Even though you have only the best intentions when designing your website, it’s very easy to end up confusing visitors, especially when you want them to learn everything about your business as quickly as possible. From too many menu options to placing links in awkward or weird places on the page, mistakes like these can cost you customers and lead to stagnant online sales.
Too Many Menu Options
Most visitors will use your menu to get a quick glimpse of what your site has to offer. Long, winding menus are a turn-off for most visitors. Unless you’re site is Amazon.com large, you don’t need to create a designated section for every web page in your menu. A large menu typically signals that it will take too much time to browse through the site.
Instead, create a shorter menu to help guide visitors through the main sections of your site. Add a keyword search box to help visitors find exactly what they’re looking for. Add a site map to help visitors locate less important sections. Providing a variety of search options decreases confusion and allows visitors to find what they’re looking for. Remember, an easy-to-navigate website is a highly converting website.
Odd Placement
Online consumers have certain expectations – especially when it comes to content placement. Menus are typically found at the top or sides of the page. Don’t confuse visitors by placing menus at the bottom or middle of the page. Do the same for links. Create a quick link box and place it on the side of the page or include links next to product images or at the beginning or end of written content.
The same goes for calls to action, sponsor ads, and free downloads – place boxes to the side rather than at the bottom of the page. This will ensure visitors see what you want them to see without having to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page.
Broken or Misplaced Links
There’s really no excuse for broken links or links that should lead to a specific piece of content, but really lead to an unrelated piece of content. To visitors, this is unprofessional and equals time wasted. Make sure to update links when adding or replacing content – this includes both internal and external links. Don’t give visitors an excuse to leave your site without completing your call to action.