Building a website that brings attention to your college requires knowing what not to do. Here are common web design errors to avoid for your college.
The world of digital advertising is so vast. About 75% of website credibility reviews are based on website aesthetics. There are so many rules, designs, and standards that you’ll need to fully understand if you are creating a site for your university.
A solid college website can help you reach potential students. Yet, an inadequate website increases your workload. It also diminishes your site’s trustworthiness.
There are a variety of web design errors that can put off users looking to get information on college portals. Luckily, we can address some of these by reviewing some of the most common failings.
Not sure where to start? Keep reading for all of the details you need to know.
- Navigational Difficulties
There are a few web design errors to avoid regarding your college website. One of these is navigational difficulties. You want to ensure that your website is easy to navigate for current and prospective students.
This means having a clear and simple menu structure and using breadcrumbs. You also want to ensure that all your pages are accessible from the homepage.
- Problems With Visual Hierarchy
It’s easy to make mistakes when designing a website, especially if you’re new to the field. However, common errors should be avoided, especially when designing a college or university website.
One of the most common errors is failing to establish a visual hierarchy when designing website pages. Make sure to use headings, subheadings, and other formatting options to make it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for.
Finally, beware of using generic stock photos. These can make your website look unprofessional and can turn visitors away.
- Use of Illegible Fonts
The use of illegible fonts is one of the most common web design errors made by colleges. The problem with using unreadable fonts is that they make it difficult for prospective students and their parents to read the information on your website.
This can lead to them not being able to find important information about your college, or even worse, not being able to understand what they are reading.
- Errors in Coding
One error is not using proper coding standards that are difficult to read and understand. Another error most college websites have is using outdated coding techniques. This can make a website look old and unprofessional.
- Failing to Test Your Site
Failing to test a website before launching it can cause significant problems. Make sure to test all of the features of your website before making it live, such as making it a mobile-friendly website. To get a feel of how a good website should be built, browse this page to get started.
- Broken Links
One of the most egregious is having broken links. This can discourage students from considering your school, making it look unprofessional and disorganized. There are web design tools that can detect and adjust these as necessary.
Regularly check your links to ensure they’re working, and update them accordingly. This will give visitors a much better experience and could be the difference between them choosing your school or not.
Avoid Web Design Errors for a Full-Fledged College Website Today
Avoid the most common college web design errors by proofreading your site before you launch it and testing it on multiple browsers and devices. Keep your site updated regularly, and monitor your analytics to see how users interact with your site. If you make a mistake, don’t be afraid to fix it – your website is an ongoing project and constantly evolving.
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