DIY Web Design Mistakes to Avoid
Elise is a Squarespace web designer & Circle member from Baltimore, MD.
Advancements in AI and Web Design
Advancements in AI have made creating a website in minutes more commonplace for non-designers. However, it can take years to hone the skills needed to build and develop a website that meets your needs and makes sense to visitors.
While I can appreciate AI's assistance in terms of productivity, it can never replace the time and knowledge that the human experience provides.
DIYers often see a website someone else created and think, “I can do that!” Don’t get me wrong; you can do that, but you may not be able to do all of the work you don’t see on the backend of things. You also may not understand certain web design principles that create the foundation for a helpful website.
Don't rush if you can’t afford to work with a web design professional. A good website is an investment that should have measurable returns. There is no point in signing up for a website subscription to pay monthly or yearly that you build yourself if it doesn’t give you the leverage needed to achieve your business or personal goals.
If you absolutely MUST do it yourself, be sure to avoid the mistakes below.
Don’t forget about the user experience.
This a common mistake I see with DIY websites. There’s not much thought put into the flow of information throughout the site. Starting with the navigation, using words in your website menu that can be misinterpreted or only have meaning to you might confuse a visitor. Using acronyms is a hard NO because, guess what, no one else knows what they mean, which would most likely lead to no one clicking on that menu item.
The first thing to remember about UX regarding web design is that you are creating a website to solve a problem for your visitors. Your website shouldn’t create more problems.
Don’t overcomplicate the design.
Designing anything is fun if you’re naturally drawn to this sort of thing, but it’s easy to get carried away when design principles do not guide your work. Many of these principles are rooted in the psychology of how humans interact with what they see and the response that is elicited.
Create parameters to adhere to a specific color palette and font selection. Choose about five colors that you can use throughout your design, as well as a font for all of your headings and one for your paragraphs that can be used throughout your design. Most content management systems offer color schemes and font parings for designers to choose from. Still, you can use the Canva color palette generator to upload an image you like, and it will pull the dominant colors for you to use in your design. Also, remember to stay away from exaggerated designs and keep it simple.
Don’t overlook content quality.
Nothing bounces visitors fast, like unorganized or excessive content. Offer content that your audience needs to hear about what you provide. It should be clear and concise, which is often the hardest part when telling people what you do and how you can help them.
The other hard part is to remember to update your website regularly. This is super important if you offer services or menus that change frequently or events that should be shared for additional promotion.
Don’t forget about mobile responsiveness.
Approximately half of web traffic worldwide comes from mobile devices. (Statista) Therefore, ensuring your design seamlessly transfers from desktop to mobile is imperative. Many content management systems allow users to see how their design looks on desktop and mobile. Don’t forget to review both before launching. If you’re a little more savvy with tech, you may even use the developer tools on your computer to view and test additional screen sizes.
Don’t forget about Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is an essential strategy for any website that aims to boost its visibility and attract more organic traffic. The cornerstones of SEO are keyword research, title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and URL structure. These items are known as on-page optimization because you are directly optimizing the content on the website itself. This is a great place to start, but SEO is a layered effort that involves one-time, periodic, and ongoing tasks. View this checklist for a more in-depth look into SEO.
Here are some additional things you should remember when DIYing…
Remember to add your contact info in the footer and other pages on your website.
Get to know and use analytics tools like Google Analytics.
Don’t ignore website accessibility!
If you’d like help improving your website's layout or implementing a new design, I’m here to help.
Email Hello@WebzbyElise.com for more information, or book a call below ⬇️