads of images and fancy design concepts. OK you can pay big bucks to do all this but don’t expect the site to generate sales and results for you unless you are selling … well … flashy overloaded website designs.

Gimmicky websites distract and are slow to load and awkward to navigate. People come to your site and you only have a few seconds to get your message across to them. The biggest and most successful company websites are not flashy and gimmicky. Think about it.

#4 – Missing the message. You MUST define your message. People do NOT know how to find you, what you sell, where to click, how to buy, nothing. Even when they can find you they WILL leave your website within seconds if they cannot easily find the information they need. A website needs to at least cover who you are, what you offer, why trust you, what makes you different and better, and absolutely how to buy from and contact you. DO have a phone number on your website. People WILL be frustrated to think the only way to reach you is via email or online contact us form.

# 5 – Information overload. Too much information can be worse than not enough. Making people work for their information by sifting through pages of stuff they are not interested in will drive them away.

#6 – Outbound linking. Links that take people away from your site defeat the purpose as you push people away to go buy somewhere else. You want a nice big link page so people can see how many clients or vendors you have? You decide to join some affiliate link programs to see if you can make a few bucks linking to other websites from yours? Unless your business is a web portal or online directory leave the links out. Your website is all about your business.

# 7 - Spelling mistakes and poor grammar. If your website is not smarter than a 5th grader then you have a big problem. ALWAYS have someone else proof your site after any changes.

#8 – A site that never changes. Build it then forget about it. Not so fast ! If your site does not update with new information from time to time your ranking on Google and other search engines is at risk when competing websites who do update get better search ranking. You DO need to stay one step ahead of the competition with fresh content and clear message.

A site that displays page dates that are a few years old or uses a design that was popular before web became a household name or has links that maybe worked when you set it up years ago but something happened since to break them? People will wonder if you are still in business.

#9 – The wrong website designer. There are three types of people who design websites, graphic designers, web programmers, and SEO and marketing copy writers. For the most part they are exclusive in their focus and talents and I dare say there are ego’s involved.

A graphic designer specializes in brand and visual appeal. Graphic designers are not programmers or copy writers as a rule.

A web programmer can create interactive and dynamic websites and build or link in tools for eCommerce or content management and build databases. A web programmer is not a graphic designer nor are they copy writers.

An SEO and marketing person makes sure people find your website and ensures the written content on the site is effective. SEO/marketing copy writers are not Graphic designers nor are they programmers.

Some people overlap these skills but their strength is generally focused in only one area. Who is the best person for your website depends on what your website will need to do, who you are targeting, your budget, and how involved you want to be in the planning, setup, and ongoing maintenance. Picking the wrong website designer will cost you money and wasted time.

Tip - Never jump into a project before you have a very clear picture what you need to accomplish and how you are going to accomplish it. Often it is cost effective to enlist the help of a project manager or advisor to lay out the process, offer direction, and even assist in selecting the right person(s) or company to create the website or business solution. That advisor or fellow Biznik members can help prevent you from making expensive mistakes by sharing their own experiences. Biznik is a great site to learn from fellow entrepreneurs.

Learn more about the author, Brad Archibald.

Posted by David Johanson, Bellevue, Washington | Jan 16, 2009

I like this,
Posted by Brandi L Pierce, Seattle, Washington | Jan 16, 2009

Great article. I hope everyone gets a chance to read this before they begin their next web project.
Posted by Veronica Mayo, Bellevue, Washington | Jan 16, 2009

Brad, an excellent article. Thanks for providing this very clear check list! A must read for anyone with a website or developing one.

Veronica
Posted by Mark Walters, Bellevue, Washington | Jan 16, 2009

I'll send my biz clients to this article when they mention their new website project. Thanks.

Mark Walters | http://www.walterslawfirm.com/
Posted by Jill McLean, Chicago, Illinois | Jan 16, 2009

Hi Brad,

I appreciated your article, and almost every point is something that I work hard to educate potential and existing clients about.

There is one point, however, that I think needs an alternative voice.

When you mention to stay away from choosing design over function (# 3), I would like to prompt you to reconsider your approach to this topic. I am a designer of 15 years, and have living proof that each client has specific needs... some need more visuals (even flashiness and glamour), while others need more functionality. There is always a dominating factor, dependent upon the client and their market.

Perhaps the best way to approach this topic is to say that both should have equal footing. After all, even if a site is not flashy but performs well, a large audience can also be lost due to poor design, or flat and lifeless colors, graphics, etc.

The two go hand-in-hand! :)
Posted by Brad Archibald, Surrey, British Columbia Canada | Jan 16, 2009

Thank you for the positive comments. This is in response to many people who are making New Year resolutions to setup or rebrand their websites. This is a great time to re-focus.

Anyone have a favorite point or pet peeve about websites they see out there today?

Anyone have additional points to add to the list?

How about sharing experiences in regard to website projects we can learn from?

Cheers - Brad
Posted by Brad Archibald, Surrey, British Columbia Canada | Jan 16, 2009

Hi Jill. So very true that every client and every website is unique.

3 is ensure that the design is not 'distracting' visitors away from primary goal of the website whatever that goal may be.

Non designers need to understand that simply placing something on a site because they think it is cool or because they saw it on another website will not work unless it fits the brand and message among the other points above.

An experienced designer knows what works to deliver results on a particular brand or product or service.

I have a question. If the goal of a site is to sell product and a simpler design sells a lot of product to the target audience then what is wrong with that?

