As consumers and companies move online, it becomes more crucial than ever to impress customers with your website. If you still use social media as your main website, you might appear outdated. That may be fine for small, home-based businesses, but a dedicated website isn’t optional if you’re a fully-established company.
But creating an impressive website isn’t that simple. Technology might’ve simplified the process, but it didn’t necessarily improve the results. A combination of bad tastes and ignorance about the trends will result in an unappealing website created in 1995.
Thankfully, companies can invest in professional web development services. But to optimize their content further, they should also consider Kentico development services. It’s an online marketing platform that includes a content management system. These tools allow companies to create engaging websites to increase conversion rates.
Without these tools, what will happen to your website? It will probably display outdated content that no user today will tolerate. That said, here are some examples of such content:
1. Intrusive Ads
Have you ever visited a website when an ad suddenly took up the whole page? That’s called a floating ad, an example of an intrusive advertisement. They thwart the user’s experience and make them exit the site without the intention of going back.
Aside from floating ads, the following type of ads are also considered annoying by web users:
- Video ads that automatically play with audio
- Video ads that automatically play without audio
- Audio ads (on music streaming platforms or podcasts)
- Ads that show up based on online searches
- Banner ads for products the user has already purchased
- Targeted ads on social media
- Banner ads for products the user has browsed but not purchased
Research firm eMarketer conducted the study and found those results. Only 10% of their participants said they didn’t find digital ads annoying. Therefore, you have a whopping 90% of users to consider when placing ads on your website.
It’s not improper to place ads on your website. You probably won’t find a website today without an ad. But keep in mind that the ads shouldn’t overpower your actual content. People come to your website because you have valuable information to offer. As such, they don’t appreciate being sidetracked by ads they didn’t seek out.
2. Clutter on the Homepage
A cluttered homepage used to be normal. Remember Amazon’s old web design? There was hardly any navigation, and you’d see texts and links all over the place. We didn’t have an issue with it back then but imagine seeing such a website now. You’d probably assume that it didn’t load properly or that the page is still unfinished.
Today, Amazon may still look a little cluttered, but the content is far more organized overall. There’s clear navigation, and the texts use a sans serif font that’s cleaner and timelessly appealing. Even if it shows you many photos at once, you won’t feel visually overwhelmed. Chances are, the algorithm displayed what you want to see anyway.
3. An Under Construction Page
If a particular page on your website isn’t done yet, don’t show a link to it. It would disappoint users who expected quality content. Put the page live only if it’s ready.
4. Widgets That Have no Purpose
Widgets, a.k.a. plugins, are often necessary. But if they don’t do anything functional for your website, get rid of them. Using too many widgets clutters your homepage, making it dated and confusing. If you must use a widget, ensure that it blends with your website’s design seamlessly, it’s responsive, and visitors can benefit from it.
5. Flashy Theme
While not all brands have to go minimalist, avoid flashy color palettes. They create visual clutter and make your image look cheap. If your brand uses bold colors, balance them with a neutral or light shade. For example, McDonald’s colors are red and yellow, but their website is predominantly white. In-N-Out Burger’s website is the same. You can still stay true to your brand without filling its website with its signature colors. Keep the bold and bright colors to the accent details so that they’d be easy on the eyes.
6. No Media
Lastly, always include a form of media on your website. A website with nothing but texts looks uninteresting. Even blog posts use photos, so you have no reason to forego media. You can use stock photos, but don’t make it a habit. Make it a goal to use your own company’s photos in time. That will make your brand appear more realistic.
Using these outdated types of content is a surefire way to repel people from your website. Keep them in mind as you design and develop your site. It would help you drive traffic and boost conversion.
