2 min read

Do you know why your website sucks?

Mark Parent May 6, 2016 4:23:42 PM EDT

Knowing that your website sucks is the first step toward remedying this particular problem.

If you also know why it sucks, you can kick off a game plan to make it better and to create an effective digital marketing strategy.

Your website looks the same on a mobile device as it does on a desktop or laptop? That sucks.

It's not responsive

Open your website on a device other than your desktop or laptop computer. How does it look? Can you read the text? If you're seeing a jumble of words and images that don't seem to work together correctly -- or if you have to manually resize the page to view it -- the site is not responsive.

These days, web users expect responsive design. They want to view sites on whatever device they happen to have handy. If your site doesn't render properly on their device of choice, they've already clicked (or tapped) away.

And if you're wondering what a makes a good responsive design site, check out our blog article, "The 4 characteristics of a well-designed responsive website."

You got too creative

Most of us have visited websites with flashing backgrounds, neon colors, and vibrant imagery that distracts us from the site's content. If your site falls under that particular umbrella, you're probably driving away more traffic than you're attracting.

This design faux pax is called "excessive creativity." It can frustrate, irritate, and confuse users. It's better to go back to the minimalist drawing board than to continue to add excessive creative elements that detract from the design. We advise creating a consistent template for every page of your site, adding new elements only when it makes practical and aesthetic sense.

Image of crumpled balls of paper. Creativity in website design is helpful, but can be too much sometimes. Everybody loves creativity in web design -- until you take it too far.

Users can't find their way around

If people feel like they've been sent adrift at sea the moment they land on your website, they won't stick around to read the fantastic article you posted yesterday. They'll find a website they can navigate more easily.

Confusing, inconsistent, or nonexistent navigation will rapidly reduce your website viewership. Users need to understand how to get back to the home page and where they need to go to get in touch with you. Your site navigation should be obvious from the moment a visitor arrives.

Nobody knows what you do

Perhaps there are still a few people who don't judge books by their covers, but the same can't be said for websites. When visitors land on your site, they should know what you do and why you do it -- especially if they come to your home page first.

This isn't just about text, either. The design should reflect your business's corporate culture, values, and beliefs. It should set the tone for the entire website and for your business so that visitors get a sense of what you stand for. Otherwise, they will simply click away out of confusion.

Web design can prove frustrating and a little intimidating, which is why it often pays to hire a professional web developer for the job. To learn about our slam-dunk approach to creating beautiful and functional sites, download our Growth-Driven Design Playbook.