Opening a website is an essential step for the success of an online business, whether it is an e-commerce, a blog or a business portal. However, during the creation phase, it is easy to encounter errors that can compromise the effectiveness of the site and, consequently, its visibility and success of the whole project. In this article, we’ll explore the 10 most common mistakes to avoid when deciding to open a website, with a focus on issues related to SEO, user experience and technical troubleshooting.
Opening a website: the detailed guide to the 10 most common mistakes to avoid
Here are the most common mistakes not to make when opening a website from scratch. Starting with a good setup is essential, since fixing the errors once you have created your website is much longer and more expensive than avoiding them right away.
1. Inappropriate choice of hosting
One of the most important aspects to consider when creating a website is the choice of hosting service. Opting for a cheap or, worse, free hosting may seem like a convenient solution, but it often turns out to be a serious mistake. Some platforms like WordPress also have specific hosting to use, but they are not always the best choice.
In fact, low quality hosting can cause slow load times, service interruptions and security issues, making the site vulnerable to attacks. To avoid these issues, it is crucial to select a provider that offers good performance, competent technical support and advanced features such as automatic backups and protection against cyber attacks.
2. Unintuitive domain name
The domain name is the first element that users associate with your website. It is the name that you read in the url, composed of "www" and a final acronym, such as ". com" or ". it".
lIf you choose a name that is difficult to remember, too long or with unusual characters, you risk losing potential visitors. A good domain name should be easy to type, memorable and preferably linked to the brand or content of the site. For example, if you sell shoes, you could put the product in the name: "www.scarpecomode.it". In doing so, you also improve the SEO of the site, because Google already recognizes that the topic is talking about shoes.
The use of special numbers or symbols may confuse users and make access to the site difficult. The domain extension is also important: opting for the more well-known ones like ". com" or ". it" is usually a safer choice.
Below is a short list of the most common domain extensions and their meanings:
- .com - Commercial, mainly used for general companies and websites.
- .org - Non-profit organisations or charities.
- .net - Network, originally designed for internet service providers, now also used by tech companies.
- .edu - Education, reserved for academic institutions (especially in the USA).
- .gov - Government, used by US government agencies.
- .mil - Military, reserved for the armed forces of the United States.
- .it - Italy, used for Italian websites.
- .eu - European Union, for companies or individuals in the EU.
- .info - Information, used for informative websites.
- .biz - Business, for commercial or entrepreneurial activities.
The choice of the extension depends on what the reality you want to present through the site is about.
3. Lack of website SEO optimization
One of the most common and serious mistakes is to neglect SEO optimization when creating a website. Search engines, such as Google, use sophisticated algorithms to evaluate and rank websites in search results. If your site is not SEO-optimized, it may be virtually invisible to users looking for products or services similar to yours.
This is often the case when you forget to include strategic keywords in your web pages, use unclear URLs or neglect creating adequate meta descriptions. Slow loading times can also have a negative impact on SEO ranking, as Google considers user experience to be a determining factor for rankings.
4. Design not responsive
Imagine browsing your website from a computer, then checking it from your phone and seeing all the elements mislaid, not readable or undetectable. This is one of the reasons why users are more likely to leave a website, in addition to slow loading times.
In short, a common mistake is to ignore the importance of what is called "responsive design", that is the ability of the website to adapt to different screen sizes, such as smartphones, tablets and desktops. In an age where much of the internet traffic comes from mobile devices, a site that is not mobile-friendly risks losing a large slice of audience.
The design should be fluid and intuitive on any device, ensuring an optimal user experience. This means not only the correct arrangement of visual elements, but also the reduction of page loading times and the optimization of images.
Adaptive Design
There is also the adaptive design. Create more fixed layouts that activate based on specific default screen widths (e.g.: 320px, 768px, 1024px). In other words, it loads a different layout depending on the device used. This is an alternative to responsive design.
However, of the two, responsive design is generally considered to be the best for SEO, for the following reasons:
- Google prefers it: Google has indicated that responsive design is its recommended approach to creating mobile-friendly sites. Using a single URL for all versions of your site (desktop and mobile) makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your site.
- Improved user experience: With responsive design, users can access content from any device without problems, which reduces bounce rate and improves dwell time, two important factors for SEO.
- Easier maintenance: Managing a single flexible layout makes SEO updates and optimizations easier.
Want to know more about website design? Read this article: UX and UI design in website creation.
5. Ignore page load times
The speed with which you load the page is crucial to keep the attention of users. Slow sites can make visitors run away in seconds and, as already mentioned, compromise search engine rankings. Some of the main causes of high loading times are:
- unoptimized images,
- a poorly written code,
- the absence of a content distribution network (CDN).
Implementing a CDN, compressing images and reducing the number of HTTP requests can significantly improve the speed at which your site loads, regardless of the users' internet connection.
What are CDNs?
In particular, a CDN (Content Delivery Network) is a distributed network of servers working together to deliver Internet content to users quickly and efficiently.
Servers are located in various geographical locations to bring content closer to users. When a user visits a website using a CDN, the requested content is served by the server closest to him, reducing the physical distance and transmission time.
