Web development is an intricate process encompassing visual components as well as design functionality. It includes everything from website speed and performance, user experience and accessibility issues, cross-browser compatibility issues and SEO benefits.
Unfortunately, even experienced web developers can make errors that negatively affect website functionality. This guide offers insight into some of the most commonly occurring mistakes during web development and offers helpful strategies on how to prevent future ones.
- Not Prioritising Mobile Responsiveness
With mobile devices now accounting for most website visits, not making your site fully responsive is a serious mistake. Visitors who find it hard to use will quickly become disenchanted with it and either return later when desktop versions become more convenient or simply abandon it altogether, thus increasing its bounce rate and driving up sales figures.
Be sure to use a mobile-friendly test tool and browsers to identify any potential issues before they go live. Also consider employing a framework which enables components that are optimized for various screen sizes and devices – this will reduce maintenance costs long term; making login buttons large and easy-to-click will allow your visitors to access your website from any device.
- Not Prioritising Page Speed Optimization
Web pages that take too long to load will frustrate visitors, leading them to abandon them in droves. This may be caused by slow server response times, outdated code or large file sizes – all factors which increase visitor frustration and encourage them to navigate away from your page quickly.
Quick loading pages are essential to both user experience and search engine rankings, with even slight reductions in load time having an immense effect on conversion rates.
Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse are among many tools available to optimize page speed, providing free scores and actionable recommendations on improving it. Prioritize rendering-blocking CSS/JS files above-the-fold elements while caching frequently requested resources as key strategies to speeding up page speeds.
- Not Prioritising Intuitive Navigation
An intuitive navigation experience is critical in creating a positive user experience, and increasing conversion rates and repeat visits. But to create intuitive interfaces successfully requires an in-depth knowledge of user needs and preferences – something best practices and human-centric design methodologies help address. Some examples include establishing clear menu structures, descriptive labels, search functionality breadcrumbs responsive design clutter reduction active element highlighting.
Color and typography both play an integral part in intuitive navigation processes. Both elements can help highlight relevant information while also creating certain emotions – for instance using bold colours for call to action (CTA) buttons can increase click-through rates, while making them stand out against other page elements and stand out clearly against competitors. Furthermore, making CTA buttons easily visible and legible are essential.
- Not Prioritising Accessibility
One of the most common mistakes web developers make is failing to prioritize accessibility, which can have serious repercussions for user experience and may lead to legal implications for site owners.
That is why it is vital to incorporate accessibility as a goal from the very start of any new development project. By doing so, any issues as they arise can be quickly addressed without incurring expensive legal ramifications.
For your website visitors using assistive technology, this means utilizing strong color contrast and including keyboard accessibility whenever possible. Furthermore, images should include alternative text for captioning purposes, while audio should allow users to control volume or even stop it altogether.
- Not Prioritising SEO
Web development requires more than creating an attractive layout; it involves also developing functionalities to ensure websites work across platforms and systems properly. Therefore, having clear documentation for all aspects of your web site’s development–coding as well as design–is crucial for its success.
For optimal SEO performance, a measurable plan must be devised that clearly outlines what needs to be accomplished, when and by whom. With so many aspects to take into account and so many different goals to aim for, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of them altogether. To prevent this, prioritize technical SEO fixes based on impact and effort so you are only working on high priority items while having time and resources available to revisit lower priority issues when appropriate.