The 35 Fatal Flaws That Can Destroy Your Website and Business

Jan 2
22:25

2024

Shelley Lowery

Shelley Lowery

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The first impression of your website can make or break your business. After evaluating thousands of websites for my Exceptional Sites Award over the past few years, I've noticed that many business websites are failing to make a positive impact. For instance, during a recent search for a targeted mailing list, I found that none of the twenty sites I visited met professional standards. This article will explore the 35 fatal flaws that can destroy your website and business.

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The Importance of Professionalism in Web Design

The appearance of your website is a direct reflection of your business. If your site looks unprofessional or unappealing at first glance,The 35 Fatal Flaws That Can Destroy Your Website and Business Articles its perceived value and the value of your products or services will be low. This includes elements such as oversized text links, busy backgrounds, flashing images, and disorganization.

On the other hand, even if your website is well-designed and offers a quality product or service, slow load times can still negatively impact its perceived value. Potential customers won't wait around for a slow site to load, which can ultimately cost you business.

The Value of Quality Content

Your website's content is another crucial factor. When someone visits your website, they're looking for something specific - whether it's your product, service, or information. If they don't find what they're looking for, they'll move on to the next site. To keep visitors on your site, provide the quality content they're looking for in an organized manner. Give them a reason to explore your site and to return in the future.

The 35 Fatal Flaws

After receiving numerous questions about site design from visitors who weren't selected for the Exceptional Sites Award, I've compiled a list of what I call the "35 Fatal Website Flaws". These include:

  • Slow load time
  • Unprofessional appearance
  • Spelling and grammar errors
  • Lack of contact information
  • Poor content
  • Difficult navigation
  • Broken links and graphics
  • Poor browser compatibility
  • Large, slow-loading graphics
  • Excessive use of graphics
  • Endless scrolling pages
  • Overuse of animated graphics
  • Animated bullets
  • Excessive graphic and line dividers
  • Busy, distracting backgrounds
  • Multiple banners and buttons
  • Poor use of frames
  • Oversized fonts
  • Pop-up messages
  • Overuse of Java
  • Poor use of tables
  • Poor organization
  • Different backgrounds on each page
  • Autoplay music
  • Confusing layout
  • Excessive advertising
  • Large welcome banners
  • Multicolored text
  • Text that's difficult to read
  • Lack of meta tags
  • Multiple different fonts
  • "Under construction" signs
  • Scrolling text in the status bar
  • Large scrolling text across the page
  • Poor use of mouse-over effects

Take some time to critically evaluate your site. Compare it to sites that you consider professional. Time your site's load time - remember, your customers won't wait. Their time is valuable.

The simple, well-designed sites are the ones that make sales. If your sales aren't what you'd hoped, consider evaluating your site and making necessary changes before investing more time and money into advertising and marketing. You might be pleasantly surprised by the results.

If you're serious about designing a successful website, I highly recommend Ken Evoy's ebook, "Make Your Site Sell." It provides invaluable insights into how to make any website sell, like no other book or program ever has. You can find it here.