10 Things We Hate About Websites (And Examples of Ones We Like)

An organization’s web site isn’t only a advertising and marketing software – it’s typically a prospect’s very first impression. It communicates your worth, highlights your experience, and may immediately dictate whether or not a customer dives deeper into your on-line ecosystem or instantly clicks away. I’m certain you may bear in mind a time whenever you landed on an organization’s homepage and instantly left since you felt the web site was outdated or not user-friendly. You in all probability don’t even recall which group it was, just because its web site wasn’t memorable.

Borrowing from the 1999 iconic rom-com “10 Issues I Hate About You”, a current episode (hooked up beneath) of Hinge’s Spiraling Up podcast put a advertising and marketing twist on this cinematic masterpiece. Our group recognized 10 Issues We Hate About Web sites. This weblog will spotlight every of those web site pitfalls, clarify how they negatively have an effect on consumer expertise, and showcase an organization that efficiently avoids these frequent errors.

We’re not going to pay somebody to get you to the tip of this weblog (like how Patrick was paid to this point Kat), however we’ll reward you for it. For those who stick round to the tip of the episode (and this text), you’ll discover out which of our hosts delivered an emotional rendition of the unique poem, “10 Issues We Hate About Web sites.”

1. Complicated Principal Navigation

What’s the issue? Overcrowded navigation bars with poorly organized classes rapidly overwhelm a customer and instill resolution fatigue. When there are too many decisions to click on on, the customer struggles to determine the place even to start. No matter an organization’s sturdy business experience or wonderful thought management, if a customer can’t simply discover the knowledge they want, that firm instantly loses credibility. Even worse, it’d even make them abandon their search altogether.

Additional, corporations ought to contemplate that customers regularly entry their web sites on cell gadgets, making an already intensive navigation menu seem much more daunting on a small smartphone. The difficulty of advanced navigation bars is normal, with web sites affected by a lot increased bounce charges because of this.

Who’s doing it properly? Accenture.

Regardless of being one of many largest administration consulting companies, Accenture’s web site excels at being straightforward to navigate. Their top-level navigation options 4 choices— “what we do,” “what we expect,” “who we’re,” and “careers”—every with alphabetized subcategories. Accenture’s navigation does an unimaginable job of being intuitive and taking the consumer to the knowledge that they search. The truth that even an enormous group can create navigational simplicity highlights simply how essential this issue is for all corporations to realize.

2. Dangerous Homepage Headlines

What’s the issue? If a corporation’s homepage doesn’t painting who they’re and what they do proper off the bat, they’re shedding out on key prospects. {Many professional} providers web sites fall into the lure of that includes generic, imprecise, or overly intelligent headlines that fail to instantly talk the group’s id, worth proposition, or providers. With present developments reporting a dip in visitors to different pages like blogs, the homepage is changing into more and more essential to seize the eye of holiday makers.

Homepage headlines have to be clear and immediately talk the corporate’s mission. Generic tropes that don’t differentiate the corporate merely is not going to minimize it. Consumers are searching for specialists to resolve particular challenges, and a bland or overused headline received’t seize their consideration and, extra importantly, set up belief.

Who’s doing it properly? Huitt-Zollars.

Huitt-Zollars makes use of the headline “We’re designing the landmarks of tomorrow” to convey their mission. Whereas additionally being memorable, this headline instantly communicates that they’re a design company, working as engineers and designers to fairly actually construct buildings. The mission assertion is well-positioned, and the “see our work” name to motion leads guests to take a look at their massive undertaking portfolio. The mixture of clear phrases and impactful imagery immediately conveys who they’re and what they do.

3. Complicated Imagery

What’s the issue? Bland and dated visible design, particularly with out a clear aesthetic that communicates an organization’s id, is a big disadvantage. In our expertise, we all know that almost all consumers will take a look at your web site earlier than contacting you. Subsequently, visible design is a big a part of advertising and marketing to potential new shoppers and attracting prime expertise. Corporations that don’t commit time to contemplating the visible ease of their web site undergo big disadvantages in comparison with their opponents.

Who’s doing it properly? Thiel & Team.

Thiel & Crew successfully showcases impressed artwork course by way of quite a lot of channels. Considered one of Hinge’s award-winning clients, their web site options a mixture of colourful customized and inventory imagery, which differentiates them from their grayscale opponents. From the video portfolio on the prime to delicate textures behind their emblem, their visible model communicates sophistication, class, and originality. Thiel & Crew demonstrates how even small companies can construct a top-tier undertaking portfolio to permit their work to shine and create a memorable consumer expertise.

