Table of Contents
Poor Website Page Load Performance
Poor Mobile Experience
Code Bloat and Excessive Plugin Use
Navigation and User Experience (UX) Issues
Unclear Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
Poor Readability and Inconsistent Design Language
Content and SEO Missteps That Erode Authority
I think many would agree that for most businesses, their websites serve as the first point of contact from prospective customers. That means websites can help visitors form their first impressions about those businesses, which includes evaluation of offerings and gauging credibility, to determine whether they will engage those businesses further.
That said, there are some common website mistakes that can negatively impact a visitor’s first impression, SEO, user experience and a business’s bottom line. Here are some of them.
Poor Website Page Load Performance
Nobody really likes to wait around for web pages to load. Slow websites discourage and drive away visitors, that can hurt the user experience. That is because most people prefer web pages to load quickly so when they do not, an increase in bounce rate is likely and this may ultimately cause the website to rank less favorably in the SERPs.
Thus, it is no wonder that website performance is an important SEO consideration. Google favors faster loading websites. When websites ignore this, they may end up losing traffic and search engine trust.
To improve website’s performance, compress images using free online image compression tools (such as TinyPNG). You may also want to consider stripping out unnecessary code as part of a code minification approach. You can also set up browser caching (via a plugin such as LiteSpeed Cache) so that returning visitors experience faster loading pages.
Poor Mobile Experience
According to multiple sources, most folks browse the web from a mobile device these days. In fact, Google’s mobile-first indexing means that Google will primarily use a web page’s mobile version for organic search indexing and ranking. Thus, if your website does not utilize responsive design, it degrades the user experience, that can result in a higher bounce rate and lower conversions.
To make your website responsive, use media queries in CSS for fluid layouts. It is also a good idea to check your website on real mobile devices, not just on web browser emulators to verify real-world usability.
Code Bloat and Excessive Plugin Use
Having extra, unused code, such as JavaScript or CSS, slows down your website’s performance. Having too many active plugins (on WordPress websites) can also dramatically increase page load times.
To reduce code bloat and unnecessary and/or slow plugin usage in your website, run some free online website performance testing tools, such as GTmetrix, to find out what is slowing down your website. Then, with this information, you can try minifying your website’s code and lazy-loading non-critical assets for better performance.
Navigation and User Experience (UX) Issues
When people visit your website, it should be easy to find what they are looking for. If not, website visitors may end up clicking away, leading to higher bounce rates and lost sales.
Good UX keeps users engaged and guides them to what they want, boosting time on-site and conversions. Therefore, make sure your website excels in an intuitive navigation structure and in its execution of excellent user experience. One way to accomplish this is to add breadcrumbs to subpages. That is because breadcrumbs show the path to and from home, like “Home > Services > Plumbing.” This helps UX and SEO.
Unclear Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
CTAs are your friend when it comes to conversions. If they are tiny or vague, users may overlook them. For example, “Learn More” may go unnoticed whereas “Get Your Free Quote Now” may grab more attention.
You may also want to consider placement of your CTAs above the fold with bold colors that pop. UX experts say powerful color contrast draws the eye to it for more immediate attention.
Poor Readability and Inconsistent Design Language
A web page full of unformatted blocks of text with little-to-no visual breaks (e.g. images, ctas, etc.), can turn off readers. Inconsistent colors or fonts can hurt user engagement and degrade brand trust.
Content and SEO Missteps That Erode Authority
When it comes to SEO, content is king. So, weak, thin, inaccurate or duplicate content can tank website authority and organic search rankings. To avoid this, write and publish content that follows the principles of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness.
Lack of Secure Connection (Non-HTTPS Implementation)
When your website uses HTTP and not HTTPS, it signals to search engines like Google and their users that your website is “unsafe” in web browsers. As a result, you would lose trust and organic traffic. To avoid this scenario, always use HTTPS by implementing an SSL certificate.
Broken Links and Crawl Errors
Broken internal links can frustrate users which can lead to higher bounce rates and lead to a degradation in user experience and trust. 404 errors waste crawl budget and result in the loss of link equity. To mitigate this, set up 301 redirects for old URLs.
Absence of Trust Signals Near Conversion Points
When your website has no trust signals, such as badges (e.g. SSL padlock icons, credit card icons, or security providers) or customer testimonials, users may question whether your business is legitimate.
Obtaining an SSL certificate so that web browsers display an SSL icon, and placing Google reviews near a buy now button can improve conversions and enhance trust.
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