Web design is not dissimilar to a pair of socks. When designed properly, it is barely noticeable. When badly designed however, it is difficult to notice anything else. The obvious pitfalls of garish colors or wall-to-wall blocks of text are not hard to avoid. But if web design were simple, everyone would do it, hence the need for good website design tips.

People use the internet primarily for finding information, about a local company, a product, or a service. Now, a company is likely concerned with good content creation, which they should be. Search engine optimization will pick up on relevant content and serve it up to internet users. All the better if those search results show local search results, as research shows about 60% of users believe local content is more relevant, and 58% believe it to be more trustworthy.

The key to successful website marketing is not just local content though. While there is no perfect formula for website design that results in a droves of customers, there are a few missteps that can end up hurting a website’s traffic.

1. Front Page Carousels. While this type of design is visually interesting, its design is not suitable for all content. A site that has new information for site visitors nearly everyday can get away with having a few slides. Otherwise it can slow down page loading, and is not well-suited to use SEO techniques.
2. Parallax Scrolling. The graphics on this type of website design create the illusion of depth by having the background stay steady while a secondary graphic “moves” up the site visitor up and down the page. The downside is that the graphics can look a bit cartoonish or juvenile, and so are best suited to company’s that are fine with such a company image.
3. Hamburger Navigation. Everyone has seen this minimalist website design. And many internet users have been frustrated by poorly designed sites. When done well, the website looks sleek. When badly done, it is difficult to navigate, resulting in people exiting the page out of frustration.

The demographic of internet users between the ages of 25 and 34 dislike intrusive (meaning, annoying) advertising. They dislike it so much in fact, that 84% will leave a page because of it. That is not to say any advertising at all will hurt website traffic. Just make sure advertisements are kept to a side bar, or at least do not interfere with the ability to access the site. Pop-up ads are universally agreed to be the worst. Try to avoid them.

It is easy to recognize a really terribly designed website. It is not as easy to identify why a seemingly lovely website is not a hit among visitors. When diagnostics show visitors entering the site and leaving quickly, it is time to review and edit the website design. There is no magic layout or color scheme. Instead, try to picture a site visitor that just wants the information they need quickly. Can they find it easily? If not, keep making adjustments. Minimalist does not equal usability, as visually interesting does not necessarily mean original.