Why Your Website Design May Be Costing You Clients

Are you reading this because your website is live, but your inbox is empty? The truth is that even if you have a great product, a glowing reputation, and plenty of online traffic, bad web design can still cost you sales. The problem is that you may not understand why your site isn’t converting right now. 

Poor or outdated website design is costing you clients and will actively deter new users from becoming buyers and customers. In this article, we’re going to discuss the common design mistakes that you may have unwittingly made.

The Wrong First Impression

We all make snap judgements based on appearances and aesthetics in a fraction of a second. This is certainly true when browsing a new website while looking for information. If the layout is outdated or it’s so messy and disjointed that it looks homemade, we don’t trust it as much as a sleek, precise site. 

First impressions are the first thing you need to get right because when you get them wrong, you’ll consistently lose clients. If a new user doesn’t like your site and doesn’t think it will help them, they are highly unlikely to come back.

Confusing Layouts

The navigation on your site needs to be precise so that users can get where they want to go as quickly as possible. If the content hierarchy is messy and there are far too many choices, decision paralysis can occur. The key is to keep the layout streamlined by only introducing one purpose or action on each page. 

Alan Carr from Webpop Design states:

“A lot of businesses don’t realise their website design could be quietly costing them clients. It’s not always obvious, but small usability issues, poor mobile layouts, or unclear messaging can make all the difference between someone getting in touch or clicking away.”

Getting your layout right is a key part of offering a fast and efficient user experience. 

Slow Loading Times

It’s natural that users expect your site to load without delay because they don’t want to be kept waiting. A slow site that stutters into life is frustrating and will quickly result in you losing another batch of new clients. Google understands this and even keeps stats on bounce rates (how quickly people leave your site) and factors slow loading times into your position in search. 

Proven best practices such as compressing images, using caching, and optimising hosting can each play a part in speeding your website up. The focus should always be on optimising the user experience if your website design is costing you clients.

Poor Mobile Compatibility

The majority of users browse on their phones so your site needs to display properly on a compact smartphone screen. A site with poor touch navigation and awkward layouts will quickly start to cost you clients.

Add in issues created by unreadable text on small screens and you can be left with an online presence that consistently loses you business. Responsive website design that adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and orientations is an essential investment for any business.

Weak CTAs

The call-to-action is the final prompt that nudges the reader to do something. It could be “Buy Now” if you want them to make a purchase or “Sign Up Here” if you want them to join a mailing list. The key is to make it short, precise, and eye-catching. 

Common mistakes that result in weak CTAs that cost you clients include: 

• Lengthy wording that loses its impact 
• Multiple mixed CTAs that confuse users
• A lack of clarity due to inconsistent design

Simple rules like having the CTA in a different colour and in a prominent position either at the top or bottom of the page can make a difference. It is important to follow these pointers in a way that still aligns with your core brand. 

A Design & Branding Clash

Bad website design can feel generic, bland, and even amateurish which will then reflect badly on your business. You need visual elements that are aligned with the personality of your brand and what your target audience expects from you: 

• A tech startup will need a design that is clean, crisp, and minimalist 
• A luxury brand will be ornate yet refined in a way that is highly nuanced 
• A bank will be welcoming and have understated colours to project a sense of calm

If your web design and branding don’t match one another, you are unfortunately losing clients as soon as your site goes live. 

Final Thoughts

Getting your website to work for your business, not against it, is the only way to stop it from costing you new clients. Taking a look at your current site and auditing it may show you whether or not you would benefit from investing in UX-focused design. If you realise a poor UX is turning clients away, now is the right time to fix it.