In a previous post, we talked about Parallax design and how it’s becoming a sought-after trend in the world of web design, as it encourages creativity and engagement with users. Now, though, we want to take a closer look at web design, in general, and why it matters.
To many businesses, especially new businesses, it may seem enough to simply have a website and an online presence. So, maybe you create a basic website, but without much thought for design or customer appeal. Well, unfortunately, if you’re doing this, you’re missing out. Design is an integral part of, not only a website’s visual aesthetic, but how an audience is going to interact and engage with a design.
Design is all about getting your business’s look and message across to your customer base. It seems simple enough, but it does require a lot of strategic thought and execution. Cookie cutter websites just don’t cut it, these days, and won’t help your business stand out against your competition. Great designs need personality, ingenuity and they need to inspire reaction. Think about it. You have, at most, 15 seconds to grab a customer’s attention, once they click on your page, and get them to stick around to hear your message. Then, even if you succeed, attention spans run dry very quickly, so you have to make your first interaction really count.
This is something that we do best, here at Realnets. We work with you to bring an experience to your clients and customers that will make an impression that will translate into sales and a loyal customer base. We help create websites by helping you to answer the most basic questions: Why does design matter? What purpose does design serve? Why is design necessary?
Let’s take a closer look:
Aesthetic & Emotional Response
Look around. Most everything that you see (manmade, that is) was created with specific thought and design. The architecture that paints our skylines is constructed with careful planning. Even our coffee cups with their printed colors, shapes and logos are developed with specific design objectives in mind. All of this design is made to evoke a response, to make you feel something for a given structure, product or brand.
From conceptualization to development, design is meant to create unique objects or ideas to shape the way that we feel and think. Businesses with an online presence must keep this in mind, as it is vital to their ability to relate, engage and sell to their given audience. It’s not enough to simply show them a product, idea or cause, you have to present it to them in a tactful way that makes them feel enough of a connection to want to take action. Design allows this connection to take place.
Function & Usability
When it comes to design, you must not forget the importance and practicality of its ability to function properly. Your web design should be created with usability in mind for a smooth customer interaction and experience. Usability, or user experience design, is one of the greatest elements of design. You want it to take your customers from point A to point B for a straight-forward, smooth transaction.
Don’t make users work to find your message. Design with function in mind so that you don’t turn customers away. Make your call to action clear. Otherwise, what’s the point of inviting them to click in the first place? A design’s usability is necessary because it encourages visitors and customers to act on their feelings. Guide them through your story and they will stick around to hear the ending.
We encourage you to really take a closer look at your own web design. It is, after all, your business’ first impression to an audience, so make it count. Know how your website ranks among your competition. Get to know how your customers are interacting with your design, and ask yourself whether or not it is even attracting new customers. Your website is your greatest public asset, so make sure that you are actively receiving a return on your investment.
If you’re unsure of how your website and design are ranking among the crowd, call our team, here, at Realnets for a free website audit. We’ll start with an analyzation of your current web design and find out how it stacks up against your competition, and you’ll walk away with new strategies to increase traffic and convert your customers.
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