The world we live in thrives on digital access; people find products and services with just a few taps on their phones or a couple of clicks on a computer. If your website does not translate effectively across multiple platforms, the face of your business will appear lackluster.
If your website is poorly designed, slow, outdated, or looks mediocre across several digital platforms (mobile, in particular), you could be driving potential customers away while damaging your brand’s reputation.
Everyone in business understands you need to have a budget – but if you cut corners in the wrong place, such as web development, you could harm your company’s bottom line in the long wrong. To a devastating degree.
The saying, “You have to spend money to make money,” rings true in a way. But perhaps a better saying is, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” ~ Benjamin Franklin.
So, in this blog post, The Blondes will explain the cost of bad design and why cutting corners can hurt your brand and your bottom line.
Poor design equals a loss in customers
Let us pause and have a ponder for a moment: imagine your prospective customer is imagining their desire for your product or service. They do a Google search, and your website is the first or second to pop up. Excitedly, they click on it, expecting to see a high-functioning, attractive website that operates seamlessly and drives them into making a purchase.
But the dream fizzles. In reality, the customer goes to your website, and it loads slowly, pages lead to dead links, photos and design elements are out of line and all over the place. Frustrated, they click or swipe away, looking for an alternative to your business.
Ouch. Your competitor shoots and scores.
To prevent this, your website needs a design that matches your core values, vision, and target demographic. A well-designed website can bring in even more skeptical customers.
What is more, working with the right professionals ensures that your website is attractive and functional across several devices: phones, laptops, PCs, tablets, etc. This means customers of every variety not only have access, but can have a similar, positive experience with your brand.
This is why it is important to work with a branding and design studio, especially if you do not have all the hands to carefully craft your website’s appearance and functionality. Allowing you to avoid the potential pitfalls of bad website design:
Slow loading times
Confusing navigation
Poor mobile compatibility
Outdated visuals
Broken links
Unclear calls-to-action
Inconsistent branding
Accessibility issues
Cluttered layouts
Low-quality images
Did you know that approximately 75% of people believe that a website's credibility is based on design? That means if your website does not sparkle or at least function quickly, people are more likely to leave it behind.
Further impact of poor website design
Did you know that if your visitors navigate your website and find it hard to use or just generally kind of... "blah"? They will turn their tail and run away. If you want to reduce website conversions and eliminate bounce rates, you need a lovely website. One that looks good, works well, reads good, and provides the right communication channels to reel in those desired customers. 38% of users have been shown to completely stop engaging with a website due to unappealing content and layout, some of which can be attributed to poor navigation.
This is why it is important to put some of your brand’s investment into modern website design. At the end of the day, if you are unavailable digitally, you have to rely on old-school tactics like word-of-mouth and billboards. However, the internet is a vast and endless space that allows you to tailor your website to reach the exact demographic you are looking for. So, why take the risk and cut the cost?
Saving money is important, but not when it comes to the longevity of your business. It might be nerve-racking, but investing in website design can increase your revenue significantly, creating a positive return on investment (ROI).
After all, according to stats, every $1 invested in the user experience brings up to $100 in return. Imagine you invest in something that still fits within your budget but simply exceeds the minimum: you could see a serious return. This means even small and mid-sized businesses have a chance to increase their revenue. And there are branding and design studios, like The Blondes, skilled and ready enough to take you to the next level.
Page speed is everything
We are all on the move. Whether we rush out the door with nothing but a piece of toast or pay the extra delivery fee to receive our goods and services faster, there is no denying that people like quick and immediate rewards for their efforts and desires. Who can blame them? That is how the world works! And an online brand needs to keep up. Otherwise, the only other option is to move on to the next best option. That, again, equals your competitors.
According to Google, 53% of website visits are likely to be abandoned if pages take more than three seconds to load. can you imagine a prospective customer actually trying to sit and wait on their phone or PC to load after more than thirty seconds, let alone three? Not in our day and age.
This is why your website cannot just be attractive; it has to work seamlessly. While every website has its hiccups, major problems stemming from poor design and slow-loading pages can take money out of your pocket.
The solution: working with a reputable branding and design studio. The pros with portfolios take the hard work off your hands, working within your budget while ensuring you enjoy serious ROIs.
Having said that, we’re not quite done yet.
Lack of SEO misdirects customers
A bad website doesn’t just make the user experience frustrating to view and navigate; it also makes it blatantly hard to find. When talking about search engines, you can never forget about your website’s SEO. Search engine optimization is absolutely necessary when it comes to driving organic traffic to your website… which means a poorly maintained site is likely to fall under the radar. That’s normal speak for: “Your website will fail to rank in the algorithm.”
