9 common website mistakes
This article summarizes the ten most frequent mistakes in Arabic websites, which I constantly point out when doing a “User Experience Design Review” – one of my consulting services to improve user experience – so I saw their summary for everyone to benefit from.
Websites include: corporate pages, blogs, personal websites, digital stores, web applications, etc.
1- The site does not support secure communication protocol (https)
Not using your website’s pages for addresses that include “Secure Encryption Protocol” (https), will reduce the chance of the site appearing in search engine results, and the credibility of the site, and increase the chances of visitor/user data leakage, and site hacking.
What is the solution?
Activate the secure protocol on the site “server” for all visitors and for all pages of the site.
All URLs are automatically redirected to use the secure protocol.
2- The use of the English language in the main elements of the site
An example of using English in an Arabic site menu
Using a language other than the language of the page in the navigation links, buttons or main navigation elements of the site, some visitors / users will not be able to understand, browse and interact with all the contents of the site.
What is the solution?
Avoid using a language other than the main language of the page on the navigation links, links and buttons (the main navigation elements of the site).
When the site has more than one language, be sure to provide a copy of all pages for each language, and ensure that all page content and key site navigation elements are translated.
3- Using the state flag to denote language
Example of using a country flag to denote the language and display the language of the current page
Defining the flag of a country to indicate the language of the site (Arabic or English ..) makes some visitors think that the site is specialized and directed to certain countries only.
What is the solution?
It is enough to put a link to the available languages on the website page without the country’s flag.
The link to the available languages of the page should not contain the language of the current page. For example, we put an “English” link on the Arabic page for those who want the English version of it, and the link is at the top and at the far left.
4- Lots of ads and visual disturbances
Too many ads and moving elements on the page will produce visual distortion, affecting the interaction of the visitor / user with the site. On the other hand, it leads to an increase in the size of the pages and more consumption of the bandwidth available on the hosting server, which leads to a higher hosting cost.
What is the solution?
Use only one ad per page that is in the context of the content and relevant to the interests of the visitor/user.
Remove any unnecessary moving elements in the pages of the site.
5- Website pages are slow
Pages that are full of content, images and ads, require some visitors/users to wait more than 3 seconds to be seen on their devices, in addition, they consume more amount of internet data from them.
What is the solution?
Reducing the content of pages, from images, advertisements, “JavaScript” files and “style” files (CSS) and thus reducing the size of the page.
Reduce the number of files that link to the page (called within the page) to reduce the number of “requests” on the server.
Reducing the size and compressing of JavaScript and Style files (CSS).
Using cache technology, on the server and on the browser, for some files and pages that are not updated.
6- Spaces between Arabic letters
Example of spaces between Arabic letters
The presence of spaces between the letters of the Arabic words means that they appear incorrectly, and this reduces the ability to read and interact with the contents and affects the duration of the visitor/user’s stay on the site.
What is the solution?
Ensure that there are no spaces between the letters of the Arabic words by using this line in the “style sheet” (CSS) file or modifying it if it already exists and giving it the value zero.
7- Content directed to search engines, not people
The site’s containment of repetitive, unhelpful, and non-specialized content, to contribute to improving its visibility in search engine results, may temporarily succeed in leading search results, but it will certainly lead to a bad site usage experience for visitors and not repeat this experience.
What is the solution?
Focus on specializing the site’s topics in one area and targeting a specific category of the audience.
Talk about useful experiences, problems and solutions in your field and for your target audience.
Create original, non-duplicate and non-copy content.
What is the point of being in search engine results, if the visitor closes the site within a few seconds?!
8- Fonts not suitable for screens
Example of a font that is not suitable for reading from the screen
Some fonts are more suitable for printing and not suitable for screens, and their use makes it difficult to read and interact with the contents of the site, and this speeds up the visitor/user’s exit before he gets what he wants from the site.
What is the solution?
Use curved lines and a few fringes to display the content of the site.
Large titles can be an exception to this rule.
9- Inappropriate color contrast
Example of inappropriate color contrast between text and background
Using colors that are annoying to the eye, or using the same color as writing texts on the background color will make the texts not clearly visible, in addition to using some colors that may not be visible to those who suffer from vision/vision problems.
What is the solution?
Use the Contrast Checker tool to check color contrast, making sure to use an appropriate text/type color contrast with the background.
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