These days, if a company does not have a website, it is almost like they do not exist. A website acts as a digital business card in a world that increasingly operates online, allowing businesses to provide valuable information about their products and services while connecting with potential clients. Websites can be used for lead generation and increase conversion rates, boosting overall success. This blog will discuss the importance of website design and its features.
Nevertheless, not all websites are created identically. A website should be well-designed to achieve its goals successfully. For a website to be well-designed, it must be easy to navigate, clear, and user-friendly. As the visitor navigates the online platform, the design will engage them, and essentially hold their hand. An easily visible menu bar at the top of the website’s homepage is one example of logical web design in action. That said, it takes more than a menu bar to create a great site.
Website Design Main Elements
Here are a few general reasons brands and businesses should pay attention to website design.
1. Create a great first impression
When visitors come to your website, you want them to be interested and engaged. A poorly designed website can quickly send visitors running. In contrast, a well-designed website will draw them in and encourage them to keep clicking and spend more time on the site. Think of a website like a modern business card. It is all about first impressions.
2. Increase conversions
If you sell products via your website, suppose you have an e-commerce website, you probably want to use it to boost conversions and get more online visitors to turn into paying customers. A well-designed site can help you reach that goal.
3. Keep up with the competition
Your brand or business likely has competitors who offer similar or even identical goods and services. When shopping around, consumers may take website appearance and ease of use into consideration. If your competitor’s website is more visually appealing or easier to navigate, a potential customer may turn to them instead.
4. Save money on marketing
A well-designed website can be a valuable promotional tool, which you can leverage in a variety of digital marketing spaces, from social media to blogs. By investing in a well-designed website once, you have a valuable tool you can use over and over again, sharing it across various platforms to raise your company’s profile.
5. Improve your SEO rank
Search engine optimization rankings take into account website visitors’ statistics, including how much time people spend on a site. Having people arrive on your site and then quickly leave again can increase so-called bounce rates and damage your SEO rank. Contrarily, having people spend more time on your site and click on more different pages can help your SEO.
6. Maintain consistent branding
You likely have an established brand identity that you have developed to help set your company apart from competitors in the field. Your brand identity consists of everything from the appearance of your logo to the color schemes and terminology you use in your marketing campaigns. Your website is a valuable tool in reinforcing this brand identity.
Best Practices of Website Design for 2023
In this section, we will cover the things you should do as a designer regarding website design.
1. Text minimization
Large chunks of text tend to be a turn-off on digital screens. This is particularly true for people accessing a website via their tablet or mobile device. Generally, when people visit a website, they already have a mission in mind. They want to get information or find a product, for example. They do not want to read a lot of words. They just want the bare minimum information they need to achieve that mission.
2. Consistent color scheme
A consistent color scheme is part of any strong visual brand identity. Think of some of the biggest brands you know: you surely can probably immediately name their signature colors. A website should reflect a brand’s color scheme.
3. Easy navigation
A well-designed website is easy for a person to navigate. Good website navigation is characterized by a primary navigation bar (menu bar) with clear language telling the user what they will find when they click on a page. These signposts should be clear, simple, and relevant to your website. They should also be visually easy to read.
4. Texture
A website is only visible on a two-dimensional screen. So, how can it have texture? When using this term, web designers refer to visual texture. The use of imagery can make a page look almost three-dimensional so that it appears as if you could hold it in your hands. The texture of a page allows the physical sensation of touch to be recreated through sight, adding depth to the experience.
5. Images and visuals
Images are an essential part of any website, helping balance text by visually engaging the viewer. Visuals can also be more compelling, as people often tend to be more moved by what they see versus what they read. Additionally, some people simply process visual imagery better than text. Visuals and images help keep a website from looking boring, which is the last thing you want.
There are many ways to incorporate visuals effectively into your website. Examples include photographs, infographics, memes, gifs, videos, screenshots, and animations. While you do not want to overwhelm people with visuals, it is key to provide enough diversity to keep the website lively and interesting.
6. White space
While a consistent color scheme is important to web design, a lack of color is just as critical in the design process. White space helps keep a website from looking cluttered or overfull. It technically refers to what designers call “negative space,” or the areas of the page between elements. Margins, gutters, and in-between graphics are all important zones for white space.
Final Thoughts
If you want to become an expert at website design, the information provided in this blog can only help you if you put your mind to it. If you follow these guidelines your work as a designer will improve.
