Responsive Web Design: Common Mistakes That Cost You Customers

More than half of web visits come from phones, yet many business websites still feel like shrunken desktop pages. These mistakes are easy to spot and worth fixing.

Tiny tap targets

Buttons and links that are too small or too close together cause mis-taps. Aim for tap areas of at least about 44 by 44 pixels with comfortable spacing.

Text that needs zooming

Body text below roughly 16 pixels forces visitors to pinch and zoom. Keep line lengths short and contrast high so text stays readable outdoors.

Horizontal scrolling

Wide tables, fixed-width images and oversized banners push content off screen. Use flexible layouts and let large tables scroll inside their own container.

Hidden or hard-to-find navigation

A menu icon nobody notices hides your best pages. Keep the main actions, such as call, book or buy, visible without opening a menu.

Heavy pages on slow connections

Mobile visitors are often on weaker networks. Compress images and avoid loading large desktop-only assets on small screens.

Test on real devices

Browser emulators help, but nothing beats using your site on an actual phone. Ask a friend with a different device to try to complete your main goal, such as sending an enquiry, and watch where they struggle.