Your website is at the centre of your online marketing strategy. Many of the platforms you use will direct your visitors to your website, where they can learn more about your company, find out important details and take the next steps to become your customers.
In fact, many times, your website is the first thing that your target customers come in contact with. And website design plays a crucial role in creating the right impression on your prospects. You have only a few seconds to impress your visitors so they decide to stay on your website for long enough to convert.
The design also affects how people engage with your website. Web design is what helps visitors navigate your site, read your copy and take the desired action.
In this post, we share some of the top web design best practices to consider when building a website.
Create a Design to Suit Your Business
Your visitors will judge your business by your website. Your website design will have a direct effect on how people perceive your business and your offerings.
If your brand is already established, maintaining the reputation through your website can help build trust with your visitors. You want them to think about your business the moment they land on your business.
A modern, minimalist web design is an ideal choice. A busy design can not only distract your visitors but it will also affect your conversion rates.
You must also ensure that the website design is consistent across all the pages. This will create a cohesive feel while providing visitors with a positive experience.
Use Clear CTAs
Your call-to-action (CTA) buttons persuade visitors to convert, whether by subscribing to your email list, booking an appointment or making a purchase.
So, how to ensure your CTAs are power-packed?
- Clear messaging: The visitors should immediately understand your message. It should, in a few words, highlight how they can benefit by clicking the CTA benefit.
- Highlight: The CTA should be bold and visible. You can do this by placing it in a highly visible location (such as above the fold) and using a bright colour for the button.
Simplify Navigation
Your website may be offering lots of useful information or providing effortless solutions to complex problems. However, finding it should not be a headache. Your navigation should be clear, simple and fuss-free so visitors can explore your pages intuitively.
Here are some fantastic ways to achieve this:
- Clear labels – Use clear language to label your menu items. Use recognisable labels such as “Contact”, “About Us” and “Our Services”.
- Customise the navigation to your content – You may need only a limited number of links if the website has limited content. However, if your website has a ton of content, you may need a detailed navigation. Descriptive mega menus will provide users with a clear path to find what they are looking for.
- Breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs are useful as they help track and display where a user is on your website. They allow a visitor to easily return to the previous page by retracing their path. Breadcrumbs are extremely helpful for ecommerce stores and content-heavy sites.
Minimise Text
Avoid filling your pages with walls of text. Keep the website copy to a minimum.
Of course, this does not apply to blog posts, which, may sometimes have to explore the topic in depth. This applies to your inner pages like the landing page, homepage and about page.
It’s a good idea to talk about your brand, your business and your products. However, you must find a way to tell your story in a few sentences, or better yet, a few words.
Go Responsive
Most online users access the internet on their phones. So, if your website is not mobile-friendly, it won’t perform as well as you’d like it to.
If your website does not work well on a smartphone, visitors won’t stay on your site for long. So, ensure the website design is mobile responsive.
Contact Digital Walker
These are some of the top web design best practices to consider when building your business website. The team at Digital Walker can build you a website that follows these best practices.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your website design project.
