Whether you’re creating a brand new website or updating your old website, there’s a lot that can go wrong. While your server going down and losing your files in a crash are serious website problems, the biggest issues that can negatively affect the profitability of your website are the following 9 deadly web design mistakes.

1. Too Much Clutter  – A cluttered website that makes it difficult for a visitor to navigate or even know where to look first is the kiss of death when it comes to making sales. Make sure your website design is uncluttered, easy to navigate, and very clean in design so it’s visually pleasing to visitors.

2. Too Confusing – If you don’t have clear directions on your website that tell visitors exactly what to do, they won’t do it. It’s critical that you tell your visitors what to do over and over again… on every page. It may seem like overkill because people aren’t stupid, but the more you tell people what to do next, the more they’ll do it, whether that means clicking to schedule a free consultation, calling you for more information, or clicking BUY NOW to make a purchase.

3. Not Making It Simple To Buy – You don’t want your customers to exit during the buying process simply because it’s too complicated, or because you ask for too much personal information. You’d be surprised how many people abandon their purchase in the middle of checking out because it’s either too confusing, or appears to be a scam.

4. Using A Free Website Platform – While you may think you’re a smart businessperson for getting yourself a free WordPress, Blogger, or other free website instead of paying for one, you’re actually hurting your business success. Not only will you totally lose your website if your free website host goes away, but you’re also at risk of losing the trust of your customers. After all, free websites scream, “I’m a FREE website!” From the domain to the ads usually hosted on these free websites, you won’t exactly put forth that you’re a professional business to your customers.

5. Not Knowing Your Customers – Knowing what your customers want (and how they want it) is another key to a successful website. For example, if you’re an author selling your book from your website, do your customers want the option of downloading it as an ebook AND purchasing it as a print book? Do they want to order directly from you, or would they prefer clicking through to Amazon.com to make their purchase? Would your customers be interested in getting more information from you, or would they like to learn about your other books and future books for sale?

6. Too Many Typos And Errors – Nothing will make your website reek of unprofessionalism like typos and errors. Never let your website go live unless it’s 100% error free.

7. Copying Your Competitors – Although competition research is a valuable step in business success, it’s not a good idea to copy your competitors exactly. If your web design looks exactly like your competition’s website, not only may you be in for a legal battle, but it may have a negative effect on your business, depending on how well your competition does business.

8. Not Updating Your Website – Not only is regularly updating your website great for your search engine optimization, it’s also an easy way to keep customers coming back for more. If your website never changes, it will become dated. You never want your website to look like it’s a ghost town.

9. Not Tracking Your Traffic – Not adding some type of tracking and analytics to your website design is a huge mistake. You need to know where your traffic is coming from, how they’re arriving at your website, and what they’re doing when they get there.

Double check your website to make sure you’re not suffering from any of these 10 fatal mistakes. Need some help from Seattle web designers? Contact Seattle SEO Consultant. Click to schedule a free, no-obligation 30 minute consultation with Chad Morgan to discuss your website and learn how you can improve it.