Over the years, the focus of search engine optimization has definitely evolved. What was once a matter of repeating keywords, now takes into consideration complex elements such as the overall user experience. Now that user experience is given a particular spotlight in web development, Page speed optimization and low web speed loading times are but some of the factors that need to be addressed to better your customer’s experience.
The experience of your customers on your site is a very sophisticated concept, and it’s quite hard to imagine how search engines try to gauge it in order to rank sites. There are also various elements that affect user experience, and all these play their part in modern-day SEO.
Web developers must work harder in order to deliver a holistic user experience through their sites as it can make or break a site’s ranking. Their shortcomings can cause the site to fall behind the competition.
The following are 12 mistakes from the side of web developers that can cause a negative impact on the user experience and the satisfaction of your customers:
1. Failure to provide Adaptive Web Design
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In recognition of the reality that there are many different types of devices, there is a need to make your site compatible with the different devices for which your site can be accessed. One of the most common techniques that are used to do so is using Responsive Web Design where one version of your site is used, but it automatically adjusts in order to work well with different screen sizes.
However, a better way to do it is through Adaptive Web Design. With it, the server can detect the type of device that your site is being accessed from, and would return a tailor-made version of your site that can provide the best user experience.
2. Inability to Follow Web Standards
Web standards involve best practices that work, and it is confusing why some choose to deviate from them. Some of the commonly ignored web standards are using inappropriate doctypes and failing to validate their codes. Web standards are designed to guide developers in designing well-rounded sites. So it is best to follow them.
3. Committing JavaScript Mistakes
Committing errors in JavaScript is normal, but failing to correct them can lead to a negative impact on the user experience of your customers. JavaScript mistakes can range from ignorable lapses, up to ones that can cause a really big hit on UX. So make sure to always check your JavaScript to ensure that it’s free from errors.
4. Failing to Improve Web Performance
Your site’s web performance is among the most important factors of your customers’ user experience. Slow-rendering sites can push away your customers, especially if it takes too long to load the first time. Improving your page speed optimization specifically your web speed loading time should be a priority.
One general way to improve your web performance is by reducing the time it takes for your web page to load. A guide by Propelrr can show you how to reduce your web speed loading time to 2 seconds. By reducing the time it takes for your website to load the overall customer experience will improve
From a web coding perspective, there are ways for you can improve web performance such as minifying your JavaScript, making the file size smaller, so it could load faster.
5. Designing a Confusing Navigation Scheme
Navigation is also a key factor of UX. You should design a site that has a simple navigation scheme. The key is to help make it easier for your users to go around your site. If it’s confusing, then expect that your customers would not be able to enjoy your site, nor proceed with their transactions.
6. Using Outdated HTML
Some developers still make use of old-school HTML. A lot of changes have already happened to HTML, and using older versions can cause compatibility issues which could cause some of the elements of your website from rendering, which will ultimately affect user experience. Always make use of the current version of HTML and understand what has changed. It is also best to make use of CSS to help control how your content is displayed on your site.
7. Not integrating Social Media into Website
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Social media is undeniably part of modern-day life. In order to provide holistic user experience, it is advisable to integrate it into your website. Make it easy for your users to share your content to various social media platforms and see how doing so can help boost your website.
8. Failing to Correct Broken Links
When a customer clicks on a link and leads them to the wrong page or worse, to an error page, this causes a serious hit against their user experience. As a web developer, you must ensure that your linking is free from errors in order to ensure that your users will not face a situation like this, or your site is bound to face the consequences.
9. Ignoring SEO Best Practices
Some developers see SEO only on the side of the website, and how it can help the site earn the top spot in search results. What is usually overlooked is how applying SEO best practices can help design your site to be able to provide a great user experience. SEO is not there just to help your site be visible, it is also there to guide developers on how to make a site shape and influence the user experience. Come up with an SEO audit checklist, or make use of an SEO audit tool to see how your optimization fairs, and to ensure that you can maximize the benefits of SEO for you.
10. Committing Security Lapses
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While a number of coding and designing blunders can lead to just minor lapses to the user experience, what is serious is if you expose them to security threats. Failing to secure your codes can lead to SQL or OS Command Injection, which can lead to hackers gaining access to the personal and financial information of your customers. Make sure that you are aware of how to protect your codes from any malicious activity to keep your site and your users safe.
11. Not Testing before Launching
There are developers who are very eager to launch the site and fail to check for errors. This is especially true for developers with strong confidence in their work and who have a lot of experience in web developing. Sadly, being lazy or being too eager to launch your site can lead to errors that can negatively impact user experience. So always test your website speed, perform all the necessary page speed optimizations, and an SEO audit checklist
12. Failing to Design for User Experience
Finally, there are developers who just fail to understand the importance of designing a website with user experience in mind. You should always put yourself in the shoes of your customers and design your site in a way that can satisfy them. Know your customers and design for them. Only then will you have the ability to positively impact their user experience.
Summary
The user experience that your customers will get from your site has a huge effect on their satisfaction. Developers should always consider creating websites that are not only functional but also provide an amazing user experience. Sadly, there are developers who commit one or more of the shortcomings mentioned above.
