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Top 5 Most Common Issues With Website Designs
October 25, 2020
2 minutes
As web design is one of the core services that we offer, we have seen quite a lot of businesses come to us with old websites that they'd like to get redesigned.Throughout working with different businesses, we've noticed some common issues with the designs of many websites.In this article, we're going to take a look at the 5 most common issues with website designs, so that you can avoid these issues on your next project.
1. Bad Navigation
The first very common issue with the design of a website is bad navigation.This includes menus, interlinking, and anything else that connects the pages of your website. Having bad navigation will make it harder for your customer to find what they're looking for.If your customer can't find what they're looking for, they are not going to convert. This is why it's extremely important to make everything throughout your website, as easily accessible as possible.It shouldn't be confusing in any way, but instead nice and obvious what your business does and how you can help the customer :)(Note - Digital Treasury has "SEO" and "Website Design" in the main menu, as these are our core offerings)
2. Poor SEO Practises
Many web designers don't have the right SEO knowledge to design a website that you want to grow organically. They might be good at building nice-looking websites, but the goal for your business should also be to have a website that can gain organic traffic.Some of the potential SEO mistakes web designers often make include:
- Bad on-page optimisation
- Using a non-SEO-friendly platform
- Poor internal linking structure (making it hard for Google to find your site)
If you have your website designed by someone who makes these mistakes, it could limit your long term business growth. That's why we always recommend working with web designers that also understand SEO.
3. Bad or Outdated Design
This one might be obvious, but to this day we still see websites with a bad or outdated design. It's quite common for local businesses specifically.The problem with having bad or outdated website design is that it scares customers away. If your customers are being scared away by the way your website looks, you're going to lose out on a lot of revenue.For this reason, it makes sense to invest in a website that will not damage your business but instead grow it by lifting your conversions.
4. The Designers Don't Understand Your Business
Your business, customers, and story are unique.If you're getting a website designed for an extremely cheap price, the designer is not going to understand you, your customers, or your story. This means they can't design your vision, nor a website that speaks to your customers.This is also something that will also cost you a lot of conversions, as the message to your audience will not feel right. You should always have someone who understands your business design your website.
5. Inconsistency
The fifth common issue that we often see with website designs is inconsistency.This could be in:
- Colours
- Writing style
- Font
- Font size
Or, any other aspect of your website. Some might be worse than the others, but generally speaking, you will want to be as consistent as possible.What you don't want is for your customer to land on a page, feel the message and identify with it, but then on the next page get a completely different feeling.This could especially be the case with your writing style. For example, imagine you have a page that uses a funny style of writing but the rest of your website's writing is extremely academic.Some people who land on the page with the funny writing style will probably get a strange feeling when they browse the rest of your site and leave. This doesn't mean you can't have more than one content writer, but you should aim to keep the feel the same.The writing style was just an example, but this can also happen with colours, font, font size, and any other aspect of your website.
Want To Learn More?
We've linked some articles below where you can learn more about web design and SEO to help you get a better understanding.What makes a Website Convert Well? How To Perform SEO in Australia3 Ways To Increase Your Website's Ranking in GoogleOr, if you would like to learn more about our services you can use one of the links below to do so.Our SEO ServicesOur Web design ServicesArticle edited with the online wysiwyg HTML editor. Subscribe for a HTMLG membership to stop adding promotional messages to your documents.
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Who is Digital Treasury?
We're a Melbourne-based digital agency with extensive experience helping Australian businesses build stronger online presences. Our team specialises in web design, development, hosting and SEO services - everything you need to get found online and convert visitors into customers.
Over the years, we've worked across different platforms and industries, giving us the insight to know what actually works for businesses like yours. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to improve your existing website, we focus on practical solutions that deliver real results for your business.
What types of businesses and industries do you work with?
We work with a wide range of Australian businesses, with particular expertise in healthcare, B2B services, SaaS companies, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), professional services and e-commerce brands. Our team offers tailored SEO and web solutions that are customised to fit your industry, target audience and business goals.
Where is Digital Treasury located and do you work with businesses Australia-wide?
We are based in Melbourne but we work with clients throughout Australia. Our work is mostly done remotely by video conferencing and emails, which makes collaboration easier regardless of where your business may be based.
What services does Digital Treasury offer?
Our key services include Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Website Design, Website Development, Website Maintenance and Website Hosting. They are provided either separately or combined, ensuring that we provide you with one reliable source to help establish your online presence for your business.
How do I get started with Digital Treasury?
Getting started is easy. Just contact us for an initial conversation about what you want, your budget and timeframe. We will talk to you about what you need, give advice about the best way forward and provide you with a detailed, upfront proposal.
What makes Digital Treasury different from other agencies?
We integrate our technical skills with honest communication and a strong emphasis on results that will benefit your company. Being a small team allows us to give you personal attention, upfront costs and all the support we would give to our own project.
Do you work with small businesses and startups?
Absolutely. Many of our clients are small businesses and startups looking to establish or improve their online presence. We will make suggestions based on your particular situation and budget needs, providing useful services at affordable prices.
How do you communicate with clients and report on progress?
We are convinced that clear communication should be maintained consistently during any of our projects. In accordance with the chosen service, you will be updated about your project through emails, meetings and detailed reports. We maintain constant contact with you, answering your queries along the way.
How does Digital Treasury structure its pricing?
We keep our pricing straightforward by providing a complete project quote rather than breaking it down into confusing line items. This approach gives you a clear understanding of exactly what you'll pay for the entire scope of work.
Every project is different, so costs depend on your specific requirements and the complexity involved. We'll assess your needs and provide transparent pricing that reflects the full value of what we'll deliver for your business.
Am I locked into a long-term contract?
