Two to five months – that’s how long it takes to develop a good-looking, fully functional website. So, if we were to fast-track this web development process, how long do you think we would need?
A month? A week? A couple of days? 24 hours? There’s no telling how quickly you can actually build a website. However, when you’re developing a site that fast, you’re bound to make mistakes.
Be it coding errors or forgetting about your users, fast-tracking your company’s website development can lead to several mistakes on the developer’s end. Of course, if you were aware of these mistakes beforehand, you could avoid them during the design and development phase accordingly.
Here are the most common mistakes you must try to avoid when fast-tracking your company’s website development.
#1: Skipping the Planning Phase
Building a website in a week or less – why on earth would anyone not make a plan and just jump into this? Given how mammoth of a task this is, you don’t want to skip the planning phase when fast-tracking your company’s website development.
When you don’t plan, you risk:
- Leaving out the users who will actually be using and interacting with your company website.
- Forgetting key visual or functional elements that will make the site feel incomplete.
- Make coding errors to the point where your site will have multiple points of failure.
Hence, as far as mistakes go, you can’t make this one; so plan the site’s development with a proper timeline in place.
#2: Ignoring the Debugging Process
This is a big one. The excitement of finishing a project often leads to skipping the crucial step of debugging. You might think your website looks great and functions well enough, but hidden bugs can sabotage your hard work and frustrate your users. This is especially true if you’re trying out innovative methods like AI web development.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. AI websites, built using tools like an AI website builder, often require far less debugging than traditionally coded sites. Why? Because AI website creation involves advanced algorithms that generate cleaner, error-free code.
It’s tempting to rely on this precision and skip testing altogether. After all, AI tools promise a faster, more seamless web development process.
Besides, according to Hocoos, AI web development takes just minutes and costs little to nothing. So, thanks to AI, you can have a bug-free website in front of you, fully functional, within minutes.
#3: Overloading the Design with Features
When you’re on a tight schedule, the temptation to throw in as many features as possible to “wow” your audience is real. But let’s face it: more isn’t always better.
The idea that “many equals good” is just a way to trick users into thinking that your company site has a lot to offer. But you can’t fool your website visitors into thinking that the site is actually good when it’s not. Bring in all the web features you want, but you’re just overloading the design then; nothing consequential will come out of it.
Besides, too many flashy elements can slow down your site, confuse users, and dilute your message. Prioritize functionality and user experience over gimmicks.
A streamlined website that loads quickly and guides users effectively will always win over one cluttered with unnecessary bells and whistles.
#4: Neglecting Mobile Optimization
Picture this: You’ve poured your heart and soul into creating a stunning desktop site. The graphics are sharp, the navigation is intuitive, and every detail is polished. But when someone opens it on their phone, the layout falls apart, and navigation becomes a nightmare.
Everyone knows this: no one is really browsing the internet on a laptop or desktop unless they really need to. The casual internet-viewing experience is now entirely enjoyed through mobile devices. So basically, mobile traffic dominates the internet. In fact, 96 percent of the global population connects to the internet using mobile devices.
Fast-tracking a project often means mobile optimization gets left out, which is a colossal mistake. Your site must adapt seamlessly to different devices, whether it’s a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Test every element, from text readability to button placement, to ensure that your site delivers a smooth user experience regardless of the screen size.
Fast-tracking your company’s website development can be a thrilling ride, but it’s important to avoid the common pitfalls that can derail your progress. Skipping planning, overloading your design, ignoring debugging, etc. can cost you time, money, and customer trust.
Take the time to get things right, and you’ll end up with a site that meets your deadline and also exceeds expectations.