The importance of a well-optimized website is not to be underestimated for businesses of all sizes, no matter what they are offering, as it helps draw traffic, generate leads and convert customers. Don’t let your website fail your business.

Here are 10 web design mistakes that could be holding your business back:

1. Not being mobile friendly

With a whopping 95% of all Americans owning a cell phone, if your website can’t be viewed properly on a mobile device, you could be missing out on valuable traffic and even rank lower in Googles search results.

2. Loading too slowly

For websites that don’t load within 3 seconds, they could be missing out on consumers who don’t have the time or patience to wait.

3. Difficult to navigate

Without a menu and/or products that can easily be found, users may grow tired of your site and switch to one of your competitors. You must also display your contact information clearly, and respond to all customer queries.

4. Lack of readability

The text in your pages must be easy to read, and it should be clear what order the text should be read in. Without this, users will go elsewhere and your SEO rankings will take a nosedive.

5. No call-to-action

Giving specific commands to your users, CTAs must be present and clear.

6. Failure to match brand messaging

Your websites’ design should always be inline with your brand and the message you want to convey to your audience. Without this, users won’t be able to make a personal connection with your brand and business, and are not likely to become repeat customers, if they become customers at all.

7. No fresh content

Updating your website regularly and with relevant information, is paramount for giving users a reason to return to your site. Improve your Google rankings and remain topical and relevant to your customers with regularly updated content.

8. Weak SEO

With the evolution of search engine algorithms, websites are valued on much more than text stuffed with keywords, and many small businesses choose to outsource their SEO requirements in order to achieve the best results.

9. A lack of analytics

Data collected by websites and social media pages to show exactly who has accessed the platform are hugely insightful, and with the help of Google Analytics (or a third party digital marketing company), you can use the data collected to make sure your content is relevant for your target audience.

10. Not enough security

Internet fraud, theft and exploitation are not matters to be taken lightly, and without obtaining the SSL Certificate for security, you risk your site being pushed further down Google’s rankings.

To make sure your website is being designed by someone who understands the importance of every point raised above, work with an experienced web design company to encourage better, stronger connections with your customers, and a more effective relationship with Google.