Is your website scaring away your web visitors?
While website trends have evolved over time, the Wicked Witch of the Web is still putting curses on websites everywhere. Some web elements or concepts are more deceptive than you think. Instead of drawing people in, you could be scaring them away.
With Halloween around the corner, take this time to purge your website of a few cursed and outdated elements. Here are a few we recommend reevaluating:
1. Spooky Sliders
In the early years of web design, sliders were a great idea to add dynamism to your site. They used to be impressive and flashy. However, these days, they read more clunky and inconvenient. Don’t get us wrong – the occasional slider can be a great option if you’re displaying a few logos for credibility purposes or providing additional blog resources. But if you have real and important content in a slider, you’re essentially throwing it in the waste bin.
Today’s users want answers to their questions, and they want them fast. The chances of someone noticing your slider and then taking the time to click through it or wait for it to automatically change are incredibly low.
Instead of a slider, re-evaluate your content. Is all the content needed? Can you better structure the content to be covered in a few, well-designed panels? Just remember – time is of the essence for your web visitors. Get them the information they want as quickly as you can without any gimmicks.
2. Alarming Accessibility
Web accessibility has always been important. But in the last few years, it’s been propelled to the top of the docket for website owners. Inclusivity is cool and inaccessible websites – very uncool. If users can’t access your content, they won’t be able to take the next steps and you will lose out on potential customers.
When looking to address your site’s accessibility, start with the easy stuff. Check your color schemes. Are the colors you’re using for text and backgrounds legible to users who are colorblind or have low visibility? The WebAIM color contrast checker is a great resource for analyzing your color story.
It’s also important to add alternative text to any images on your site that add information. If an image is purely decorative or a stock photo solely for aesthetics, you can skip the alt text. But if the graphic adds context to the text on the page, be sure to add the alt text so your visitors who may be using assistive technologies like a screen reader can get as much information as possible.
Accessibility can be difficult to start implementing, but it’s never too late. The pointers above are just the tip of the iceberg. Feel free to reach out to our team if you have any questions on your site’s accessibility.
3. Uncanny UX
Think of user experience (UX) like a mirror. When you look in a mirror, you expect to see yourself. That makes sense, it’s comfortable, nothing out of the ordinary. But imagine you looked in the mirror and saw someone else!
Don’t make your visitors look in a spooky mirror straight from the horror flicks. A successful website in terms of UX should show the visitor themselves. You should address their problems, make them feel seen and offer realistic solutions. Your visitors should feel comfortable on your site and immediately feel like you understand their situation.
When websites first started popping up, it was a mad dash to get your brand out there and announce to the world what you have to offer. But now that everyone has a website, you need to do more to stand out and get leads. You have to learn the new way to connect with potential customers.
Consider the flow of your website and the point of view of your content. Are you speaking at your visitors and into the void? Or are you showing them what they’re hoping to see and making a real connection?
4. Shocking Security
We saved the scariest for last. A lot of the worst things that can happen to a site boil down to security issues and lack of proper maintenance.
The internet is full of hackers and people looking to take advantage of low security websites for their own gains. Don’t let your website be a target.
Make security a priority on your site. Be sure your plugins and themes are as up to date as possible. There’s a reason developers release updates. Sometimes it’s to incorporate a new, exciting feature. But a lot of the time, it’s to fix previously missed bugs and vulnerabilities that leave you susceptible. If you aren’t checking the backend of your site every month for new updates, then you’re leaving your front door unlocked and inviting threats in.
Check your passwords – for everything connected to your website but also any account you have with sensitive information. Don’t use the same passwords or basic passwords for any important accounts.
Curses, be gone!
These are just a few examples of the curses taking up residence on your website. Although scary, the Wicked Witch of the Web can easily be melted away with a little help from your friends. If you see any spooky elements on your site, feel free to reach out to us for help. Our Website Redesign Checklist also provides more tips and info on what to consider when reassessing your website.
