You might like…<\/h4>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/shared-150x150.png\")
<\/a><\/span>Shared Hosting<\/a><\/li>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/website-builder-150x150.png\")
<\/a><\/span>Website Builder<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n1. You don\u2019t choose a responsive website design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I am flabbergasted anytime I stumble across a website that doesn\u2019t have a responsive design in this day and age. FLAB-ER-GAST-ED.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a quick review, having a responsive website design means that the format of your website automatically adjusts so it\u2019s easy to view on any device (mobile, tablet, desktop, and whatever future alien technology Apple will throw at us in the years to come).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"responsive](\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/responsive-web-design-01.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIn other words, if someone clicks through to your website from a mobile phone, they will see the mobile version of your site instead of having to do the 'pinch-and-zoom'\u009d to try and navigate the desktop version of your site on a 5-inch screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m in shock when I come across a website that doesn\u2019t have a responsive design because most website builders and WordPress templates only offer responsive designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best way to avoid this mistake is to sign up with a reputable web hosting platform that offers a responsive website builder or one-click WordPress installation. If you opt for a WordPress site, you can click on the live preview of the template to see how it looks on mobile and desktop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your website is a modern-age dinosaur, the time is now to update your WordPress theme or transfer to a new hosting platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Your main pages are too content heavy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before you write your website content, ask yourself how long you spend reading a website\u2019s content before clicking through to the next page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re like the majority of other website readers, you probably spend an average of 5.9 seconds<\/a> reading before moving on.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe good news is people can consume a lot of information about you and your website in 5.9 seconds if you strategically plan your copy and design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s some excellent advice to get your reader\u2019s attention and encourage them to stay longer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Use visuals on your website to tell stories<\/li>
- Break your content up with headings, subheadings, and bullet points<\/li>
- Surround your CTAs (calls-to-action) in a clickable button<\/li>
- Only write what\u2019s absolutely necessary to tell your story<\/li>
- Break your content up into different pages (home, services, about, contact, etc.)<\/li>
- Add a blog to your website and post all your epistles here<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
3. You don\u2019t address how your page will appear in a browser<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I currently have 12 tabs open in my browser. My coworker has a staggering 30-40 tabs open at a time. I don\u2019t know how he navigates from page to page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I do know, however, that it\u2019s much easier for internet users to find your website in a sea of open tabs when you have done two important things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Added a favicon <\/li>
- Included appropriate page titles<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
What is a favicon?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Take a quick glance at the open tabs on your web browser. The little logo on the left side of the tab is the website\u2019s favicon<\/a>. On this page, you\u2019ll see the world\u2019s cutest blue alligator, the HostGator gator Snappy. That\u2019s our favicon. If you navigate away from this page, you can easily return back to it by clicking on the gator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"hostgator](\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/image-4.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat is a page title?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The page title<\/a> is the string of words that appear after the favicon. The page title will change for every different page on your website. When you are naming your pages, consider using the shortest and most descriptive titles possible to help website visitors re-locate your page with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. You bog down your website with too many bells and whistles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s easy to fall into the trap of wanting your website to do everything-videos, carousels, animations, sliders-the works!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While these features are fun, the most important page feature is how quickly your page loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Google recently found that 70% of websites they reviewed for a study took 7+ seconds to load<\/a>. However, most users will stick around for less than 3 seconds before they bounce out of the website.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs you design your website, continue to test how long it takes to load. If you are trying to get your website to perform too many functions, it could slow down your page speed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you do need extra functionality and don\u2019t want to compromise page speed, consider upgrading your basic web hosting plan to a VPS hosting plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5. You decide to get creative with your navigation menus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The more you can do to help website visitors navigate your website with ease, the longer they will stay on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re creating your navigation menus<\/a>, stick to tradition. In other words, name your navigation links things like 'home,'\u009d 'services,'\u009d 'about,'\u009d 'portfolio,'\u009d 'contact,'\u009d etc. It\u2019s fun to get creative with page copy, but keep your navigation menu link names boring.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAdditionally, consider where you place your navigation menu. It makes most sense to align your main menu at the top of the page or off to the left of your page. If you have a lot of pages on your website, create submenus underneath your main menu links. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"hostgator](\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/image-5-1024x540.png\")
HostGator’s website features a main navigation menu at the top with sub-menus that appear when you hover over them.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFor example, let\u2019s say you\u2019re an HVAC company that offers plumbing as a service. 'Plumbing'\u009d could appear as one of your main navigation links. Then, you could nest related services like 'faucets,'\u009d 'tubs,'\u009d 'sinks,'\u009d 'drains,'\u009d etc., under the 'plumbing'\u009d tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. You don\u2019t include a clear call-to-action (CTA)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re not a copywriter, that\u2019s okay. You can still write your own website copy, but here\u2019s the best tip I can give you: Don\u2019t forget to include clear calls-to-action <\/strong>on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Over 90% of visitors who read your headline will also read your CTA, according to Unbounce<\/a>.<\/li>
- CreateDebate learned that making CTAs look like buttons created a 45% boost in clicks, according to Copyblogger<\/a>.<\/li>
