The Key Elements of Website Design

A website is the digital face of your company. It is one of the fundamental ways of connecting with your customers online. But not all websites make the impact or derive the results expected of them.

The reason: ignoring key elements of website design.

A website without pleasant aesthetics, fast-loading images, accurate contact details, and good content, fails to engage customers. Over a half of visitors (52%) expect “About Us” information after landing on your homepage. A whopping 86% wants products/ services information on the homepage.

There are certain core elements that can help increase the success rate of your website. Websites designed with these user-centric elements engage visitors, convert them into customers, and generate revenue.

Given here are some such core elements that define the success of a website:

A Well-Defined Layout

A clear layout within which every design element occupies a designated space engages users. Visitors can go with the website flow smoothly. Too much text, crowded placements, lack of white space, too many images and visuals, can make a layout complex and difficult to understand.

Keep things simple to connect with your audience at the first visit itself. Use straightforward menus that tell visitors where they can find the required information.

Be consistent with color schemes. Too many dissimilarities in colors can confuse your audience.
One way to make the best use of colors is to use unique colors for elements that you want to highlight (e.g., call to actions, social sharing buttons, etc.). You may want to use lighter or standard colors for other elements.

Web visitors are famous for their scanty attention span. Ensure that they get what they want with easy navigation.

The purpose behind a simpler layout is to keep things simple for users. A good layout ensures that users are engaged and not interrupted by unnecessary design elements from reaching their goal on your website.

Make your Website Responsive

Your website must provide visitors an engaging experience irrespective of the devices they use, to access your website. Whether a visitor uses a smartphone or a desktop, your website should mold itself to the screen automatically.

Such self-adjustment enables users have a smooth experience across devices. Visitors will be more inclined to spend time on your website than leaving it midway because of a bad design. With better engagement, bounce rates are reduced.

You will also be able to reach a wider audience with a responsive design. This design helps increase your website ranking on search engines as algorithms are designed to prioritize user experience on a website.

Let your Website be a Reflection of your Brand

As the digital face of your company, your website must reflect your brand. Use a well-designed logo of your company on your website. Stick to colors that are associated with your brand. Ensure that the brand color and brand messaging are clear and consistent across all pages.  

Put Accurate Company Information on your Website

Clear and accurate information make your company more credible to visitors. They need to know what your business does and how it can benefit them. When they have the information they need, they can make a well-informed decision and take the next step to get closer to your brand.

Design your website in such a way that they get to know you with a few clicks.

Take the opportunity to talk about your company history, your milestones, and the people behind its success. Such content helps make an emotional connect with your visitors. When people are engaged thus, they are more likely take the contact further.

Create Engaging Content

Content still rules.

Offer content of interest to your target audience, to engage them and make them stay on your website. Whether you want more customers on your website, improve consumers’ awareness of your brand, or convert them into customers, quality content can help. You can achieve all these goals and more with high-quality content presented in a user-friendly format.

Use different forms of content including text, ebooks, videos, audio, infographics, images and other types of visuals, to capture and retain visitor interest. As web users have minimal attention spans and are known to scan text, use short content blocks to make an impact.

When developing content, focus more on highlighting the benefits that your customers can experience from your brand. Such presentation has more impact than text that focuses more on your product/ service features.

Update your content regularly to keep it fresh and accurate for readers. Updated content communicates that your company is actively engaged in providing fresh content for audiences.

When you make an effort to keep customers interested with original and new content, it sends a positive brand message to your audiences.

Make your Website Safe for Visitors

Consumers are more concerned about the safety of their personal information online. Your website must instill confidence in them regarding their data safety.

Switching to a HTTPS encryption is of the basic ways to ensure consumer data safety. This method uses an SSL encryption to ensure safety of data being transferred between your customers and you.

Incorporate Effective Calls to Action

A call to action is crucial to lead your visitors to the next step and to keep the conversations going. For calls to action to be effective, they need to be simple and easy to find. Place call to action facilitators such as contact information strategically. Let phone numbers and email addresses be prominent in display.

Include forms for lead generation. Ensure that you are using short and simple forms that are easier and quicker to complete.

Make Social Media Buttons Noticeable

Social media buttons provide a faster way for your customers to reach you and connect with you. Ensure that these buttons are placed on every page such that they are easily visible. Some websites place these buttons only on specific pages such as “about us” or “contact us”. In such cases, users are more likely to leave your website frustrated over not being able to find the buttons.

Include a Media Section

Help your website market itself and your brand.

One way to do this is to include a media section. This section should carry company/ brand information that interests reporters. Include the latest press mentions, team profiles, fact sheets, event photos, and articles about your company.

A separate media section ensures easy access to required information and timely coverage of news that need to be told to the world. There is no greater marketing than the right message reaching the right people at the right time.

In Conclusion

While elements such as SEO, videos and stunning designs are important, more important is to make users feel engaged when they are on your website.

A user-centric experience is basic to a great website design. The elements explained above enable you to create a website that empowers your visitors as well as your brand.