Elements of Good Web Design
When it comes to running a business these days, it is absolutely important to have an attractive, well-functioning website that provides value to customers. Seems like common sense, right? Let’s take a look at what this really means and then you can decide if your website meets these criteria or not.
Your Website is a Marketing Tool
The most important thing that you want to remember as you consider website design is that your website serves as a marketing tool. We are not just designing something and then tossing it aside and forgetting about it. Your website can make or break a sale, so investing in quality is important.
Appearance
First impression is everything – even online. The first thing most people notice about a website is the actual look of the website – the appearance. Similar to face-to-face meetings, you have a matter of seconds to impress your customer. A web design company can help you create an attractive website and help keep customers on the site longer.
Functionality
No other element of your website will matter if the site does not function well. You need to make sure your website is easy to use – by everyone. Buttons and links should work. Text should be easy to read and understand. If your website does not work, or is too difficult to figure out, customers will get frustrated and leave.
Another thing to remember when it comes to functionality is that your website should be mobile-friendly. Your website is not automatically mobile-friendly – it requires special code to be able to function on both a desktop and a mobile device. Contact your local web design company to learn more about mobile websites.
Value
Once you are satisfied with the appearance and functionality of your website, the next thing you want to focus on is the value provided to potential customers. This means that the information provided on your site needs to be useful, current and relevant to what your visitors are looking for. *Note: Typically, the information provided on a website is written by the business, not the web design company. Keep this in mind if you are considering designing a new website/updating a current website.
On-Page Optimization
Most people cover the first three things mentioned above. But only some business address the issue of on-page optimization. On-page optimization is when the text and keywords on your website align with those keywords you are trying to rank for from a search engine optimization perspective. For example, if you are in the remodeling industry, you might try and rank for the keyword phrase “kitchen remodeling.” The keyword phrase “kitchen remodeling,” along with closely related secondary keywords, should be present in the text on your website.
Putting It All Together
The only way to know if you have aced all elements of web design is to measure your results. Website analytics are a great tool that can help you track the number of people visiting your website. For example, if you have a high bounce rate (meaning people are clicking on your site and then immediately leaving), you might have an ‘appearance’ issue. If you have no visitors on one particular page of your site, you might want to check and make sure your link is working to that page. This type of feedback could help you make small (or large) adjustments to help make the user experience a more pleasant one.
Another way that you can gather feedback about your website is through surveys. Surveys, if distributed in an appropriate manner, can be a great tool for gathering information about what people like or don’t like about your site.
Summary
If you do not currently have a website, or are interested in updating your existing website, please give us a call. Our web designer would be happy to meet with you and discuss the needs of your business. Together, we can bring your vision to life.