Businesses often underestimate the value of a good website designer. But did you know that 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience? Here’s why you need to choose wisely.
Sign 1: Poor Communication
Loss of Time and Money
Poor communication with your website designer isn’t just an annoyance; it can torpedo your entire project. Let’s talk brass tacks—time is money.
The Never-Ending Game of Tag
Ever waited days for a simple email reply? Or worse, ever found your messages stuck in a black hole, never to be returned? Every hour of waiting adds delays to your project’s timeline. While you twiddle your thumbs, opportunities are lost.
Follow-Ups: The Sequel Nobody Asked For
The first follow-up email feels like a nudge, the second one a push, and by the third, it’s a shove into a pit of frustration. Continuously having to follow up means you’re doing part of their job for them. That’s not why you hired a website designer.
Mixed Messages and Confusing Feedback
Have you ever received contradicting messages or unclear feedback from your designer? Mixed messages can cause you to waste time making unnecessary revisions or going in circles. It’s like getting lost without a GPS.
How We Do It Better at North Star
At North Star Design Studio, we believe in full transparency, regular updates, and clear, prompt communication. Our team is always reachable, saving you from the unnecessary stress, delays, and yes, those unwanted sequel follow-ups.
Sign 2: Outdated Design Techniques
Stats Don’t Lie
Still using Flash in 2023? Are you kidding me? Adobe officially buried Flash at the end of 2020. Using outdated tech is not just ‘old school,’ it’s a giant red flag screaming, “We’re stuck in the past!”
The Tragedy of Non-Responsive Design
In an age where smartphones are practically an extension of the self, a non-responsive design is a slap in the face to user experience. Google’s own stats show that over 50% of website traffic comes from mobile. So, if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re essentially saying goodbye to half of your audience.
Keyword Stuffing: The “Spray and Pray” Method
Remember when keyword stuffing was a thing? Well, not anymore. Google’s algorithm now penalizes this outdated SEO practice. At North Star, our Keyword Research service ensures that your content is as relevant as it is readable.
One-Page-Wonders and The Missing Privacy Policy
Sticking all your services on one page? Come on, each service is special and deserves its own spotlight! Not to mention, a missing privacy policy page can affect your SEO and trustworthiness.
Where’s the Map, Testimonials, and FAQ?
No Google Map on your contact page? Testimonials and FAQs crammed onto single, overloaded pages? These are not just bad practices; they’re lost opportunities for SEO. With our Competitor Analysis, we sprinkle testimonials throughout the site for social proof and put FAQs on relevant service pages to boost your rankings.
The North Star Way
We’re not about that outdated life. At North Star Design Studio, we stay ahead of the curve by continually updating our practices. We use Keyword Research and Competitor Analysis to make sure you’re not just in the game, but leading it.
Sign 3: Ignoring SEO Best Practices
The Impact on Rankings
A lousy website designer could plummet your search engine rankings. Hubspot has loads to say about the buyer’s journey: 58% of consumers say they’ve discovered at least one new product by searching the internet in 2022, and 44% say they’ve done so in the past three months.
H-Tags: The Hierarchy of Confusion
H-tags are like the breadcrumbs that guide Google through your content. Use ’em wrong, and you’re sending Google on a wild goose chase. Multiple H1 tags on a single page are an SEO sin. It confuses search engines and dilutes the page’s keyword relevance.
Sluggish Slugs
It might seem minor, but a URL slug should echo the H1 tag. A mismatch can throw off search engine algorithms and leave users puzzled. This is SEO 101, folks!
The Image Conundrum
Skipping images altogether? Are you serious? Visual content significantly enhances user engagement. And let’s not forget about those who do use images but don’t optimize them. Massive, unoptimized images slow down your site, and slow sites are a massive turn-off for Google and users alike.
Metadata and Image Optimization
Ah, metadata, the unsung hero of SEO. Ignoring image alt text and metadata is like ignoring free SEO points. At North Star, we don’t just throw images onto your site; we meticulously optimize each one, ensuring they’re lightweight and contain all the necessary metadata.
How We Raise the Bar
Here at North Star Design Studio, we’ve got SEO down to a science. With our SEO-optimized Content Writing, your rankings won’t just stop at the bare minimum; they’ll soar. We nail the technical SEO basics like H-tag structures and slugs and go beyond with things like Backlink Reporting and Monthly Maintenance.
Sign 4: Hidden Costs
The Unexpected Invoice
Talk about a mood-killer. You’re already stretching your budget, and boom—an unexpected invoice lands in your inbox for small changes that you assumed were covered in your maintenance plan. A Stanford survey showed that a whopping 46.1% of people use a website’s design to gauge its credibility. So, if your site is still featuring your Christmas promotions in February because you’re afraid of hidden costs for updating it, you’re going to lose more than just a couple of bucks.
Downtime Disasters
Did your website just crash and burn during peak traffic hours? Fantastic timing! Worse still, your designer tells you they can’t restore it because—surprise—there are no recent backups. You might as well set your money on fire. Downtime doesn’t just affect revenue; it erodes customer trust.
Contact Form Fiascos
Nothing screams “We’re not reliable” like a malfunctioning contact form. Imagine a potential high-value client trying to reach out, and they can’t because your contact form decided to take a day off. Why? A plugin update was not tested properly. Not cool!
Transparency at North Star
We don’t play those games at North Star Design Studio. Our Monthly Maintenance plan is transparent—no hidden costs or surprise invoices. We handle everything, from regular backups to ensuring all forms and plugins are in tip-top shape, so you never experience these stressful situations.
The bottom line? Hidden costs are more than just an expense; they’re a betrayal of trust and a strain on your business operations. At North Star, you won’t find any masked dollar signs—just clear, honest service. How’s that for peace of mind?
Sign 5: Lack of Customization
Why It Matters
Picture this: You’re a high-end construction company, but your website looks like it’s ready to book spa appointments. Not exactly the vibe you were going for, right? A one-size-fits-all website doesn’t just fail to reflect your brand’s unique identity—it also tanks your user engagement. Forrester Research shows that customization can increase visitor engagement by up to 20%. So, when your website looks like it was baked from the same cookie-cutter template as every other site in town, you’re leaving a lot of potential engagement—and revenue—on the table.
Unwanted Features
Ever tried shopping online and noticed a random “cart” icon even when the website doesn’t sell anything? It’s like walking into a library and finding a salad bar. These irrelevant features aren’t just confusing; they make your business look unprofessional. They’re the remnants of a template that wasn’t fully customized for your business, and they do nothing but clutter your website and confuse your users.
Personalized Design at North Star
Say goodbye to template tyranny. At North Star Design Studio, our conversion-focused website development is as unique as your business. We tailor every element to reflect your brand, from the visual design to the user experience, ensuring that your site isn’t just another clone in the digital universe.
Let’s get real: Customization isn’t just about looking different; it’s about standing out in a way that converts. And isn’t that the whole point? At North Star, we make sure your website is doing the work, so you don’t have to.
Time to Swipe Right on a New Website Designer
Looking for a sign to switch? This is it. Your website is more than just a digital business card—it’s your online salesperson, your brand ambassador, and sometimes the first impression people get of your business. Don’t let poor communication, outdated design, SEO ignorance, hidden fees, or lack of customization hold you back.
Choosing a website designer isn’t a trivial Tinder swipe—it’s a commitment that impacts your business’s future. So when you’re scrolling through your options, don’t settle for anything less than a match that aligns with your goals, vision, and growth plans.
Ready to make a change? Start by consulting a website designer near you. Trust us, your future self will thank you.
