What's in an Effective Web Design?
What's in an effective web design? This is a question that often plagues business owners, especially those who are new to the online world. The answer, however, is not as complicated as one might think. That being said, creating an award-winning website requires three indispensable elements - design, content, and functionality.
Element 1 - Design
When it comes to an Award winning website design, first impressions do count. Studies have shown that users only take 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds!) to form an opinion about your website. So, if your website's aesthetics is dated or is difficult to navigate, users will click away and look elsewhere.
To guarantee a website's good first impression, your job is to focus on creating a clean, contemporary design that is easy to navigate. Likewise, your website should be responsive, meaning it adapts to the device it is being viewed on - whether that's a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Whether you're doing the web design Adelaide yourself or you plan on hiring a professional, you'll have to put a premium on the following web design components:
Layout: How you arrange the various elements on your website will play a big role in its overall look and feel. When it comes to layout, less is almost always more. So, avoid cramming too much information onto one page. Instead, use whitespace to create a clean and spacious look.
Typography: The font you use on your Award winning website design can make or break its overall design. Choose a modern, easy-to-read font that won't turn users away.
Colour Scheme: The colours you use on your Adelaide web design are just as important as the font you select. After all, colour has the power to evoke certain emotions in people. For example, blue often inspires feelings of trust and dependability, whereas red is associated with excitement and energy.
Images: Be selective about the images you use on your site. Not only do they need to be high quality, but they should also add value to your content and help tell your brand's story. Hire web designers to help you on this one.
Element 2 - Content
An effective business website must also contain quality content. Your website's content has to be well written, keyword rich, and informative. It should also be updated regularly to ensure that users always have something new to read or learn.
Here's a bevy of things to keep in mind when it comes to creating quality content for your website:
Write for your audience first: Remember that your content should be for your audience, not search engines. Write the kind of content that appeals to the interests of your target market.
Make it scannable: People generally don't read web content. Instead, they scan it for relevant information. So, break up your text into smaller paragraphs with headlines and subheadings. This will make your content more scannable and, as a result, more likely to be read.
Include images: As we mentioned, images can help tell your brand's story and add visual interest to your content. Just be sure to utilise high-quality images that are relevant to the topic at hand.
Incorporate videos and graphics: In addition to images, videos and graphics are a great way to break up the text on your article and add visual interest to your website. If you're unsure how to create videos or graphics, plenty of free resources online can help you get started. A web design company could be valuable here.
Be reminded that creating content for your online presence has one cardinal rule: never plagiarise. Not only is it unethical, but it likewise will get you into legal trouble. So, always be sure to write your content or hire a professional writer to do it for you.
Element 3 - Functionality
Your website's content and design are important, but if it isn't functioning properly, users will quickly become frustrated and may even give up on trying to use it altogether. So, you must guarantee that your website is running smoothly and efficiently.
Pay attention to these things:
Load time: Users expect websites to load quickly. Most users will give up on a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. So, test your website's load time and make the necessary improvements.
Broken links: Nothing is more frustrating for users than clicking on a link only to find that it's broken. Not only does it make your website look less professional, but it can also negatively impact your search engine ranking. So, regularly check for broken links and fix them as soon as possible.
Compatibility: For your website to be successful, it needs to be compatible with all major browsers - including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.
Mobile responsiveness: More and more people are using their mobile devices to access the internet. So, it's imperative that your Award winning website design is responsive and can be easily viewed on smaller screens.
Aside from the three elements mentioned, you likewise must put in the effort on the following:
1 - Call-to-Action
This is one of the most critical elements of any website as it tells users what action you want them to take. A call-to-action can be anything from "subscribe to our newsletter" to "buy now." Just be sure that your call-to-action is clear, concise, and visible.
2 - Forms
Forms are another important element of an Award winning website design. They can be used for everything from collecting customer information to processing payments. So, your forms must be well designed and easy to use.
3 - Social Media Integration
Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to promote your website and connect with potential and current customers. So, be sure to integrate social media into your Award winning website design.
4 - Search Engine Optimisation
For your website to be successful, it needs to be visible to potential customers. And the best way to do that is to ensure that your website is optimised for search engines.
5 - User Experience
Lastly, you need to focus on creating a positive user experience. This means designing an Award winning website design that is easy to navigate and use. Pay attention to the colour scheme, font size, and overall layout. All these factors play a role in the user experience.