How to Create an Effective Web Design for Your Business
Web design may be good or bad based on opinion, but the ultimate measure of web design is effectiveness. While content is king, the presentation of content can make or break its effectiveness. Just suppose a banker presented himself/herself as a clown. Would anyone stop to inquire about banking from this individual? Similarly, your audience will quickly determine your website’s relevance to their inquiry and choose to stay or leave. So, how do you make sure they stay? Good question. Let’s dig in.
Determine your purpose and goals
Your effectiveness must be measured against your website’s purpose and goals. You can’t know how you’re doing until you know what you’re trying to do. You must define a purpose and goals for each page. Determine any actions you’d like the user to take from each page, and prepare relevant content.
Identify your target audience
You must define your target audience. Establish a profile of your audience including what they need or want from your site, social media preferences, skill level, etc. To capture your audience, you must know your audience.
Strategize on content placement
Good web design includes strategically placing content such as images, graphics, menus, and text in the most relevant order. Organized information will validate your professionalism and provide a user-friendly environment for visitors to navigate. Frustrated visitors will go elsewhere within seconds.
Design and develop
Your web designer should understand the latest tools, platforms, and techniques for developing a professional website. Responsive layouts, flexible menus, quick links, buttons, and many other features can be utilized to present your content effectively. Allow your designer to design. Trust them to use their skills with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), JavaScript, HTML, and more to create an excellent website for your business.
New Jquery plugins and frameworks like Bootstrap are consistently made available for your designer to utilize. These tools and many others can improve speed, functionality, and responsiveness to create a great experience for your site visitors.
Additional site features including form development, mailing list services, and social media integration can add value to your website. Contact forms, registrations, and extensive data forms may be submitted online to improve communications and service for your customers. Mailing list subscriptions may be accepted online to allow you to market to interested customers. Social media integration provides alternate avenues to reach your potential customers and communicate to your audience.
Empower your designer to use these tools and more to make your website powerful and effective.
Analyze results
Analytics tools such as Google Analytics can be installed to help you measure effectiveness. Reports and real-time monitoring can provide valuable information regarding your site’s performance. Frequently review this information to determine if changes should be made to your site. Monitor results from any contact forms or call-to-action prompts.
Work with your designer to make adjustments as needed. Just as people and businesses change, so should your website.
Promote your site
Although you know about your site, search engines and others may not. Promote your site by adding your web address to printed business materials, email signatures, social media accounts, and advertising materials.
Consider placing ads online via Google or Facebook to raise awareness, or employ your designer to further market your website.
The possibilities for an effective web design for your business are truly endless so get started now!