You only have 15 seconds to make an impression on your website. After that, users stop paying attention. This is why website optimization is vital.
In those few seconds, it needs to be clear where everything on your website is. The flow through the website should be natural and optimized for the user experience.
In most cases, a website optimization strategy is a trial and error process. But there are a few common mistakes that web developers make.
Keep reading to learn 5 common website optimization mistakes and how to avoid them!
1. User Experience Isn’t Prioritized
Sometimes web designers get so caught up in making the most impressive website, that they forget to make it usable. The user experience should always be at the front of your optimization strategy.
If users can’t find the information they need, or the site is too cluttered with extra features, they will exit. This means you’re losing business.
Solve this problem by making sure your users have all the information they need, and can easily navigate through your website.
2. Lack of Bench Marking to Measure Against
You can’t focus on improving if you don’t have a baseline that you’re hoping to improve. Pick key factors which determine the success of your site, and measure these against each other after every website update or regularly scheduled period.
Good benchmarks to track are click-through rates, impressions, and sales.
3. Continual Improvement Isn’t Considered
Sometimes business website design assumes it’ll reach the point of perfect optimization, and no longer need to improve after that. But this isn’t how it works.
A good website optimization strategy assumes you always need to update and improve. There should be a constant analysis of trends, which is used to fine-tune optimization processes.
4. Not Prioritizing Mobile Optimization
While the desktop layout will always be important, most of your business comes from people using your site on their phones. So, a mobile-friendly website is vital. If it’s not mobile-optimized, you’re likely to lose a huge percentage of your business.
The best way to ensure mobile optimization is to build your site around it. It’s easier to adapt your desktop design based on mobile layout, rather than the other way around.
5. Content Isn’t Optimized
Lots of people make the mistake of thinking optimization is all about design. But your content needs optimization too. SEO and keywords are a vital part of getting sales – your customers can’t make purchases if they never see your website in the first place.
Depending on the type of business website content, there are different strategies. For example, homepage optimization is different from product description optimization.
Avoid this mistake by hiring professional SEO consultants or doing research into the various SEO strategies.
Avoid These Common Website Optimization Mistakes
These common website optimization mistakes will do more harm than good for your business. Avoid these mistakes to ensure your customers stick around on your site and convert those impressions to sales!
If you enjoyed this article, please check out our blog for more content!