Creative | June 20, 2016

9 Things People Hate About Your Website
website redesign

A website is a vital component of modern commerce. Even with this knowledge, many companies fail to improve their websites in a way that will attract and bring back paying customers.

Based on recent surveys, here are nine things people hate about websites. These flaws will drive potential customers away before your business even has the chance to make a sale.

1. Slow Load Times

Smartphones, even on restricted data plans, have faster speeds than the earliest dial up modems. With all of this speed at their fingertips, customers are unwilling to wait more than about 3 seconds for a page to load.

2. No Mobile Site

Mobile sales account for over 20% of sales online. Many Americans use mobile devices as their primary Internet portal, so sites that are not optimized for mobile are a non-starter with consumers. They want a site they can read and navigate on the screen of their choice.

3. Too Many Pages

One of the things people hate about websites today is when they have an overwhelming amount of pages. Scrolling feeds are far more attractive and reader-friendly. If a consumer has to hit a “next” button after every paragraph or go to several pages to find what they’re looking for, they won’t stay long.

4. Auto Play

Web video attracts eyeballs. However, placing video on your web pages that loads automatically is a turn-off. Auto playing videos slow down the load time of the page, and may bombard the consumer with unwanted distraction when they’re trying to learn more about what your company does.

5. Dated Design

Early websites were amateurish, full of annoying GIF animations, and huge walls of text. Unfortunately, some companies have yet to move beyond those basic designs, using websites that are dated and unattractive. When a customer sees a site that looks old, they assume the company is out of date as well and will move on quickly.

6. Poor Navigation

Navigation is difficult when customers have to retreat several pages to return to a main menu, or have to perform a keyword search to find what they’re looking for on your site. An experience that isn’t user friendly is one of the top things people hate about websites.

7. Limited Contact Information

A bland contact form seems simple enough to get the information you need so you can follow up later. The issue is that online contact forms are a one-way form of communication. Diversification of contact information, from phone numbers to email addresses and social media accounts, customers have a choice in their method of contact depending on their needs and preferences.

8. Your “About Us” Feels Robotic

The “About Us” page of your website is a chance for consumers to get to know you, your staff, and your company on a more personal level. When the page is packed full of business nonsense or generic information, you come across as robotic and unapproachable.

9. No Share Buttons

In a world obsessed with social media, the lack of a “Like” or “Share” button is a missed marketing opportunity. Consumers want to be able to share their online experiences with the people in their social networks, but they will not make the extra effort to hunt for a button or copy and paste a URL.

If you eliminate these nine things people hate about websites on your own site, you create an online experience customers will love and want to repeat.

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What’s your next step? Now that you understand how these 9 items can affect your website, here are 22 Website Must-Haves for Driving Traffic, Leads, and Sales!

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