15 Website Design Mistakes to Avoid
Most underperforming websites are not victims of bad luck. They share a handful of avoidable design mistakes. Review this list against your own site, and fix the ones that apply.
1. An unclear message
If visitors cannot tell what you do within a few seconds, many will leave. Say what you offer and for whom, near the top. See hero section design.
2. No clear next step
A page with no obvious action leaves people wandering. Give each page one main goal. See calls to action.
3. Too many choices
Competing buttons, crowded menus, and busy layouts create hesitation. Simplify. See visual hierarchy.
4. Confusing navigation
Vague labels and deep menus make people hunt. See navigation best practices.
5. Poor mobile experience
Text that is too small, buttons too close together, and sideways scrolling lose mobile visitors. See the mobile-friendly checklist.
6. Slow loading
Heavy images and scripts frustrate people before they read a word. See how to reduce load time.
7. Low contrast and tiny text
Pale grey text on white looks stylish and reads badly. Aim for at least 4.5:1 contrast on normal text. See color contrast and readable text.
8. Walls of text
Long unbroken paragraphs are hard to scan. Use headings, short paragraphs, and lists. See how to write for the web.
9. Generic stock photos
Images that could belong to any business say nothing about yours. Use real photos. See using images.
10. Missing trust signals
No reviews, no contact details, no real faces. See social proof and writing an About page.
11. Hard-to-use forms
Too many fields, unclear errors, and no confirmation. See contact form design and accessible forms.
12. Inconsistent design
Different styles on different pages feel untrustworthy. See consistent branding.
13. Autoplaying media and intrusive popups
Sound that starts by itself and popups that block content drive people away. See exit-intent popups.
14. Ignoring accessibility
A site that excludes people loses customers and may create legal risk. See accessibility basics.
15. Set and forget
Outdated information and broken links undermine credibility. See the maintenance checklist.
How to find your own problems
Watch a stranger try to complete a task on your site. See user testing on a budget, and review heatmaps if you use them.
The bottom line
Most design mistakes come down to clarity, usability, speed, and trust. Fix those basics before adding anything fancy.