Designing a business web site is much different than regular web design you see all around the internet. If you take a look at the web sites for the best-known brands from around the world, it is quite obvious that there is a totally different standard that is respected.
The truth is that most web designers out there cannot create a very good web site for a serious business. This is not because of a lack of skill. It is usually because there is a totally different approach taken than what is necessary with the business web site. With this in mind, here are some of the common design mistakes that always have to be avoided whenever designing a web site for a business.
Lack Of Proper Navigation Framework
It is enough to visit site options presented by the very best businesses to see that they all look similar when it comes to the design of the navigation framework. This is because people are used to it and expect it when they look for something.
Remember that most people landing on a business website will want to learn more about specific services or products. They might even want to just look for some extra information about a specific article they initially landed on.
Whenever designing your website, be sure that you create a top navigation menu that includes the most important parts of the site. Also, be sure contact forms and details are visible on every single page.
Inconsistent Branding
For a business, branding stands out as the most important aspect whenever referring to being recognized and establishing trust among current and potential customers. A huge mistake would be to not take into account branding as the site is designed. It is really important to coordinate with the marketing department to discuss things like colors that have to be used and brand values. Many things will influence what the best design options are for a site but branding should always be consistent.
An example of a really common branding mistake is to have different colors used on different pages. Only the colors that are proper according to branding rules have to be used.
Too Much Focus On Graphics
For the business web site the most important thing is converting leads. When there are way too many graphics used on a site, it is so easy to end up not paying full attention to the content. In modern web design simplicity is key. The use of white space is higher than with other web sites and you need to be sure that you do not overdo it with graphics.
In an attempt to showcase business features or design skills, many web designers simply add various different graphical elements. This often slows down a web site, leading to visitors actually leaving since they are interested in the information offered, not in the flashy design. While design is definitely important and graphics should be properly used, remember what simplicity can do for a business web site.