3 Easy Ways to make Your Site more Beautiful!

blog cover image
128
1.8K followers
Updated

After I reached Top 100, I started receiving some PMs from WA members asking for my opinion about their websites. Since MY MOTTO is " HAPPY TO HELP!!!", I always review the requests (for free) and give my honest opinion. I will keep this post very simple and keep my observations to three broad areas.

Please do not read this post as a criticism. I also make the same or very similar mistakes. My goal is to help you build even more beautiful sites!

1. No branding

I am surprised how many sites leave branding as an afterthought.

First of all, the logo. Many sites don't have even a basic logo. Pehaps some text, but no logo. To me a site without a logo is like a child without a name. Abandoned and forgotten. If the site owner did not bother with a logo, what about the substance? What about the credibility? Many questions and worries start surfacing immediately.

This is an easy one to fix. Make a nice logo and upload it on your site. If you can't make a logo, hire a freelancer. I wrote a number of posts about hiring a freelancer in an easy way.

Second, make sure you plan and implement a consistent color and font theme. In some cases, visiting a site can feel like riding a carousel. The head starts spinning from looking at the small fonts becoming big fonts and then shrinking again..., black fonts turning red, and then green etc. The lack of consistency in design can seriously question the credibility of your site and your intentions.

Be consistent in your choices and stick with your branding plan. A consistent branding and style will make your visitors comfortable and will keep them reading and clicking!

πŸ–₯πŸ–±πŸ–₯πŸ–±πŸ–₯πŸ–±πŸ–₯πŸ–±πŸ–₯πŸ–±πŸ–₯πŸ–±πŸ–₯πŸ–±

PROBLEM: No branding.

EASY SOLUTION: Get a logo. Implement a consistent color and font plan.

2. Clutter

The main and the biggest issue with many sites is the clutter. It comes in may forms. The most obvious is the excessive use of social media sharing buttons, all sort of links and images. In some cases, the main body text tends to be buried beneath all sort of clutter.

My first reaction is to leave such a site (before I get swamped and lost), and I can bet that most of the visitors would do the same - abandon the site as soon as possible. People don't like to be overwhelmed. If you are not sure, just err on the safe side and keep it simple!

A similar problem, albeit less common, also resurfaces in the main text body - too many images, the text is not prominently displayed, no calls to action, and too many ads scattered around!

Once again, nobody will want to spend too much time on such a site. You might have a great text, and great ideas. However, excessive clutter will discourage your visitors from spending any time reading your text and discovering your ideas. They will click away and go to your competitors instead!

πŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺπŸŒͺ

PROBLEM: Clutter.

EASY SOLUTION: Keep it simple.

3. Missing mobile functionality

Do you know that the majority of people will reach your website with the help of their mobile phone? On the other hand, most of us are using either a desktop or a laptop to build our websites.

The end result? What might look nice on the desktop will look very different on a mobile phone. In many cases, it will look like another site altogether: different navigation functionality, different design, fonts, size of images... etc...

In some cases, this might mean that your visitors will not be able to effortlessly navigate through your site, and will not be able to benefit from all the valuable information that you have prepared for them!

The fix is rather easy. Before publishing your site, make sure you check it using a mobile preview feature. Do it on a regular basis, as an update or a new plugin might change the feel and look of your mobile version. The more often you check the mobile version, the more aware you will become of the mobile phone user needs! If you do it consistently, this will be one of the best investments of your time!

πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²πŸ“²

PROBLEM: Mobile version features lacking.

EASY SOLUTION: Always preview your site for mobile usability. Address shortcomings!

πŸ’ŒπŸ’ŒπŸ’Œ

I hope you found my post useful. Have you noticed some other common website design flaws, and did you manage to fix them? Any lessons and tips to add? I would love to hear your views and comments!

🌟

Nellya

Login
Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
icon
4-Steps to Success Class
icon
One Profit Ready Website
icon
Market Research & Analysis Tools
icon
Millionaire Mentorship
icon
Core β€œBusiness Start Up” Training

Recent Comments

202

spot on mobile and tablet is key already and clutter is a turn off. Excellent post. In my view when people join WA they waste time on bells and whistles rather than content. It ends up with you doing little or no pay off activity.

I agree with all of this. Its not everyone skill but with great advice like this we can all learn. Thanks for sharing... Phil

Thanks, Phil, for your thoughtful comment!

I am sharing my honest view gained in commenting on member websites. I agree with you πŸ’― that some people waste a lot of time on different widgets and plugins that destroy the value of their websites. Clean and well presented content is the key!

🌟
Nellya

Very good advice! Logo, yes is very important. I created a logo 3 weeks ago and for some reason I don’t see it at the top of my front page. What could be possibly wrong? My theme is Cressida and I intend to replace it with what most everyone use. I need to test it first but I haven’t gotten around to it.

