BUSTED! Don’t Fall For These Design Myths

Web DesignA good design is the heart behind any functioning website. A well designed website can bring in new traffic, increase conversions, and improve your brand. And it all comes down to teeny tiny details like what fonts and colors you use, how your website is laid out, what kind of images and/or video you incorporate, etc. It’s easy to fall prey to design myths on what you should and shouldn’t do, but never fear! We’re here to help you steer clear of such false claims, so that your website design can be the best it can be. 

Falsehood #1: Fill All White Space

Close your eyes and plug your ears folks. This simply isn’t true. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It’s absolutely okay to have white space on your website. You want to have a clean layout with breaks between content and images. A bit of white space will free up the eyes from sensory overload. Too much clutter will almost always turn your audience away, so don’t fall for this trap. 

Falsehood #2: The Homepage is the Most Important

Wrong again. The homepage is definitely important, don’t get us wrong, but don’t focus all your effort on one single page. Most often when people are doing a search, they don’t click the link that takes them directly to the homepage. Often it is one of the interior pages. Search engines are pretty exact these days and will take you directly where you are asking for information. This means that you need to put just as much time and effort into creating a consistent design throughout your website. 

Falsehood #3: More, More More

Many people fall for the claim that you have to have every single feature on your website. Just say no! Too many features will make your website overly complex and confusing to the user. They won’t know where to click to get the information they want. It’s definitely nice to have all the bells and whistles to make one great website, but you have to ask yourself, “is it really necessary”. Make sure each feature you include on your website has a specific function and is absolutely needed for website functionality. 

Falsehood #4: My Design Will Fix It All

If you want a great website, you have to have a great design. But remember, it’s not just about colors, graphics, fonts, and other aesthetically pleasing elements. Your design may draw in curious customers and help give your brand a boost, but it is not the cure to all your problems. If you have poor content, low visitor rates, poor engagement, and low conversions, your design is not going to help you out. It’s about looking at the whole picture - you have to have a good team. Who does your editorial? Who is in charge of development? What about marketing? And of course there is everything in between. It is ALL these elements that will make a stand out website. 

Falsehood #5: You Think Just Like Your Users

We hate to break it to you, but you cannot think like your users. You alone are the creator of your website and therefore know all the ins and outs of the business. Only you know all the terminology and functionality of your products and/or services. You can’t expect your customers to already know what you do. Therefore, your website and design need to communicate the story of your business and take customers on the journey of learning about what you have to offer. Once they are well informed, that’s where the conversions start happening.