You may have an amazing product or service that everyone is screaming out for, but, when you function online, did you know that the look and feel of your website could be holding your product or service back?
The shop window to your business, your website is the most important element of an online business. Because of this, great web design is a key factor when it comes to success in the world of digital, and without it, you’ve fallen at the very first hurdle.
What is web design?
In its lamest terms, web design refers to how a website is displayed online, referring primarily to the user experience elements.
This includes aspects such as appearance, layout, and sometimes, content, which is all created by a web designer to ensure your website is the best it can be across desktop, tablet, and mobile.
As the website is your key online presence, getting the design right is hugely important, as it brings in customers and nurtures current ones. But, why exactly is it important?
Why is web design important?
While we keep saying that web design is vital for your businesses, below are three of the key reasons why this is.
– The first impression:
Did you know it only takes 50 milliseconds for a visitor to form an impression of your website design? And on top of that, 75% of users judge a business’s credibility purely on visual design. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that your website doesn’t look outdated, which could deter them from your website.
– SEO:
Three letters those working in the world of digital will have heard a lot. Search Engine Optimisation is vital when it comes to getting your website seen, but, did you know that design can have a huge impact on search engine performance? This is because design elements and practices can influence how you publish content, which then impacts how search engines crawl and index your site. Therefore, if this isn’t right from the get-go, you’ll forever be fighting an uphill battle.
– Engagement:
While it takes less than a second for your website to be judged, 38% of people will stop engaging with websites if the layout is unattractive. This means that nailing the layout of your website is of huge importance when it comes to ensuring you keep the audience engaged. And of course, the more engagement, the better chance of sales.
While this all sounds great, you’re probably wondering how do you get the most out of your website design?
The web design elements you need to nail
While your mind will be racing thinking of every element there is, the five elements below are what you need to ensure your nail first.
- Navigation
People have become lazy, which means they want to find information quickly and easily. With that in mind, ensuring you have simple navigation will allow your customers, and potential customers, to find what they need quickly, helping to increase engagement and the chance of a conversion.
- Responsive design
Earlier, we mentioned how your website needs to be outstanding across desktop, tablet, and mobile. We can’t stress enough how important it is, with millions accessing the online world from the palms of their hand. Therefore, if you want all your leads to remain on your website and convert, everyone needs a great experience, wherever they’re coming from.
- Purposeful visuals
Did you know, customers are ten times more likely to interact with a video over text? In fact, visual elements help to increase engagement overall, but, don’t go too crazy. A simple blend of video and text, such as instructions followed by a demonstration video, will ensure you have visually stimulating, yet purposeful content.
- Call-to-action buttons
These are vital as they tell your customer what you want them to do. They have the sole purpose of converting customers, which is why they need to be implemented and super effective. Therefore, they need to stand out on the page by being pleasing to the eye, which often comes down to colour scheme, with red and green being known for being excellent colours for conversion.
But most of all, by integrating CTA buttons into your website’s design, you’ll help drive better results on your page.
- Page speed
Finally, this is one of the most important aspects. If your site is slow, people will leave and go to a competitor. Google is even adding site speed to its search metrics, meaning a slow page load will drastically affect your SEO and overall site visibility.
Again, people are lazy and want information as quickly as possible. So, you need to ensure your site isn’t overloaded and is constantly monitored to prevent it from lagging and causing you huge losses when it comes to leads and sales.
Here at Relative Marketing, we provide a wide range of local web design services. If you’d like to find out how we can help you and your business, get in touch with us today.