If there is a concern that another audience is being lost because of the design then test a different design on a second website and measure the results. How many companies create just ONE TV ad for example :-)

We can please some people some of the time but we will never please all people all the time. Other thoughts on this anyone?
Posted by Ken Peters, Phoenix, Arizona | Jan 16, 2009

Brad,

Good stuff. You are correct when you outline the differences between designers, programmers and copywriters. At my studio we tackle the design, and outsource the programming and copywriting to strategic partners that specialize in those disciplines. It's a collaborative effort that ensures a great final product for our clients. In today's business world, a competitive web site must have all three components to be viable. Clients need not settle for one or two out of three.

I also agree that design should never hinder functionality (and that's as relevant to business cards and brochures as it is to web sites). However, I'll also add that excellence in design and aesthetic value should never be forfeited for functionality.

Combining function and beauty is the very purpose of design, and the particular art of designers. If you work with talented, competent professionals you will never have to sacrifice aesthetics for function, or vice versa.

I stress to my clients that the design of their web site, both visually and functionally, is a reflection of their business. The site is a consumer touchpoint that establishes a perception of their brand. Bad design is as memorable as good design. they have to decide how they want their business to be remembered.

Nocturnal Branding Studio
Posted by Brad Archibald, Surrey, British Columbia Canada | Jan 16, 2009

Excellence in Design is a great choice of words Ken.

My office specializes in the programming so we partner with graphic design and copy writers and other strategic partners based on project requirements. It is all about collaboration of the best talents to get the job done.
Posted by Dan McComb, Seattle, Washington | Jan 16, 2009

I'm just reading "Outliers," Malcolm Gladwell's new book. There's a great line in the book, where he says, simply: “no one succeeds alone!”

Follow me on Twitter - @danmccomb
Posted by Joni Hubred-Golden, Farmington, Michigan | Jan 17, 2009

Wow, wow, wow - you covered ALL the bases, everything I tell clients I help with Web sites. I just spent several weeks on a project for someone who insisted on lots of flash video, animated logo, and when the site was up, had me take it all back down - because everyone he showed it to hated the design! Now he's got what I suggested in the first place - simple, clean design with lots of good info, well organized and still gives people access to his video stuff.

Thanks for this, I'm bookmarking and will send to future clients who are tough to convince. :)

Joni
Posted by Marianna Paulson, Surrey, British Columbia Canada | Jan 18, 2009

Brad, great departure points for the newbie and the well-seasoned.

Although I agree that it is important to have a goal or vision, I sometimes find that the very jumping into a project actually dictates where to go next. We get new information and sometimes we even change our course based on our experiences and what we have learned.
Posted by Matt Powers, Harrisonburg, Virginia | Jan 19, 2009

Solid write-up (coming from a fellow web designer). Glad you're looking out for the client, and giving them some ground to stand on.
Posted by Pablo Mandel, MGDC, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada | Jan 20, 2009

Although I understand what you are talking about in #3, as a web and graphic designer, I must say that the statement "Choosing design over function" is not well defined.

Design and Function go together. Good Design is Good business. Good Design is at the service of Function.

I totally agree that poorly designed and overcharged websites with unnecessary Flashy animation are a pest. But that's not Design! It's No-Design! Let's not put everything in the same bag :-)
Posted by Pablo Mandel, MGDC, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada | Jan 20, 2009

Hey, I also agree with Ken. At the end, it all comes down to the big question:

What is the Aim of a website? Does Function and Design serve that Aim?

Good postings here, good questions, thanks Brad for getting the ball rolling!
Posted by Brad Archibald, Surrey, British Columbia Canada | Jan 20, 2009

Another great statement Pablo. "Good Design is at the service of Function" That helps refine and define #3.

Joni I want to highlight your point of having to go back and redo a site because the client chose to proceed without consultation.

The purpose of this article and relevant comments from everyone is to educate people to think before they leap into a website. At the same time, we should not be afraid to take a leap if it means getting online and making your presence known.
Posted by Lori Stephens, Seattle, Washington | Jan 21, 2009

I say this in the spirit of positive critique. As well as making sure that your Web site content is error-free, I'd suggest making sure that articles are error-free as well. I spotted about 8 errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation in the article above.

That said, the content is very useful. Good job!
Posted by Christina Kilbourn, Seattle, Washington | Jan 22, 2009

All good points and inspration to update my own site more frequently.

A point I'd like to add is that the contact information should be displayed on every page in such a way that it is visibile without requiring the viewer to scroll down to see it
Posted by Michael DeMeo, Media, Pennsylvania | Jan 22, 2009

Very good article. As someone who is currently getting their website up and going, this nailed some good topics. Thanks
Posted by Brad Archibald, Surrey, British Columbia Canada | Jan 23, 2009

Thank you for being candid Lori. I do appreciate being informed when something is amiss. That is a window of opportunity.

I have a website pet peeve. How many times do you come across a site where they spell out the email so automated email harvesters cannot grab it.

Instead of brad@hoss-solutions.com you get brad at hoss dash solutions dot com and they tell you to change at to @, dot to a . , and dash to - so you can send the actual email. The only thing this does is confuse people you DO want to send you email.

If you are so worried about email harvesting place your email and phone and contact details an image that cannot be copied and pasted as text. As an image it is also easier to incorporate into your website if you want to show it on every page as Christina pointed out.

Anyone else have website pet peeves? Things that bug you or distract your attention in a negative way? I would love to hear some. Anyone?
Posted by Ryan Cook, Dallas, Texas | Feb 05, 2009

Great read! Thanks for posting
Posted by Brent Haeseker, Ocala, Florida | Feb 08, 2009

Good job Brad. It was nice seeing someone explain the differences between graphic designers, programmers and SEO copywriters - I don't think that is something that most people understand, but something our industry has to get better at explaining to our clients.