In an increasingly digital world, businesses looking to boost their success absolutely must curate their online presence. One of the effective ways to do that is with an impressive website. Much like a sleek business card, a website not only informs but also helps provide a good first impression to prospective clients while also boosting brand awareness. So, what makes a great website? Join us as we explore the dos and don'ts of web design for businesses.
What a Website Needs to Standout
We’ve all been there before. Imagine the scene, you discover a new brand or company and want to learn more about their offerings. You pull out your cell phone and surf over to their website… and it looks like something out of 1999. The graphics are pixelated, load times are insane, none of the links work, and the information hasn’t been updated in who knows how long. As a business owner, this is the last thing you want—your website scaring off potential customers. How can you avoid this? Read on to discover the three main areas you need to focus on in your web design.
Visuals
Eye-catching images are the crux of great marketing. While marketing has come a long way from stylish print ads á la Don Draper from Mad Men, this much remains true. People are visual creatures. It’s the same reason why bakers add egg wash to bread and pastries before baking, for that delicious golden color. After all, we first eat with our eyes, then our stomachs. When it comes to your website, this translates to needing to incorporate visuals that attract and inspire.
Source: Airbnb
Hero images
A breathtaking image is a great way to catch users’ attention and help them connect to your brand on an emotional level. Hero images are perfect for this. Like banners, hero images are the first thing a user encounters on a page of your website. They can help set expectations by providing an overview of the most critical content on that page. Also, hero images can accomplish two important tasks:
Offer a visual experience on a given page no matter what device users are using.
Inspire visitors to scroll down and continue exploring the page.
Selecting the right content for your hero image will increase user time on the page and reduce your bounce rate, which shows people are getting the information they are looking for.
Typography and colors
It may not seem like the most important feature of a website, but taking the time to select the right typography significantly impacts your web design. Readability is important for your search engine optimization, but also for maintaining user interest. Great typography will make it easier for users to engage with your content, whereas bad typography puts them off. Technically speaking, typography should be consistent and only vary in three different font sizes. Pay attention to how easy your font is to read in terms of color and legibility. Plus, the right typography that effortlessly blends in with your website’s graphic design can keep it looking polished.
Communication
A beautiful website will capture visitors, but top-notch writing is what will keep them from clicking away too soon. Of course, good content consists of more than some strategically placed copy on your homepage. It is a cohesive strategy that leverages great copywriting to tell your business’s story. A great website incorporates a brand’s voice throughout to consistently communicate with users during their entire experience.
Source: Gucci
Brand story
All the best websites have great “About” and “Frequently Ask Questions” sections. This boils down, once again, to creating an emotional connection with users. Ask yourself, who are you trying to reach and why? According to Forbes, successfully connecting with your target audience on an emotional level requires researching your market and addressing potential pain points. Therefore, using market research data can help bolster your brand story. Once you have your brand story in place, incorporate design elements and content that your target audience interacts with most. Don't forget to boost your brand’s storytelling effectiveness with responsive graphic design that is mobile-friendly. Keep in mind that great storytelling isn’t merely snazzy blog posts or catchy taglines, it has to be poignant.
Calls to action
Now that you have all this great storytelling on your website, what's next? Well, tell your visitors what they need to do! Prospects who are interested in your product or service will seek out a way to connect, or better yet place an order, purchase a membership, or make a reservation. Ensure that this is easy for them to do by incorporating calls to action. Here are a few CTAs to get your creative juices flowing:
To get users to make a purchase: Click here to get a 10% discount on (your product or service)!
To get users to subscribe to your newsletter: Sign up for exclusive updates from (your brand) in your inbox!
You can try these CTAs on your landing page or a relevant blog post where visitors can clearly see them.
Credibility
Web design matters. There’s no doubt about it! In a recent survey, nearly half of all users agreed that a website’s design determined how credible they viewed it to be. That means that design goes hand in hand with authority. The perfect recipe for a standout website includes great visuals, awesome copy, and authority (also known as being liked by Google). Here’s how to achieve that:
Content
What's better than a fresh plate of food hot off the grill? Think of your website's content the same way. Regularly updating, or at least reviewing, your content is crucial. This will improve your website's credibility, as well as the service you provide to your customers, and also allow you the chance to update your web design. Remember, typos happen, but do your best to avoid them. Always proofread and run a spellcheck. Typographical errors and broken links can affect your brand’s online credibility. The best websites are free of any errors.
Backlinks
Web authority helps show Google that your website is not only safe to navigate, but also provides quality content. The more authority you have, the higher your website will appear in searches. Backlinking is one of the simplest ways to improve your authority. This is sometimes an uphill battle as it involves both content and graphic design but it is very doable! It can be accomplished in many ways, including publishing case studies with experts or by crediting sources in your blog posts. Find a way to do this that feels authentic for your business.
Build a Better Website
It’s time to get coding! Intentional web design and web content are your best friends when creating an impressive website. It will require some brainstorming and research, but that will pay off big time when your web traffic is through the roof! Drop us a line on social to let us know you found these helpful on your web design journey.
Looking to revamp your website? Social Society can help! From web design to search engine optimization and more, our team can help boost your brand’s online presence. Book a one-to-one consultation with Josie today!
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