1. Your site is too slow
Website loading speed is a big problem on the Internet. No visitor wants to wait for your homepage to load. In fact, you can give it a number – two seconds. This is the time most visitors wait for a page to load. Even a one-second delay can result in a 7% reduction in conversions. For Amazon, a one-second delay means an annual loss of $1,6 billion.
But there is no reason for it to be like that, as there is a lot you can do to speed up your WordPress . Having just a few of them can help you improve your website speed.
2. too many pop-ups
Yes, we all know pop-ups are great for conversions, and I'm not saying you have to take them all on your site. Not at all - just that you use them wisely. Otherwise, your visitors may simply walk away, possibly to a competitor's site.
Now, there are many things you can do to use pop-ups without harming the SEO of your site . To get started, you can,
- Engage players with your content for a while before popping up a pop-up window
- Always give them an easy-to-find option to reject the pop-up window
- Hide pop-ups of returning visitors
In fact, Google doesn't take pop-ups that annoy visitors to your website, like large sticky ads. Exit intent pop-ups aren't that annoying to a reader, and if you must use pop-ups, you should seriously consider using them.
3. Your website is not suitable for mobile devices
The number of people accessing the Internet from mobiles has exceeded the number of desktop users . So, isn't it about time you designed some websites that are suitable for viewing on mobiles?
In order for a user to have a good experience of your site on mobile, you need to make sure that they don't have to pinch or zoom for better viewing. CTAs and buttons should be easy to find, without being placed too close to each other. There are many other things you can do to optimize your website to look good and perform well on mobile devices. And after making all the changes, you can check if your site is compatible with mobile devices.
Without forgetting that Google will not send any mobile users if you think your website is not mobile friendly. That's over half of all internet users, so you see what you stand to lose if your site isn't mobile-friendly.
In addition, Google is moving towards a first mobile index. This means that in any search launched on a mobile device, Google will look at your mobile pages before the desktop version.
It may also be wise to use a mobile approach to design your website, if you know that the majority of your visitors access your website from mobile phones.
4. Audio / video autoloading
Of course, we all love to listen to music, but there is a time and place for everything. How often have you opened a website only to be greeted unexpectedly with music? In a public place, it can be quite intrusive. Even otherwise, it can distract you from the task at hand.
What can be worse is if you have a number of tabs open and cannot identify which one is playing audio from. And believe me, it's easier for your visitor to reach the Back or Close button than it is to find the Mute button. This is another visitor you lost.
In addition, ads read unexpectedly can be blocked by Chrome's built-in ad blocker .
5. Your web design is more attractive than functional
The main goal of any website should be to present the content in a pleasing manner. At the same time, users should be able to interact intuitively, without getting distracted by lots of tricks, like GIFs and animations.
Attractive and hard-to-use sites may attract first-time visitors, but when they realize that nothing is working the way they should on your site, they definitely won't come back.
When designing your website, it's a good idea to:
- Stay up-to-date with modern trends in the internet
- Be consistent in the design of the entire website, without surprising every page
- Pay attention to fonts (ignore the urge to add multiple fonts), colors, white space, and layout
- Keep text blocks small, a crowded page with a lot of text is a safe way to send a visitor
- Use cursors only when relevant and keep the ads to a reasonable number
Ads that open on the ad's website when the user clicks "X" to get rid of it are certainly a big deal. This is tantamount to deceiving a visitor and he will not appreciate it.
Instead, you should try adding user-friendly features like “Back to Top” on a long page or a useful “Search” option.
6. Your images are boring
If you've been running a website for a long time, know that images are an important part of any good website. So, why not find appropriate, unique and attractive images for your site? Stock images aren't always correct, especially if you choose the appropriate first image you come across. Chances are a lot of other websites are using them, and that's not going to make your website a must-have for internet users.
We made a list places where you can find the best photos of your site, but you can go further and create your own photos. Use photos of real people around you or create your own images. Also, if you are a paying customer on websites that store images, you may find less common images on the internet.
7. Content not optimized
A website is only a platform for the content it contains. People come to your website for the primary purpose of consuming your content. So the information you have there should be unique, useful, and presented in a conversational way.
In concrete terms, this can mean:
- No duplicate content. This is penalized by Google, so it is important that your content is not repeated both on your website and on the internet.
- Likewise, the stuffing of keywords is also frowned upon by Google.
- Your headlines and subtitles grab the attention of readers and make them read more. As you write catchy headlines, make sure the matches match.
- A well-designed "About" page gives context to the content and makes it more reliable for a visitor
In addition, the appropriate information on the website should be included and, if important, displayed in the appropriate places. For example, on an eCommerce site, I would like to know the cost before I add it to the cart. Or, if free shipping is available before you checkout. It would also be nice if you didn't ask for unnecessary information such as the location or age of the visitor. I mean, it makes sense for Google Maps or an ecommerce site to ask this question, but many other websites don't.
Many readers find it annoying when websites ask them to turn off ad blockers. Of course, it's easy to see why they are doing this. But in most cases, users can easily find what they're looking for on a competitor's site without turning off the ad blocker.
8. Navigation on the site is missing
Is your website difficult to navigate? Are visitors wondering which button to click after reaching your website? There goes another visitor, maybe never coming back.
Navigating a website should be intuitive, making it easy for visitors to find the content they are looking for on your website. WordPress has a number of options to help you navigate well. All in all, it makes sense to stick with the tried and true browsing methods that most internet users know. Also remember that a search function is always appreciated by visitors.
You must also make sure that all links (internal and external) work properly.
9. Your site is not secure
Did you notice the "https" at the beginning of the URL on this page? This means that BlogPasCher has obtained an SSL certificate and that all communication between your browser and this website is encrypted. This makes it difficult for others to listen in or manipulate the conversation. This gives users the confidence to interact with your site, especially if it collects sensitive personal information or accepts payments online. You can read more about this in our HTTPS guide previous.
In addition, your website may be labeled "insecure" if it does not have an SSL certificate. Now, with Let 's Encrypt , adding a security certification to your website is quite simple.
10. What happens above the fold on your home page?
It's also a good idea to put the most important details of your website immediately visible to visitors when they land on your home page. Your website name, a slogan indicating its content, and a menu providing access to website content should be visible to visitors who access your home page, without having to scroll. This way you are useful and a visitor immediately knows what it is.
Use the hamburger menus only if you absolutely have to. They make sense on mobile, but not so much on a desktop. Some readers may be confused, wondering what to click next.
To summarize
Your website works for you even when you sleep. A little understanding of audience preferences and how they fit will make visitors engage more with your website and keep them from rushing quickly. You have less than two seconds to make a great first impression, and you should do everything possible to meet user expectations.
