Websites are an important marketing tool for any business. With so much competition out there, you cant afford to be complacent about the design.
But given most of us arent qualified web designers, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are 5 things you need to consider when designing a website to tell you more.
Your Audience
Before you can design your website you need to know who will be using it. If your website is already established, then you should have some analytics which will shed light on your audience. For startups, youll need to craft a target audience from scratch and tailor what you build to match this. Find a website designer near you.
Though its also worth noting that audience breakdowns go far beyond age and gender alone. Marketers often look at the likes of income, personal interests and personality types when building a brand narrative. By honing in on not just your target audience but your target customer, you can design a more successful website in response.
The Purpose
Every website needs a clear purpose. Even if your website is a mere promotional tool for your business, you still need to decide what your customers will be able to do on it. For example, is the goal to get people to give you a call or for people to be able to shop with you directly? What content will you need to be able to make that happen?
Identifying what functions you require will shape the design and building stage of your website. Not all platforms will fit your needs especially if you are heading down the eCommerce route, which is why it pays to be clear about your intentions. That way you can research which providers will give you the best experience.
Number Of Pages
So that Google takes your website seriously, youre going to need far more than just a homepage. The key is to get the balance right between saying enough without saying too much. Each of your pages needs to add value otherwise your user experience will suffer. So be sure to plan your pages before you start designing your website.
Most web designers suggest having a minimum of 10 pages. This gives enough space to cover who you are, what you provide and anything else your customers need to know. You can also add a blog section which is handy for adding additional content that doesnt have a place on a specific page. Remember, you can always add or delete pages as necessary depending on user demand.
The Design
Web design isnt for the faint hearted. After all, the design you come up with will be the digital face of your business. Many website builders hook their customers in by telling them their website can be built in minutes. Though what they dont tell you is that it takes a lot longer than that to do it well. Even the navigation can take hours to figure out especially with the likes of website menus which need to be created with logical precision.
If youre not experienced in the latest web design practices, its worth hiring a professional web designer instead. While it will cost more than attempting it yourself, a badly designed website would be far more costly to your business in the long run. First impressions count, so make sure your visitors are wowed from the off by leaving the design to someone who knows what they are doing.
The Content
All of your websites content is going to need to be generated from scratch. Its not enough to write your headings as you go or simply paste in what you had on your last website. SEO plays a huge part here, as unless the text and image content is correctly optimised, your website will soon slip down the search engine rankings.
If in doubt, seek advice from a professional copywriter or a marketing agency. At the very least, you need to be researching these elements yourself. Your content should be succinct, informative and something that ultimately connects with your visitors so that they stay around.
To Sum Up
Dont let the initial excitement of building a new website distract you from the matter at hand. If your website isnt well designed, easy to navigate and full of useful content, your users will soon head elsewhere.
Thats why before jumping in, you need to spend time planning exactly what you want to achieve with your new website design. Your audience and purpose should be at the forefront of your response to ensure a successful outcome.