Web Design Mistakes That Could Be Hurting Your Business  

• May 27, 2025

Your website is frequently the first impression potential customers have of your business. Unfortunately, even the best designs can fail if they do not support usability, speed, or comprehensibility. Web design mistakes can create an unsatisfactory experience for the user, poor speed performance for the website, and cost your business revenue in the process.

In this article, we will reveal seven of the most common web design mistakes that could quietly hurt your business — and how to fix them.

1. Slow Loading Speed

A slow website is one of the worst web design mistakes. Google reports indicate that 53% of users will leave a mobile site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. Not only is a slow website annoying to users, but it can also hurt your SEO.

Fix:

• Optimizing images and compressing files.
• You use a fast and reliable hosting service.
• Browser caching and content delivery networks (CDNs) are utilized.

At Shopera, we build fast-loading websites with optimized code and effective infrastructure to ensure that your website performance is never at risk.

2. Poor Mobile Optimization

With mobile devices accounting for over 60% of internet traffic, your site needs to be responsive. If you design a website that constrains itself to desktop sizing and does not respond to the size of the user's device screen, it is a serious failure in user experience.

Fix:

• Take a mobile-first design approach.
• Ensure tap targets (Buttons, Links, etc.) are large enough.
• QA against multiple devices and browsers.

Building a responsive, mobile-friendly website will help the users' experience and lead to increased engagement and conversions across all devices.

3. Confusing Navigation

If users don’t find what they are searching for within a few clicks, they will leave. Confusing or inconsistent menus, hard-to-find CTAs, and unclear paths will hurt conversions and ultimately hurt your website's performance.

Fix:

• Implement a clean, intuitive navigation bar.
• Follow a logical hierarchy: Home, Services, About, Contact, etc.
• Leverage breadcrumbs and search capability.

When users can quickly find what they need through effective website navigation, their experience will be improved, and your conversions will increase.

4. Unclear Call to Action (CTA)

Visitors often need guidance. Without any clear CTAs, they may just leave, and not subscribe, book a call, or make a purchase!

Fix:

• Make sure CTAs are above the fold and at the end of sections.
• Use action-focused terms: "Get a Free Quote" or "Start Your Trial."
• Use bright, contrasting colors to differentiate buttons.

When visitors see a marked CTA in the right location, it can significantly increase engagement rate and conversion.

5. Overwhelming or Cluttered Design

Attempting to put too much on one page has its downsides as well. Too many elements can distract from what is important and dilute your brand message.

Fix:

• Incorporate whitespace to improve readability.
• Use a consistent color palette and typography style.
• Do not autoplay videos or seem overly annoying with popups.

The user experience is about simple and clear content. A clean design will give your website a more professional look and feel, leading users to trust your brand even more!

6. Overlooking Accessibility

Web accessibility is no longer optional. If your website is not usable by someone with disabilities, you’re not only excluding a significant audience but also risking legal issues.

Fix:

• Use alt text for images.
• Enable keyboard navigation.
• Use proper color contrast and readable fonts.

Prioritizing accessibility ensures your website is inclusive and usable by all visitors, regardless of ability.

7. Poor SEO Strategy

Your website might look nice, but it won’t be found if you haven’t optimised it for search engines. Neglecting the basics of SEO is a common and costly mistake in web design.

Fix:

• Proper use of header tags (H1, H2, H3).
• Include meta titles and descriptions.
• Optimised for keywords (without keyword stuffing).

Building a solid SEO foundation is a great way to improve your website's visibility, and it can consistently give you organic traffic over time.

8. Using Old Design Trends

Design trends evolve rapidly. An out-of-date site can make users question your trustworthiness. Think about Flash animations, 3D buttons, or low-res graphics - all demonstrate a “1999” experience.

Fix: 

• Keep the design minimal, modern, stylish, and on-brand. 
• Audit your design elements regularly and refresh them.
• Consider implementing new UI/UX trends like dark mode or micro-interactions.

Keeping your design modern communicates credibility as well as signifies that your business is changing to reflect current digital standards.

9. Neglecting Analytics and User Feedback

If you're not analyzing how users are interacting with your website, you're flying blind. If you're not using analytics tools like Google Analytics or heatmaps, you probably don't know where the pain points in your user experience are.

Fix:

• Set up Google Analytics and monitor the behavior flow.
• Use heatmaps (like Hotjar) to see where users are clicking and scrolling.
• Implement A/B testing to see where your CTAs and layout can be improved.

Are you looking for data-driven design improvements? Shopera's experts can carry out an audit and make recommendations for your existing website.

10. No Clear Value Proposition

What makes your company special? If users can't figure that out in 5 seconds, your site is missing the mark.

Fix:

• You must state your value proposition clearly on your homepage.
• Use compelling headlines that offer a solution or some sort of benefit to visitors.
• Back it up with testimonials, case studies, or statistics.

A clear value proposition helps visitors quickly determine the benefits associated with using your business.

11. Ignoring Security and Trust Signals

If your site seems unsafe, people will leave, especially if you are asking for personal information or money.

Fix:

• Use HTTPS and include security certificates.
• Use trust badges, logos of clients, and user reviews.
• Make your privacy policy visible.

By increasing your site’s security, you begin to build trust with users and protect your brand.

12. Poor Content Structure

Ultimately, walls of text, an absence of visuals, or poorly organized content will deter users. You may have fantastic information, but if it’s not digestible, then it’s worthless.

Fix:

• Make content scannable by breaking it into sections that have headers and bullet points.
• Use visuals like icons, images, and infographics.
• Be consistent with tone and grammar.

Well-structured, clear content allows users to find what they are looking for quickly, which is going to keep them engaged and retain their attention.

Final Thoughts

Your website is your online storefront. The web design mistakes you're ignoring today could cost you conversions, clients, and credibility down the road. With a focus on user experience, improved website performance, and a clean, mobile-friendly, and accessible design, you can turn your website into an effective business asset.

At Shopera, we help brands like yours avoid these issues and create websites that are not only beautiful but will achieve results. Whether you're looking for a total refreshment or just a couple of strategic adjustments, our team is ready to assist you in growing.

Are You Ready to Fix Your Website?

Let's make sure your site is working for you and not against you. Contact Shopera today for a free website audit and see how you've been losing opportunities and how to start measuring success.