Thanks again for the advice.
Evelyn

Hello Evelyn,

I just created a new website and installed the exact theme to test it out.

When you're logged into your website. Simply go to your home page. On the top of your website, you should see a bar with the word "Customize," click it.

Next click on "Site Identity" and you should be given the option to add a logo to your website.

Good luck,
Eric

Thank you, Eric. I will try do it again.

Evelyn

You are very welcome! (:

Hi Evelyn,

Thank you for your comment. Indeed, follow instructions kindly provided by Eric below, and it should work!

Have a great week ahead!

🌟
Nellya

Thanks, Eric, for your generous advice which you shared with Evelyn! It was very kind of you!

🌟
Nellya

Hey Nellya,

I'm honored to help! The community is the main reason why I enjoy my stay here at Wealthy Affiliate. (:

Cheers,
Eric

Hi Eric, do you use Cressida? Just need to clarify. If so, did you install the Kirki plugin customized? Can you tell me if it’s free? Thank you. My website is not regularly earning yet so I don’t want to pay for the plug-in until I am earning real sales.

Evelyn

Plug-in customizer, my phone auto corrects

Hello Evelyn,

I actually don't use Cressida for my blog. I created a demo blog and installed Cressida to answer your question above.

I also did some research on Kirki plugin. It's absolutely free to use. They are currently producing a Pro version, but it's still in development.

This usually means that they will offer a free and a pro version with additional features. So I'm sure you're safe and good to go!

Cheers,
Eric

Thank you so much Eric. You have been very helpful. Anyway I did try your suggestion to upload my logo on the front page. I followed your advice, it appears to me that I did the same steps I did before. I saw my logo, it is there but when I view my post I don't see it anywhere at the top of the first page.

I think I will have to play with it some more and maybe I will be able to figure it out later. I am getting tired as it is past 12 midnight where I am. So I will visit my site again tomorrow.

Thank you so much for your help.
Evelyn

Hello Evelyn,

Same here! It's currently 12:26 AM. I will look into it on my demo website to see why you're not seeing your logo.

Have a good night,
Eric

Hello Evelyn,

I decided to just check it out since I'm not that tired yet. Where you upload your logo, you should also see at the very top, "Show Image Logo". You'll want to select that otherwise your logo will not show up on your website.

Cheers,
Eric

Thank you, Eric. You have a good night as well.
Evelyn

I fully agree with you (about the spirit of helping each other), Eric!

Great to meet you here at WA!

🌟
Nellya

Hi Eric,
I logged in late this afternoon and activated the Kirky plug-in. That was what I needed for β€œShow Image Logo” button to appear at the top. Now I should be able to do other things, perhaps.

Thank you for checking it late last night for me. I am very grateful ! πŸ™

Hello Nellya,

Likewise! Helping others also helps me further develop my skills and knowledge, so it's a win-win situation. (:

Cheers,
Eric

Hello Sophie,

I'm glad you figured it out! It was a pleasure helping you. I learned a lot too. Feel free to reach out if you need help in the future. (:

Cheers,
Eric

Thank you Eric. Will certainly take your offer if I need help again in the future. But of course, I hope to help back In the future and hope I know the answer. πŸ™‚

Again, thanks a million!
Evelyn

Hello Evelyn,

That's the goal! I help you today in hopes that you can help others including myself in the near future. (:

Cheers,
Eric

Nellya. Brilliant information. Particularly about the logo. Branding us so important. Also love the clutter. I don't understand how some people can possiblity expect to grow there business if it's adulterated with Ads and banners. I have been on sites where you can't actually work out the intention of the blog. If I want information from a site about heath products I expect to find health products. Jim

Neliya, thanks for the accurate and helpful observations. I believe in simplicity and consistency as well. A major overlooked feature from your list is mobile optimization. I must say that I am guilty of this. It does takes a bit of time, but the reward is HUGE with Google.

Ceci

Great post highlighting the best elements for our website designs. Along with the site speed mentioned in the comments, you have most things covered.

One thing that combines much of what you have here is Flow. The website should flow together well. It relates to clutter on a site, but also refers to consistency and relatability of content.

Everything should look like it belongs and should relate to (at the very least) what is on the page and the site.

Alex

Hi Alex,

Thanks for adding a highly pertinent observation. I fully agree. The flow of content and appearance is a unifying factor!

Have a great week ahead!

🌟
Nellya

See more comments

Login
Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
icon
4-Steps to Success Class
icon
One Profit Ready Website
icon
Market Research & Analysis Tools
icon
Millionaire Mentorship
icon
Core β€œBusiness Start Up” Training