There are several CDN service providers on the web, offering different plans according to your needs.
6. Neglecting site safety
When creating a website, one of the most important aspects is security. Neglecting the protection of the site can have disastrous consequences, both for the company’s reputation and for users' data.
One of the most common mistakes is not to implement an SSL certificate, which encrypts data exchanged between your browser and server. This not only protects users' personal information, but is also a ranking factor for search engines. It is also essential to keep all plugins and themes of the site up-to-date, as outdated versions can present vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers.
The SSL certificate is the one that changes the word "http" to "https". Modern browsers also display a green padlock or similar symbol in the address bar to indicate that the site is secure. Certificates are of three types:
- Domain SSL (DV - Domain Validation): It only certifies that the domain is authenticated, but does not provide information about the company’s identity.
- Organization SSL (OV - Organization Validation): Certifies both the domain and the identity of the organization, ensuring a higher level of security.
- Extended SSL (EV - Extended Validation): Offers the highest level of security and is used by institutions or companies that handle sensitive data, such as banks. The EV certificate displays the organization name next to the address in the browser bar.
This is also important for the SEO of your site.
How can I get an SSL certificate?
You can get an SSL certificate through a Certification Authority (CA) like Let’s Encrypt (free) or other providers like Comodo, DigitCert, etc. Many web hosting services, however, offer automatic installation of free or paid SSL certificates.
7. Do not test on different browsers
A website must work properly on all major browsers, such as Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge. Very often, however, we tend to test the site only on the personal use browser, ignoring possible incompatibilities with other browsers. This can lead to display problems or missing functionality on certain devices or browsers.
To avoid losing visitors, it is important to check how the site is viewed and navigated on different platforms. Using tools like BrowserStack can help you simulate the site’s behavior on various devices and troubleshoot any issues.
8. Poor management of cookies
Cookie management is another crucial aspect not to be underestimated. Cookies help improve your website experience, but incorrect handling can lead to breaches of privacy laws such as the GDPR. It is essential that users are clearly informed about the use of cookies and have the possibility to accept or reject them. Not implementing a cookie information banner or not respecting user preferences can result in heavy legal penalties and compromise users' trust in your site.
9. Non-search engine optimized web pages
Another common mistake is to create content for web pages without optimizing them for search engines. Writing articles or descriptions without paying attention to strategic keywords, internal and external link structure, or text readability greatly reduces the chances of your site being found by users.
You should also pay attention to how the content looks on the web: title, meta description, url, any images. They are everything that attracts or not a user, at first sight.
In addition, duplicate or low quality content can lead to penalties by search engines, which can negatively affect the site traffic.
10. Do not solve loading and accessibility issues
Finally, one of the most frustrating errors for users is to receive the message "unable to reach site" when they try to access a page. This type of error not only disrupts the browsing experience, but often causes users to look for alternative solutions, leaving the site and potentially choosing not to return in the future. The causes of this problem can vary: it could be a server that has stopped responding correctly, DNS configuration errors preventing you from finding the site address, or other technical issues such as SSL certificate expiration or incorrect firewall and proxy configuration.
When these errors are not resolved quickly, the consequences can be serious: in addition to user frustration, the reputation of the site may be compromised, reducing public trust and, In some cases, also damaging the site’s ranking on search engines. This is because search engines like Google take into account the availability and speed of a site’s loading in determining its ranking.
To avoid such situations, it is essential to regularly monitor the website using diagnostic and monitoring tools. These tools can quickly detect if the site becomes unreachable and send immediate notifications to administrators. Content delivery network (CDN) solutions, such as Cloudflare, can also improve site reliability by reducing the likelihood of disruptions. Constant maintenance and implementation of preventive measures, such as checking SSL certificates and proper server configuration, are critical to ensuring that the site is always accessible, providing a smooth and seamless user experience.
Opening a website: how to do it best and what mistakes not to make
Quando decidi di aprire un sito web, è importante evitare questi errori comuni per garantire che il tuo progetto abbia successo. Curare la scelta dell'hosting, prestare attenzione alla SEO e testare il sito su diversi browser sono solo alcuni degli aspetti fondamentali da considerare. Pianificare attentamente ogni dettaglio ti permetterà di creare un sito web funzionale, sicuro e capace di offrire un'esperienza utente eccellente. Se desideri aprire un sito web che funzioni al meglio e si adatti alla tua realtà, affidati a mani esperte. Contatta noi di Ekeria, esperti in realizzazione siti web Milano, e parlaci del tuo progetto. Prenota ora la tua call gratuita, senza impegno.
When you decide to open a website, it is important to avoid these common mistakes to ensure that your project is successful. Taking care of your hosting choice, paying attention to SEO and testing the site on different browsers are just some of the fundamental aspects to consider. Carefully planning every detail will allow you to create a website that is functional, safe and able to offer an excellent user experience. If you want to open a website that works best and fits your reality, trust in expert hands. Contact us at Ekeria, experts in website development Milan, and tell us about your project. Book now your call free of charge, without obligation.
