A website is one of the very first things prospective customers see. Once they land on your website, however, you have about 2 seconds to convince them to stay. There are a lot of things that can make them bounce off. Here are five website design features you should remove immediately to make a more positive viewing experience for your visitors.

Good Websites Gone Bad 

1. Flash – While websites with Flash were all the rage in the early 2000s, sites with them today are considered outdated and to have difficult usability. Apple products such as the iPhone and iPad have never supported Flash and most web designers have actually phased it out of their designs. This is because nearly 60 percent of web searches are done on mobile devices, such as Apple products. If people with those devices cannot see the content on a website because it has Flash, there is a risk of losing a large potential customer base. If your site has Flash, talk to your medical website designer about removing that feature and replacing it with a video, image or infographic.
2. Auto-play video – Nothing can be more frustrating and, ahem, perhaps embarrassing as visiting a website, maybe while at work, and a loud video starts playing immediately, startling not only you, but those sitting near you as well? As firm believers in the power of good digital content, we want people to see your videos. However, while engaging the auto-play feature may sound like a good idea, you must resist! Avoid frustrating visitors and let them make the decision to watch your video instead of automatically playing it for them.
3. Pop-ups – Have you ever visited a website and start reading a great article or watching a video only to have an advertisement pop up and block your view? You probably were slightly annoyed about the intrusion. Consider how prospective patients feel. While it is important to create opportunities to engage with website visitors, don’t force them by blocking their view of the item they are already engaging with. Attention-getting and strategically placed call to actions will allow visitors to see offers and sign ups while avoiding interrupting them in their browsing of your website. If you have pop-ups, consider eliminating them and replacing with banner and sidebar offers and sign-ups.
4. Non-responsive design – In March of 2015, Google announced they were going to penalize websites that were not mobile friendly with poorer search results. Responsive websites adjust in size and scale based on the viewing platform being used. Considering the ever-increasing rate of mobile search, there is no wonder why Google took this stance. If your website is not mobile friendly, it is time for a responsive website redesign. If you are unsure if your site is responsive, Google has created a website that will allow you to check. Click here to check your website.
5. Ability to change – In prior years, websites were built on a content management system (CMS) that required a Webmaster to make even the most simple edits. Today, businesses need the ability to make edits on the fly and can’t wait for someone else to get to it, much less charge him or her for it. That is why it is important to have your website built on a platform that allows simple content changes. One popular CMS many website designers use is WordPress. With WordPress, we can build a custom or semi-custom website, while allowing the client to make small content changes as needed.

A website is one of the first interactions a potential patient has with your business. Make it frustration-free by eliminating features that take away from them having a positive experience while on your site. Depending on the feature in question, removing it doesn’t necessarily require a total website redesign. Inquire about options with your current website developer and make an informed decision. There are amazing responsive website designers that can get you the results you have dreamt of for a very reasonable price.