Common Web Design Problems and Best Solutions for Them

A well-designed website serves as a virtual storefront for companies. Customers visit their website to find the necessary information and use it to make intelligent buying decisions. However, this is not always the case when a site is poorly designed.

A San Diego digital design company reveals the most common web design problems affecting the user experience. This guide explores the following web design problems:

• Forgetting a responsive design.
• Overlooking web accessibility.
• Having poor usability.
• Not focusing on the user experience.
• Having inconsistent designs.
• Getting a lot of errors and 404s.

Let’s go!

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Forgetting a Responsive Design

A website might have trouble rendering properly on mobile devices without responsive design optimization. With the widespread use of smartphones and tablets, increasingly more people are accessing websites on their mobile devices.

A website with a responsive design adapts and displays correctly on screens of various sizes, which enhances the experience for all users. The website is then easy to navigate, read, and interact with, regardless of the device used. 

Search engines such as Google also prioritize mobile-friendly websites in their search results. Thus, a responsive design can improve a website's visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). To create a responsive website design, consider these key strategies:

• Use responsive web development frameworks, such as Bootstrap or Foundation, for pre-built responsive components and grids for a responsive layout.
• Design websites using fluid grids and flexible layouts that adjust based on the screen size.
• Apply CSS media queries to target specific screen sizes and adjust the design accordingly.
• Optimize images for different devices by adding responsive image tags, which reduce loading times and bandwidth usage.
• Test websites across various devices, browsers, and screen sizes to ensure that the responsive design works.

Overlooking Web Accessibility

The inaccessibility of a website can be a significant problem because it excludes individuals with disabilities from effectively accessing and using the site. With proper accessibility individuals with disabilities, including those with visual and hearing impairments, mobility limitations, and cognitive disabilities, can access and interact with the website.

Many countries have legislation and regulations that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities. Failure to comply with these standards can lead to legal repercussions and potential lawsuits.

Businesses must promptly fix web accessibility issues, considering the following steps:

• Understand the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and other similar guidelines. These cover perceivable content, operable user interfaces, understandable information, and robust technologies.
• Apply alternative text (alt text) for images, ensuring that screen readers and assistive technologies can describe the images to users who cannot see them.
• Make sure that all website functionalities are accessible using a keyboard alone to enable users who have difficulty using a mouse or are dependent on assistive technologies can still navigate the site.
• Note color contrast ratios so that text is easily readable for visually impaired individuals.
• Structure web content using proper HTML elements and semantic markup.
• Test the website for accessibility using screen readers, keyboard navigation, and automated accessibility checkers.

Having Poor Usability

Poor usability leads to multiple issues that negatively affect the user experience, and ultimately, the overall business or organizational success. If users find navigating, understanding, or interacting with the website challenging, they may become frustrated and leave the site.

Poor usability can lead to high bounce rates, decreased user engagement, and lost conversions. It creates a negative brand perception of a business that lacks professionalism, credibility, and user-centeredness. To fix poor usability, consider these best practices:

• Uncover usability problems. Conduct user research to understand the target audience's needs, preferences, and pain points. 
• Design a clear and intuitive navigation structure, such as using descriptive labels for navigational elements and providing easily accessible menus or bars.
• Maintain consistency across the website's design elements, such as fonts, colors, buttons, and icons.
• Simplify forms and input fields by asking only for essential information and providing clear instructions.
• Make sure that the content is easy to read and understand. Utilize legible fonts, appropriate font sizes, and sufficient contrast between text and background.
• Handle errors in a user-friendly manner by providing clear and descriptive error messages and offering guidance on resolving the issue or providing alternative solutions.

Not Focusing on the User Experience

Not focusing on user experience can affect a business or brand. Users who have poor experiences, such as confusing navigation, slow loading times, or complex interactions, will likely become frustrated and dissatisfied enough to leave the site.

If users do not find what they are looking for or have difficulty navigating the website, they are more likely to quickly leave, creating higher bounce rates. A bad user experience can also lead to lower conversion rates. Users are less likely to convert into customers. The following techniques can improve the user experience and web design:

• Adopt a user-centered design approach focusing on understanding and addressing user needs, goals, and behaviors.
• Create a clear and intuitive navigation structure. Simplify menu options, use descriptive labels, and provide easy-to-find search functionality.
• Simplify interfaces by focusing on essential features and actions.
• Minimize clutter, use visual hierarchy, and guide users through a logical flow.
• Optimize loading times, minimize server requests, and ensure smooth interactions.
• Monitor user behavior, feedback, and analytics to identify areas for improvement.

Having Inconsistent Designs

Consistent designs make it easier for users to navigate, find information, and accomplish tasks intuitively. Inconsistencies in web design can lead to several issues and affect the user experience and brand perception. Users can get confused with an increased cognitive load. 

When a variety of elements, layouts, or interactions are inconsistent, users may struggle to navigate or interact with them. This can lead to frustration, errors, and overall poor user experience.

Design inconsistencies can harm your brand's perception and name. A cohesive and consistent design establishes a strong brand identity, conveying professionalism, trustworthiness, and reliability. Inconsistencies can also hinder usability and learnability.

To fix inconsistent web designs, consider these techniques:

• Establish a comprehensive style guide and design system that outlines the guidelines and standards for digital assets. Include specifications for colors, typography, layouts, button styles, icons, and other visual elements.
• Design templates and components that can be applied across multiple pages or screens.
• Foster collaboration and communication among designers, developers, and stakeholders for a shared understanding of design standards and guidelines.
• Conduct user testing sessions to gather web design usability and visual appeal feedback.
• Implement design reviews and quality assurance processes to verify consistency before launching or implementing changes.

Getting a Lot of Errors and 404s

Errors and 404 pages are broken, outdated, or nonexistent pages. They disrupt the navigational flow of a website, making it difficult for users to find their desired content. Having many errors and 404s (page not found) in web design can negatively affect user experience, search engine optimization, and overall website performance.

Users encountering errors or 404 pages while browsing can become frustrated. They may feel disappointed, confused, or think that the website is unreliable. Frequent errors and 404 pages can affect a website's SEO. If search engines encounter many errors when crawling and indexing web pages, it can affect a website's visibility and rankings.

Remove errors and 404s using the following strategies:

• Perform regular checks to identify broken links, outdated URLs, or incorrect redirects. Use tools such as link checkers or site crawlers.
• Create a custom 404 page that provides a helpful and user-friendly experience with a clear message explaining the error and steps to find the content sought.
• Set up appropriate redirects for outdated or moved pages.
• Utilize web analytics tools to monitor error reports and track 404 page occurrences.
• Provide clear and intuitive navigation menus, breadcrumbs, and site maps to create a logical site structure for smooth navigation and minimize errors.
• Test all links, forms, and interactive elements to ensure that they properly function and redirect to the intended pages.

Summing Up

Resolve common web design problems, such as forgetting a responsive design, overlooking web accessibility, having poor usability and user experience. Fix inconsistent formats, errors, and 404s. A well-designed and well-maintained website speaks volumes about a company's professionalism, authority, and customer service.

You can be confident that your website is free of these web design issues by partnering with a San Diego digital design company. Call the experts at Digital Authority Partners (DAP) today to learn more.