Most people assume a website fails because it looks outdated or unattractive. But in reality, design isn’t the biggest reason people leave—functionality is. If your site is frustrating to use, visitors won’t stick around, no matter how beautiful it is.

Is Your Website Driving Visitors Away? 4 Common Mistakes to Avoid

A slow, confusing, or poorly optimized website could be costing you visitors. Learn the top website mistakes that drive people away and how to fix them.

1. Slow-Loading Pages

If your website takes more than three seconds to load, you’re already losing visitors. People expect instant access to information, and a slow site creates a frustrating experience that drives them to competitors.

2. Confusing Navigation

Ever landed on a website and struggled to find what you were looking for? That’s a major red flag. If visitors have to hunt for information, they’ll leave instead of figuring it out.

3. Too Many Animations & Effects

Animations and effects can add personality to your site, but too much of a good thing can backfire. Flashy elements may slow your site down, create distractions, and make navigation more difficult.

4. Ignoring Mobile Users

More than 50% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly—meaning text is hard to read, buttons are too small, or images don’t resize properly—you’re losing a massive portion of your audience.

Recap: Functionality Over Flash

A beautiful website doesn’t always mean a successful website. If your site is slow, confusing, overloaded with effects, or not optimized for mobile, you’re pushing visitors away without realizing it.

Focus on speed, simplicity, and user-friendliness—because a great website isn’t just about looks, it’s about making it easy for visitors to stay, explore, and take action.

Your Designer

I’m Mikkel Calmann, a certified Squarespace designer and Circle Member. I’ve worked with businesses of all sizes, crafting strategic websites that look great and perform even better. If you’d like to discuss a project, feel free to email me at mikkel@typza.com or reach out to me here. You can also book a free 15-minute consultation here.