Nowadays, many applications allow you to create websites without too much problems, however people without web design experience can easily fell into all kinds of traps.

In this article we are going to talk about the top 10 biggest web design mistakes you can make.

1. Offering mediocre search options

When your website has too much content, finding relevant pages is of huge importance. An internal search engine that does not prioritize content based on the page importance will fail to satisfy your visitors.

2. Using the same colors on visited links

Navigation is a lot easier when me, as a visitor of your website, know from where i came from and where i’m going. If visited links do not change their color, your website might confuse me.

3. Ignoring web design conventions

The visitors opinion about a website is based on their experience that includes visiting thousands of other websites. If your website does not follow the web design conventions used on a large scale, then your visitors will spend less time on your website.

 4. Adding elements that look like ads

Navigation throughout a website implies elective attention from visitors, and between you and me, some visitors got used to ignoring the ads on a website. Pop-ups will be treated like ads and every area of your website that looks like an advertising banner will most likely be ignored.

5. Using the wrong Titles on Pages

In an attempt to offer relevant results, search engine consider a lot of factors, and the titles of your pages can often play a significant role. Writing titles that accurately describe the content of a page is a must.

6. Hard to read text

Bits of text without correct pagination can make it hard for users to find what they are looking for. To present text in a more attractive manner, it is recommended that you use short paragraphs and lists.

7. Using a single font size

Your website can also be visited by older people, and sometimes they also have sight problems. Allowing them to  increase the font on your website is a plus as they will spend more time on your website.

8. Opening new windows

This tends to irritate visitors as new windows do not contain a “Back” button and can create a lot of confusion. It’s a bad idea to open links in new windows. If i want to open a new window with your website, i want to be able to do it myself.

9.  Ignoring Feedback

Websites that do not offer answers to the visitor’s questions directly can be considered a mistake. If you have an online store and you don’t list prices, then this might be your site’s biggest mistake ( however this rarely happens with online stores ) . But  most of the times essential information is missing from a lot of websites ( about, contact page, etc ).

10. Using PDF Files

When possible, it is recommended that you avoid using PDF files on your website. A visitor needs a PDF reader in order to read the contents of the PDF file and this is something that can make a visitor leave your website.