Websites are an integral part of enhancing digital marketing efforts, which is a crucial factor when looking to improve online brand visibility. Websites are the heart of all online advertising as all campaigns are designed to lead a potential consumer back to them. Besides, the majority of visitors will judge the credibility of your brand based on their experience on your website.
For these reasons, having a great web design is not only professional but good for business. It also promotes a positive user experience which encourages potential customers to make purchases. However, for a company to leverage the benefits mentioned above, they need to implement web design best practices.
In this article, we are going to look at the best web practices that a reputable web development agency can help you achieve.
- Create a design that is in line with your business
‘Do not judge a book by its cover.’
This is a common phrase used when people want you to look deeper and focus on value as opposed to aesthetics or appearance. Unfortunately, a majority of human beings will judge based on first impressions.
In this case, designing a website that is in line with your business model is of paramount importance. The goal here is to allow potential clients to think of your brand every time they log onto your website. Also, during the design process, make sure you maintain consistency throughout the web pages. A disconnect may throw off prospects, minimizing the chances of sale conversions.
- Massive blocks of texts are a no-no
A fact is that not many web visitors are eager to read massive blocks of texts on your landing page. A website is not a blog post where readers are looking to gain a deeper understanding of a topic they are curious about. Instead, your homepage should have brief explanations of your products or services.
When crafting content for your website, try shorter paragraphs. The majority of readers will skim through a web page first and if the information seems overwhelming or complex, they are more likely to leave. By using short paragraphs, you eliminate wordy texts, allowing you to share relevant information that positively impacts web visitors.
If you must put more information, try using bullets instead of long paragraphs. Bullets deliver information in point form, ensuring a user has an easier time consuming information.
- Use visuals to tell a story
Breaking up your texts with visuals is a great way to make your web page more appealing while passing on important information to your target audience. High-quality visuals are attractive, easy to understand, and communicate the message effectively.
Use them on your website to show your potential customers what you offer. Place a few images strategically on the website to help web visitors understand your brand in a shorter amount of time.
- Create strong call-to-action (CTA)
Companies use websites to communicate to the world their products and services. Also, it is a platform that is meant to encourage sales conversions. As such, creating a strong call-to-action is vital.
As web visitors read through your website, make sure they come across a call-to-action that entices them to purchase, download, learn more, or sign-up for a service.
- Ease of navigation
If a web visitor takes a couple of seconds to find certain web pages or call-to-actions, chances are they will revert to your competitor for the products or services they need. As such, ensuring that your users can navigate your website seamlessly is imperative.
Having a simple web layout is the first step to ensure ease of navigation. Have simple headings with subheadings listed in drop-down lists. They should also be well-organized to allow people to find them fast. It is a great strategy to keep web visitors engaged in your website, improving sales conversions.
- Create a responsive design
Currently, the majority of people who log on to the internet do so via their mobile devices. Despite the smaller numbers that browse using their desktops, creating a website that serves these two clienteles is of the utmost importance.
A responsive web design is that which renders well across desktops and multiple mobile devices, irrespective of its screen size. It improves user experience by allowing individuals to access and navigate web pages seamlessly, without the need of zooming in and out or scrolling vertically. Furthermore, a responsive web design eliminates expenses associated with managing two websites; a desktop and mobile version.
- Faster loading
The importance of creating a website that loads faster cannot be over-emphasized. Research shows that the average web visitor will wait for approximately 3 seconds for a page to load. Otherwise, they are more likely to move to a competitor’s website.
Various practices can help your business to load faster. For instance, your web developer can help you reduce the size of your images, compress your JavaScript and CSS, use dedicated hosting, and reduce HTTP requests, to help your website load faster.
- Link to social media
Social media plays an instrumental role in digital marketing. According to Oberlo, 45% of the world’s population, which is approximately 3.5 billion people, uses social media sites. With there being a minimal chance of a decrease in this trend, tapping into the social media market is vital.
As such, it is essential to share social media links on your website. That way, users interact with your brand on various social media platforms, which goes a long way in improving online visibility.
Conclusion
From the information shared above, it is clear that the design of a website plays an important role in ensuring online visibility. Ease of navigation, faster loading times, the use of visuals, and the layout design of a responsive website are factors that promote search engine optimization.
Search engine optimization allows your business to rank high on search engines and improve outreach to your target audience.
By implementing these web design web practices, you can be sure to improve user experience, increase rankings, and witness more sales and conversions.