4. Web sites With No Filtering Instruments

What’s the issue? {Many professional} providers corporations fail to construct filtering instruments into their web site, putting the burden on the consumer to slowly learn by way of content material within the hope of discovering what they really search. This concern is especially frequent with older or fast-growing web sites that accumulate a big quantity of content material. With out filtering, web site guests are compelled to sift by way of irrelevant info, which is irritating for the reader and a wasted alternative for the corporate to information their expertise.

Who’s doing it properly? Hanson Professional Services.

Web site guests can filter previous initiatives by “service”, “market”, and “location” to be taught in regards to the particular initiatives that meet their wants. Equally, the “Insights” part affords all kinds of filters that present readers with fast, digestible content material about Hanson Skilled Companies and their work. These instruments be certain that customers can effectively find the knowledge they want.

5. Lack of Case Tales

What’s the issue? {Many professional} providers web sites miss the chance to showcase success tales, previous efficiency, or case research. Within the skilled providers area, consumers closely depend on proof of previous accomplishments. Case tales present direct perception into the outcomes shoppers obtain. They’re a fantastic software to assist prospects consider whether or not they wish to spend money on a specific group and which providers they’re prepared to spend cash on. Since demonstrating previous success is essential to establishing credibility, organizations that don’t spotlight these accomplishments on their web site miss a significant connection level.

Even when confidentiality agreements stop referencing particular organizations, corporations can nonetheless present anonymized examples that describe the scale and performance of the corporate they supported and, extra importantly, describe the answer and outcomes they offered. Though anonymized tales are an answer when organizations discover their palms tied, essentially the most impactful examples put a face to the shopper. If anonymity may be a possible setback down the highway, corporations ought to work to spell out their wants earlier than signing new shopper engagements.

Who’s doing it properly? Slalom.

Slalom, a big consulting agency, excels at that includes buyer tales on their web site. They place “buyer tales” instantly of their principal navigation to instantly spotlight their accomplishments. These tales attribute names to shoppers, starting from massive corporations to smaller organizations, demonstrating their broad expertise. Slalom closely invests in making these tales visually attention-grabbing, with fast “at-a-glance” summaries that spotlight the issues solved and the outcomes achieved. This strategy offers the proof of previous efficiency that potential consumers search on a web site.

6. Lack of Professional Bio Pages

What’s the issue? {Many professional} providers web sites fail to incorporate skilled bio pages that spotlight leaders’ particular person experience and business contributions. When potential shoppers go to a web site, they wish to know who they are going to be working with and to substantiate that the corporate possesses the mandatory experience for his or her wants, particularly in a relationship-driven business like skilled providers. Failing to showcase the individuals behind the providers is a missed alternative to construct a connection.

A standard objection to that includes particular person specialists is the concern of them being poached by headhunters. Whereas that is dangerous for a lot of causes, one being the dearth of deserved recognition, analysis persistently reveals that it’s extra harmful to omit this info than to incorporate it. The fastest-growing corporations spend money on highlighting their individuals’s experience, which signifies that the advantages of elevated visibility and agency popularity considerably outweigh the perceived headhunter danger.

Who’s doing it properly? Maxwell Locke & Ritter (ML&R).

Maxwell Locke & Ritter (ML&R), an accounting agency, excels at showcasing their individuals and tradition. Their bio part captures their specialists’ distinctive backgrounds by providing a mixture of private {and professional} insights. Along with normal info, resembling training and business expertise, they provide a private contact by together with direct quotes or candid footage. ML&R’s website additionally offers a clear consumer expertise by permitting customers to filter specialists based mostly on “function”, “business”, and “division”.

7. Attributing Thought Management to the Firm

What’s the issue? One of many largest challenges that corporations face with thought management is attributing it to the right supply. Oftentimes, corporations substitute the precise content material writer with a generic determine resembling “the corporate”, “workers”, or “the advertising and marketing group”. This can be a main missed alternative as a result of thought management offers a direct perception into a vital differentiator for skilled providers: the individuals themselves.

When specialists usually are not acknowledged for his or her work, they lose the possibility to share their function within the group, focus on their passions, and spotlight the forms of issues they clear up. Not solely does this conceal the agency’s particular person experience, however it additionally discourages future thought management contributions. Additional, attributing content material to people is essential to constructing belief with potential shoppers. When a prospect follows a particular skilled, they interact with the corporate and develop confidence in that skilled, serving to construct a rapport with the group earlier than they even interact.

Who’s doing it properly? Propeller.

Propeller does an outstanding job of attributing their thought management to particular specialists. As an illustration, one analysis report prominently lists their Senior Folks & Change Director on the prime of the web page. Direct hyperlinks take readers to his bio, printed articles, and even his LinkedIn profile, instantly showcasing him as a “Visible Expert®” of their subject. Propeller doesn’t conceal their specialists. As a substitute, they put them entrance and middle to assist paint an image of their group.

