10 Key Things To Consider When Designing A Website

Investing in new websites is a major decision for all businesses out there. Since your website will be your company’s face online, it’s where your potential customers come to understand what you do and know more about your products and services.

Once done properly, your website will serve as a lead-generating machine, enabling you to gain more traffic and maximize your conversions. However, if you miss the mark, it’ll only waste your time and money because of the never-ending fixes and tweaks.

 
For this reason, it’s wise to work with a web design company that can help you meet your needs and give your desired results for your dream business website.

At present, there are web design companies you can rely on. If you’re confused with the available options for you, it’s always a good idea to look for a web design company from websites like Sortlist that sort the best agencies near you. In this way, you can be assured that you’ll make the right choice.
To get a well-designed website for your business, here are the things you need to consider:

1. Branding

It’s essential to all types of businesses. The placement and design of your brand’s logo contribute to the overall opinion of the viewers. A professionally designed logo catches the customer’s eye and gives a clear picture of the brand. Pick a location on your website that’s visible to visitors like the upper left corner since it’s where the eyes naturally start to scan a website.

If you want to solidify your brand’s identity, try using the same print advertising, logo on your packaging, and branded apparel. When businesses are consistent with their branding, it provides customers with a memorable and integrated brand experience.

2. Speed

One of the web design tips to make your website more responsive is to focus on your website speed. Keep in mind that website speed can either break or make your entire business. Because of today’s advancement in technology, many online users prefer websites that load quickly to save more time. They’ll likely exit your web pages and never return when the website speed isn’t good, which can cause you to lose out on your potential customers.

To improve your website speed, there are several things you can do and one of these is designing your website with fewer images. Although using eye-catching images can make your website more appealing, using a lot of them may slow down your website speed. So, make sure to optimize the sizes of your images before incorporating some.

3. Primary Users

It may seem like a no-brainer, but you’ll be surprised at how many website projects have been completed without having a user profile analysis. To create a website that meets the needs of your target audiences, you need to delve into who they are and the reasons why they’re coming to your website.

It isn’t uncommon for a business to have different primary user groups. For instance, websites for a doctor’s clinic would choose their patients as the primary audience. However, if the healthcare professionals who work at the clinics access the website to update client information, respond to public inquiries, schedule appointments, and post updates, the internal healthcare professionals must also be considered primary users.

So, before you contact a website design company, narrow down your user audiences and determine the reason why they come to your website. Also, be sure to consider how you’ll change your website to meet your audience’s needs better.

4. Content

Content may not be one of your priorities once you consider the overall design of your website. However, it’s something that you must not underestimate.

Think of your website as a blank sheet of paper. Having a few words on this paper can be boring and might not give your website a great look. Also, a lack of a clear message is a major turn-off for consumers. So, to keep people on your website, you have to prioritize your content.

With good content, it can engage your audience, convey your key messages to customers, and help you boost your website’s SEO. Other than that, it’s crucial to use your content in a way that’s beautifully designed so it’s effective in delivering this.

5. Layout

When it comes to designing a website, it typically has the same principles used when laying out posters or front pages. It’s crucial that you organize your page so you’ll get a balance of text and images. Based on a report, most internet users feel that great designs are essential when viewing online content.

Depending on your preferences, your website layout should have a simple structure, so your users can easily navigate it. If your hierarchy is distinct, your website will also have better navigation. Keep your visual cues to a minimum as you might not want to confuse users with your website layout. If you keep it simple, it’ll make it easier for users to locate any website content they’re searching for.

Also, before you go with designing the actual interface, it’s a good idea to consider wireframing your website. In this way, you can quickly change or chop the layout and test how your design works.

6. User Experience

Also referred to as UX, user experience revolves around what kind of experience your prospective clients and customers have on your website. Your website is your brand ambassador online, so you have to ensure that it represents you in a good light.

As much as possible, avoid confusing labeling, clutter, or too much information on your website if you don’t want to lose more visitors. When designing your business website, aim for a better user experience, which can be done through the following:

Clean Flow – Ensure that your website is easy for all users to navigate and understand, enabling the experience to be simple and interactive. Nobody wants to work hard just to find your contact details.

 
Therefore, consider where you want your audience to look and what information will keep them interested. Put such things in the areas that matter, so there’s easy flow and navigation.

Be Appealing – Never use clashing colors that will overwhelm users to the point that it hurts to look at your website.
This may sound basic, but the difference between such shades of colors can make a difference. It’s where graphic designers can be your friend in the process of website design.

Change Your Wording – If possible, avoid using complex wording or jargon. Use phrases that anybody can understand and won’t make your audience think to find anything.

Lessen The Clutter – If you have many flashing boxes or a lot of information on the page, it’ll get things confusing on not what to click on or where to find things, but also what you do and who you are. You have to ensure that everything is concise, clean, and clear.
You can also lessen clutter in your website by using bullet points, short paragraphs, and different headings as these help people when reading your content.

7. Mobile Friendliness

Your potential customers won’t think twice before moving to another website if your website fails to deliver an exceptional user experience. Your goal must include designing your website with a clear CTA and clean layout for easy navigation. It’s a good way to make a lasting impression and help all your customers find what they want on their mobile devices.

Having excess whistles and bells will only make your website load slowly and would just distract visitors. Optimize videos and images on your website and try to use the most ideal color scheme that will match your brand.

8. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

One of the keys to building a successful website for your business is SEO. Several business owners assume that SEO is something that they can thrive without. But the truth is, SEO plays a crucial role in online marketing. It also ensures that your customers will find you and search engine bots will be able to index your website properly.

With this in mind, make sure to prioritize SEO when designing a website to ensure great results in the long run. To achieve this, provide excellent content and stay updated with the latest SEO practices.

9. Security

Your sensitive or confidential data can be lost once you didn’t take care of it. Make sure to get a valid SSL certificate for your website. The reason behind it is that encryption technology can protect your data even if the hacker gains access to it.

Keep in mind that customers get smarter when carrying out some online transactions. If your website lacks some security features, your customers might not transact with you.

10. Customer Testimonials

Same with offsite reviews, another way to promote your business is through customer testimonials. By featuring customer testimonials on your website, you showcase your company’s products, commitment to customers, and skills.

If you already have a solid customer base, don’t hesitate to reach out to them and ask for online reviews. If they’re willing to give recorded testimonials, create a branded video for them. The more detailed and genuine testimonials your business gets, the greater your chances to gain new customers.

Bottom Line

Designing a website may seem to be a simple task, but there are actually many factors you should consider. Aside from generating leads and increasing traffic, your website’s navigation, content, and design should inspire further interaction with your brand and engage your potential and existing customers. So, when it comes to website design, make sure to keep the above considerations in mind and get a website that will stand out.