Designing
a website, either for yourself or a client, is not the most difficult task.
However, to get the most out of your site, there are a number of things that
you must implement. This is especially true for new businesses, as they
scramble for success, in an arena of tense competition.
To
ensure that your site does its best, you must make sure it best represents your
business. Today, you will find that the success of a business and its website
are deeply intertwined. A website that is properly designed, has many benefits
for your business, which is why you want your website to be the best.
Below
are several web design tips that you can and should use, to get the most out of
your website.
1. Make an Informative Homepage
The
homepage is the one part of the site that most of your visitors will view. It’s
for this reason you want to ensure it provides your customers with accurate
information. Information that lists the many benefits of the services, content
and products that you provide. This is the most effective way to engage your
visitors, and help them properly navigate your website.
2. Only Add Necessary Elements to Your Site
When
designing your website, it’s not uncommon for people to get carried away, by
adding too many elements to the site. Such people tend to fixate on visual
appeal far too much, it’s for this reason they seek to add more and more
elements to the page, in their quest to make the page interesting.
The
end result is a website that appears overwhelming and cluttered. The other
drawback is if many of these elements, add nothing to the page outside of
visual appeal, they can leave your visitors confused.
Every
element on every web page should have some purpose to it being there.
3. Build User-Friendly Landing Pages
When
compared to the homepage, the landing page differs in that its primary purpose
is to speak to an audience. You want to structure your website in such a way,
that when an end user is on the lookout for information on a particular
product/service, they land on a page that is dedicated to what they’re
searching for. There are many studies out there that prove the effectiveness of
landing pages.
4. Design for the User
When
designing your websites, you want to think about the design elements from the
perspective of the user. When visitors reach your website, they will engage
with it, and learn more about your particular business. So you want to ensure
the website works for them.
As you
continue to build your website, you need to think about a design that will
provide your visitors with the best possible experience. The things for you to
consider are the navigation, design format and visual elements.
When
you think about the user first, when designing your website, you end up with a
site that provides visitors with the best experience. This means, they will
spend more time on your site, which will result in more leads and sales for
your business.
5. Make Your Site Social Media Friendly
When
it comes to digital marketing, social media marketing is one of the latest and
biggest trends. You want to improve upon it, by making your website suitable
for social media.
There
are so many different social media platforms available today, such as Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Social media is capable of attracting
visitors to your site, while improving its overall rankings in the search
engine. Which ultimately, should lead to more site conversions. Thus, you want
to do your utmost to make your website social media friendly, that way you’ll
reap all the benefits that comes along with it.
6. Choose the Right Font(s)
The
most attractive websites aren’t focused solely on the right visual elements.
The text on the various site pages, also plays a major role in the overall
beauty of the website. Not only is site content important, but it’s equally
important that your audience is able to read the content on your pages.
The
typography that you go with, will have a major impact on how visitors engage
with your website. If you have too many different fonts on the page or if you
go with a font that is difficult to read, then it will give your visitors a
negative impression of your site. If they can’t read the information on your
web pages, then what’s the point in being on your site?
If you
want your website to be appealing to the masses, then you need to ensure that
all the key elements of it, are appealing to the eye. Make sure your fonts all
work well together, and that any font style you go with, is strategically
placed.
Uchenna Ani-Okoye is a former IT Manager who now runs his own computer support website compuchenna.co.uk.