- Personalized CTAs bring 200%<\/a> more conversions than clickable images.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The reason CTAs are so important is because they guide your website through the purchasing funnel<\/a>. In other words, they tell your reader what you want them to do next. And then they do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen writing website copy, I always ask myself, 'now what?'\u009d This question helps me remember to list the features and benefits and also to write a CTA that tells readers what to do next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Not using a template for design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Unless you are a website designer with extensive experience, it\u2019s probably best to use a template to build your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most website builders and WordPress offer a robust library of pre-coded templates<\/a> that look good and are proven to convert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"add](\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/add-wordpress-theme-1-1024x613.png\")
A few of the WordPress themes you can choose<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe best part is you can still customize templates to your heart\u2019s content. You can write your own copy, change the template’s layout, and even add your own CSS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/span>Shared Hosting<\/a><\/li><\/a><\/span>Website Builder<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n1. You don\u2019t choose a responsive website design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I am flabbergasted anytime I stumble across a website that doesn\u2019t have a responsive design in this day and age. FLAB-ER-GAST-ED.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a quick review, having a responsive website design means that the format of your website automatically adjusts so it\u2019s easy to view on any device (mobile, tablet, desktop, and whatever future alien technology Apple will throw at us in the years to come).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIn other words, if someone clicks through to your website from a mobile phone, they will see the mobile version of your site instead of having to do the 'pinch-and-zoom'\u009d to try and navigate the desktop version of your site on a 5-inch screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m in shock when I come across a website that doesn\u2019t have a responsive design because most website builders and WordPress templates only offer responsive designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best way to avoid this mistake is to sign up with a reputable web hosting platform that offers a responsive website builder or one-click WordPress installation. If you opt for a WordPress site, you can click on the live preview of the template to see how it looks on mobile and desktop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your website is a modern-age dinosaur, the time is now to update your WordPress theme or transfer to a new hosting platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Your main pages are too content heavy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before you write your website content, ask yourself how long you spend reading a website\u2019s content before clicking through to the next page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re like the majority of other website readers, you probably spend an average of 5.9 seconds<\/a> reading before moving on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news is people can consume a lot of information about you and your website in 5.9 seconds if you strategically plan your copy and design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s some excellent advice to get your reader\u2019s attention and encourage them to stay longer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I currently have 12 tabs open in my browser. My coworker has a staggering 30-40 tabs open at a time. I don\u2019t know how he navigates from page to page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I do know, however, that it\u2019s much easier for internet users to find your website in a sea of open tabs when you have done two important things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a quick glance at the open tabs on your web browser. The little logo on the left side of the tab is the website\u2019s favicon<\/a>. On this page, you\u2019ll see the world\u2019s cutest blue alligator, the HostGator gator Snappy. That\u2019s our favicon. If you navigate away from this page, you can easily return back to it by clicking on the gator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The page title<\/a> is the string of words that appear after the favicon. The page title will change for every different page on your website. When you are naming your pages, consider using the shortest and most descriptive titles possible to help website visitors re-locate your page with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s easy to fall into the trap of wanting your website to do everything-videos, carousels, animations, sliders-the works!<\/p>\n\n\n\n While these features are fun, the most important page feature is how quickly your page loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google recently found that 70% of websites they reviewed for a study took 7+ seconds to load<\/a>. However, most users will stick around for less than 3 seconds before they bounce out of the website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you design your website, continue to test how long it takes to load. If you are trying to get your website to perform too many functions, it could slow down your page speed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you do need extra functionality and don\u2019t want to compromise page speed, consider upgrading your basic web hosting plan to a VPS hosting plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more you can do to help website visitors navigate your website with ease, the longer they will stay on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re creating your navigation menus<\/a>, stick to tradition. In other words, name your navigation links things like 'home,'\u009d 'services,'\u009d 'about,'\u009d 'portfolio,'\u009d 'contact,'\u009d etc. It\u2019s fun to get creative with page copy, but keep your navigation menu link names boring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, consider where you place your navigation menu. It makes most sense to align your main menu at the top of the page or off to the left of your page. If you have a lot of pages on your website, create submenus underneath your main menu links. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, let\u2019s say you\u2019re an HVAC company that offers plumbing as a service. 'Plumbing'\u009d could appear as one of your main navigation links. Then, you could nest related services like 'faucets,'\u009d 'tubs,'\u009d 'sinks,'\u009d 'drains,'\u009d etc., under the 'plumbing'\u009d tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re not a copywriter, that\u2019s okay. You can still write your own website copy, but here\u2019s the best tip I can give you: Don\u2019t forget to include clear calls-to-action <\/strong>on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reason CTAs are so important is because they guide your website through the purchasing funnel<\/a>. In other words, they tell your reader what you want them to do next. And then they do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When writing website copy, I always ask myself, 'now what?'\u009d This question helps me remember to list the features and benefits and also to write a CTA that tells readers what to do next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unless you are a website designer with extensive experience, it\u2019s probably best to use a template to build your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most website builders and WordPress offer a robust library of pre-coded templates<\/a> that look good and are proven to convert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best part is you can still customize templates to your heart\u2019s content. You can write your own copy, change the template’s layout, and even add your own CSS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. You don\u2019t address how your page will appear in a browser<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is a favicon?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat is a page title?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. You bog down your website with too many bells and whistles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. You decide to get creative with your navigation menus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. You don\u2019t include a clear call-to-action (CTA)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. Not using a template for design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n