We believe in earning your trust through quality work rather than tying you down with restrictive contracts. For specific projects like website builds, we'll provide you with a clear upfront quote so you know exactly what to expect.
Our ongoing services like website hosting, maintenance and search engine optimisation work a bit differently - we discuss these on a flexible arrangement basis that suits your business needs and budget.
Can you provide case studies or examples of previous work?
Yes, we can provide case studies and examples of our previous work. Potential clients frequently request these to see concrete evidence of our past successes. They want to understand how we’ve helped similar businesses achieve their goals through SEO and website development. Our case studies typically highlight our clients’ challenges, the strategies we implemented, and the measurable results we achieved, such as increased traffic and higher conversion rates. This builds trust and demonstrates our ability to deliver on our promises.
What types of SEO services do you offer?
We offer a comprehensive range of SEO services designed to boost your online visibility. Our core services include technical SEO fixes, on-page and content optimisation, local SEO for Melbourne businesses, thorough keyword research, detailed SEO audits, strategic link building, and ongoing performance tracking.
Can you guarantee first-page or number-one rankings?
No reputable SEO agency can guarantee specific rankings because search engines like Google use complex algorithms that change frequently. These changes are completely outside anyone's control. What we can promise is our commitment to using proven, white-hat strategies that give your website the best possible chance of ranking well.
Rather than making unrealistic promises, we focus on sustainable SEO practices that build long-term visibility and drive genuine business results. Our approach is about maximising your opportunities for success, not making guarantees that simply can't be kept.
Do you offer local SEO for businesses targeting specific areas?
Yes. Local SEO ensures that your business is found in location-specific search results and map results, making it perfect if you offer your products or services within specific suburbs or locations. We ensure that we optimise your Google Business Profile and your website content for local search.
Do you help with content optimisation?
Yes. Quality and relevant content plays a very important role in effective SEO optimisation. We can optimise your current webpages as well as provide you with some suggestions for creating content based on your keywords.
How much does SEO cost?
Pricing for SEO is determined based on your specific business goals, how competitive your industry is and the amount of work needed to achieve results. We will customise pricing plans depending on budgets while giving you a definite quote right from the start.
How do you decide which keywords to target?
We do extensive keyword research to know how your prospective clients search for information on the internet. After analysis of various parameters like search intent, relevancy, competition and commercial value, we shortlist keywords that resonate well with your products and services.
Do I need to change my website's content for SEO?
Yes, quite often. We recommend refreshing existing content frequently or creating new pieces that better match what your potential customers are actually searching for online. Of course, changes should be carefully implemented with regard to your company’s tone of voice.
What is the contract length for your SEO service?
We ensure that our SEO agreement remains flexible as opposed to being committed to long-term contracts. Even though SEO is most effective when conducted on a continuous basis, we do not mind discussing agreements that work for your benefit.
Is it necessary to hire an SEO agency or can I do SEO myself?
You can surely do basic SEO on your own and we are happy to point you in the right direction. However, SEO is very time-consuming and keeps changing frequently. Hiring an experienced SEO agency will ensure that you get more out of it without having to think about it anymore.
How does backlink building contribute to SEO success?
Backlinks are simply links to your website from another website. Search engines consider backlinks as an indication of credibility and authority. Our approach is to build links to your site through ethical and sustainable methods, building up the reputation of your website in the process.
What does your website design process look like?
We start by understanding your business goals and target audience to ensure your website truly connects with your customers. From there, we develop a web design strategy and create initial designs that we refine based on your feedback. Once you approve the designs, we go ahead to the development phase.
When should I consider redesigning my website?
A redesign is worth considering if your site looks outdated, performs poorly on mobile, loads slowly, is difficult to update or no longer reflects your brand. A modern, well-built website can improve user experience, credibility and your ability to attract customers.
Which CMS platforms do you build websites on?
We specialise in Webflow and WordPress, selecting the most suitable platform for you. WordPress allows for versatility, whereas Webflow gives you a sleek design with easy maintenance. We will suggest the most appropriate choice for you.
Do you provide SEO with your website builds?
Yes. All our websites are developed using SEO guidelines like a clean layout, quick loading speed, mobile optimisation and solid on-page foundation. In addition to that, we have professional SEO service packages that help businesses increase their online presence.
Do you offer ongoing website maintenance?
Yes. We offer website maintenance services to ensure that your website is safe, up-to-date and working properly. This encompasses software and plug-in upgrades, security protection, backups and basic changes to give you a hassle-free experience so that you can concentrate on your business.
Can I migrate my existing site to your hosting?
Yes, we can absolutely handle the complete website transfer to our managed hosting platform without any hassle on your end. Our team manages the entire migration process, ensuring your site moves across smoothly without downtime or disruption to your business.
Can we provide feedback throughout the process?
Absolutely and we actually encourage it. Collaboration is at the heart of how we work, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to review our progress and share your thoughts at every stage. It ensures we're building exactly what you have in mind, rather than guessing what might work.
Will I own my website once it's built?
Yes. After completion of your project, the website will be yours. We believe in absolute transparency when it comes to issues of ownership and accessibility and would gladly take care of your requirements in this respect.
How long does it take to build a website?
The timeline for your website project really depends on what you're looking to achieve. A straightforward business website typically takes a few weeks from start to finish, while more complex builds with custom functionality or extensive content requirements will naturally take longer.
We'll give you a clear timeline estimate once we understand your specific needs during our initial consultation. This way, you'll know exactly what to expect and can plan your launch accordingly.
What kind of support do you provide after my website launches?
We don't go away once we've launched. We provide continuing support, maintenance and hosting to ensure that your website runs at optimum capacity. If you have any queries about how to develop your website, we will be there for you.
