People need websites for all sorts of reasons. It might be for marketing a new business, selling items on an e-commerce site, or running a hobby-related blog. Whatever the reason, every website must meet certain requirements in order to function correctly. The last thing anyone wants is a high bounce rate. 

Are you in the midst of designing a website, or are you thinking about getting one for your new start-up? If so, these are five of the most common elements people forget when designing a website – make sure you don’t forget them, too! 

1: Mobile Friendliness

Did you know that 47% of web traffic came from mobile in November 2021? In this digital age, more people use smaller screens to access the web. That means it’s paramount to make your website mobile friendly. If you don’t, you could lose half of your users, which is no small amount! 

2: Error Pages

Error pages might be frustrating to stumble across, but not having them is even worse. An error page tells the user what the issue might be while also helping them navigate their way back to the website. By designing an error page, you ensure you don’t lose your users. Instead, you offer guidance when things go wrong. 

3: Well-designed Buttons

You will inevitably design links to go onto your website. What about the buttons, though? Think about any website you have ever been on – they will have lots of buttons. The thing is, you probably just didn’t notice. Your job with designing buttons is to make them clear and defined. You should also place them in an area the user will expect. Another good idea is to have the button change color when the user hovers over it, which improves the user experience. 

4: A Web Design that Matches Branding

Many people look at other people’s websites to gain inspiration. That’s absolutely fine and can even help you create the perfect layout, especially if you gather inspirational elements from multiple sites. However, it’s crucial to match the website design to your branding. Instead of going for a general but attractive-looking website layout, you should consider what your website is about and build a design around that – a web designer like LP Design can help with that. It’s surprising how many people miss this!

5: Auto Responses

When a user uses your website, your goal is to keep the conversation going. An easy way to do that? By designing auto responses. Whether a user has signed up for a newsletter or submitted a request, they should always receive a ‘thank you’ response – preferably instantly. Not only will it show that you’re attentive, but it will also help them stay in touch with your website. At the very least, it will keep your business/website in their mind longer. 

Designing any website takes a fair amount of work, even if you use a website builder. Remember to incorporate the above five elements into your website to ensure your users don’t click away as soon as they enter your site!