Let’s take a look at some common website SEO pitfalls:
Sluggish page performance that tests visitor patience.
Recycled copy or overlooked meta details that weaken search visibility.
Layouts that crumble on smartphones and tablets.
Content and headings are missing the mark on keyword targeting.
The potential losses associated with misdirected customers could harm your business significantly, and unless you have a complete and balanced team of pros at your back, you’ll be losing money.
Poor content and design sabotage conversions
A good-looking website is one of the first steps; the following is getting users to act! This can mean purchasing a product, signing up for a service or subscription, or simply reaching out to you for more information. Either way, prime conversion gets your customers interacting with your brand, if not making purchases and pledges.
Having said all that, if the layout of your website is confusing and hard to navigate, your customers won't find what they need. Not only this, but poorly written website copy harms your ability to reel in customers, too.
This often happens when your website lacks a solid call-to-action (CTA), leaving your users unsure of what to do next. If your website provides them with a promise that their efforts matter, along with a link, and that link doesn't work... what do you think they'll do? They will probably get frustrated and click away.
What's more, if the call-to-action messaging isn't clear in the written content, a customer may go looking for better instructions elsewhere. All these components matter, and they are often overlooked by emerging brands.
When working with the right team, keep navigation in mind. Make sure your team is writing persuasive content that truly captivates your audience in a meaningful way. Keep things strategic and make sure you maintain an eye on the content that truly matters to your customers. Otherwise, you could lose out on revenue.
There’s more to it than that, however
Your website is likely how your customers are going to realistically connect with your brand and find your products/services. But website design isn’t the only important part of having a well-designed brand and product. Every element of your business needs to be designed meticulously and harmoniously; otherwise, you could be losing out on potential revenue.
Full-service design solutions
To give you the full picture, here’s just some of what The Blondes can offer:
Branding & Identity: logos, name development, taglines, identity guides
Strategy: brand audits, campaign development, creative consulting
Print Media: reports, magazines, brochures
Packaging: food, beverage, product, labels
Illustration: icons, infographics
Digital Design: websites, social media graphics, online ads, animation
Workshops: BBS™ (Blonde Brainstorming Sessions™) for collaborative idea generation
Accessibility: AODA-compliant design, accessible PDFs
Environmental & Signage: tradeshow graphics, point-of-purchase displays, signage
Pitfalls of Overlooking Other Key Design & Branding Elements
Without working with a full-service branding and design team, you could potentially hit several pitfalls:
Branding & Identity: Without a cohesive logo, name, or tagline, your brand could look disjointed and unrecognizable. This also includes having inconsistent identity guides, further creating confusion and a lack of connections for customers and employees along the way.
Strategy: If you skip brand auditing and avoid campaign planning, you can end up with completely misaligned messaging, thereby wasting your marketing budget. You need to have an unclouded vision and strategy; otherwise, even a mint design will fall flat.
Print Media: Poorly designed reports, brochures, or magazines can undermine your brand’s credibility, which can reflect poorly on your brand.
Packaging: Weak packaging can make your brand look sloppy or unnoticeable, putting you at a serious disadvantage against competitors with more eye-catching, functional solutions.
Illustration: If you neglect icons or infographics, you’ll lose out on communicating more complex ideas. These design elements help communicate something that could be better understood with a little ingenuity.
Digital Design: A lack of engaging websites, social graphics, or digital ads can erode your online presence and limit customer reach. Inconsistent digital visuals can also dilute brand recognition.
Workshops: Without structured brainstorming, idea generation may stall, leaving campaigns uninspired and disconnected from your audience. Without that connection, the less likely a customer will be to make a purchase.
Accessibility: Ignoring AODA standards or accessible PDF design not only excludes potential customers but also risks legal compliance issues. Accessibility isn’t an optional feature, but rather, it’s the standard practice for reliable businesses.
Environmental & Signage: Poorly executed signage or trade show graphics can result in missed opportunities to connect with customers in person, weakening first impressions. Customers are far more likely to engage with your business if you come in with a strong first impression.
The Blondes: Your choice for achieving results
The Blondes is a reliable studio of creators, artists, and innovators. We work alongside your team to fill in the gaps and bring your brand and design to the next level. Not only can we create something beautiful, but we can bring you tangible business results. Whether it's clicks or conversions, the Blondes is here to support your business endeavours. We can prevent you from losing out on cash flow by creating an attractive and functional website, along with a design that keeps your customers hooked.
Don’t leave things up to trial and chance; work with the professionals who are guaranteed to have your back. Contact us today.