8. Lack of Video

What’s the issue? A standard mistake that skilled providers web sites make is just not together with video content material. Traditionally, video has been seen as unattainable, well timed, and costly. Nonetheless, with know-how developments, together with AI video creation tools, video content material is now attainable and inexpensive for all corporations, no matter dimension. Corporations ought to flip towards video to showcase firm values, spotlight work ethic, and display the expertise shoppers will obtain when signing agreements.

As well as, web sites with out video miss the chance to seize viewers’ consideration and supply a visually participating expertise. Within the skilled providers area, constructing belief is key. Video can present prospects priceless insights whereas additionally offering an emotional connection to the model. It brings initiatives and ideas to life, which in flip makes the consumer extra immersed and linked.

Who’s doing it properly? WSP.

WSP’s web site is an ideal instance of how video enhances consumer expertise. WSP’s “Who we’re” part showcases a high-quality video that instantly introduces guests to their group. The video combines a wide range of visuals with a transparent voiceover, which guides viewers by way of the corporate’s work. This refined digital aspect elevates the WSP’s web site and positions them as a pacesetter.

9. Lack of Employer Branding

What’s the issue? An uninteresting or underdeveloped careers part is a typical shortcoming amongst skilled providers web sites. Oftentimes, corporations merely checklist job openings with out offering the extra info that potential recruits care about. Job seekers wish to be taught extra about mentorship alternatives, skilled improvement, and firm tradition – elements that can not be lined in a primary job description.

Failing to articulate these essential components on a web site creates an incomplete image of what it’s wish to work for the group. Against this, a sturdy profession part can personalize the expertise for various kinds of job seekers (skilled professionals, early profession, interns, army veterans) and supply solutions to frequent questions on advantages, utility processes, interviews, and coaching. In as we speak’s aggressive hiring atmosphere, providing an enticing and informative profession part is important to draw prime expertise.

Who’s doing it properly? Burns & McDonnell.

Burns & McDonnell, a recipient of Hinge’s Marketing Superlative Awards, excels in employer branding. Their “careers” part goes past primary job listings to supply worker success tales and spotlight their awards. They use tailor-made messaging to personalize the expertise for his or her numerous audiences and supply sturdy sources that reply questions starting from worker advantages to coaching and improvement.

10. Poorly Optimized for Search

What’s the issue? When skilled providers web sites ignore search engine optimisation practices, they dramatically restrict visibility. Whereas the world of SEO is constantly changing, search engine optimisation stays essential for long-term success. A powerful search engine optimisation backing ensures that an organization’s content material is discoverable by search engines like google and enormous language fashions (LLMs), no matter fluctuations in natural visitors..

Ignoring search engine optimisation, or viewing it as an excessive amount of work or a waste of time, will in the end handicap the consumer expertise and the visibility of potential consumers. Whereas direct web site visitors may see shifts, the purpose is to make sure that when persons are looking for options, whether or not by way of conventional search engines like google or new AI instruments like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or Perplexity, your organization’s experience and choices are clearly understood and located. A sustained dedication to creating high-quality, keyword-driven content material and a perpetual search engine optimisation technique results in extra certified conversations.

Who’s doing it properly? Hinge.

Hinge has persistently invested in its personal search engine optimisation for years. Regardless of our dimension, we’ve been in a position to outperform many different advertising and marketing companies and opponents by way of benchmarks and web site visitors. This long-term funding in creating high-quality, keyword-driven content material has positioned us as a acknowledged skilled in skilled providers advertising and marketing. Even with present shifts in search engine habits and declining general visitors, Hinge is seeing leads originating from new sources, together with LLMs. Subsequently, a robust search engine optimisation basis is essential to positioning an organization to be understood by digital platforms and permitting them to seize certified leads and conversations.

Conclusion

We’ve all skilled the frustration of a poorly designed web site – the complicated navigation, the generic messaging, the infinite scrolling to seek out what you want. On this weblog, we’ve laid out the ten commonest pitfalls we see on skilled providers web sites and demonstrated that when addressed correctly, they’re alternatives to face out from the competitors.

Give your viewers a headline that’s clear and memorable. Place your specialists entrance and middle. Change lengthy, uninspired textual content with participating movies and pictures. Person-friendly, clear, and informative web sites are in the end those that stand out, entice, and resonate with potential shoppers.

And now, for the second we’ve all been ready for – the poetic finale. Identical to Kat’s memorable poem, Hinge’s model places a passionate, advertising and marketing twist on our checklist of web site grievances.