design your website to make the right impression
We look at websites all day long, whether we are doing research for our company, shopping online, or checking out the best place to go out for dinner. What makes a website grab you and keep your attention? Design is critical to your website visitor's experience.
1. Design Sets the Tone
First, the design of your website immediately sets the tone for your company and product. We are visual beings, so as soon as we hit your home page, we make an assessment of your company based upon this first impression. It is either good or bad, right or wrong, depending on our personal taste and current needs. The visitor will make their decision, and begin to interact with your website (reading text, clicking on a video, etc) or they will move on.
2. Design Controls the Message
Second, the design allows you to determine what your website visitor looks at first. Through the design you can highlight the most important information that you want visitors to see. If you sell products, you can highlight one item, a sale, or free shipping. You get to decide what will be seen first. Your homepage needs to be the "index" to your website, leading people to the pages that contain the info they are looking for. You need to guide people through your information in a logical and comfortable way.
3. Design Displays the Navigation
Third, the design will guide visitors in navigating through your website. The design presents visual clues for what to click on, where you can travel to and things you will find on the website. There are "standards" for navigation, and other website elements, that have come to be expected and help visitors navigate based on their online experiences. Your design needs to provide a visual map of where to go and what to do.
4. Design Holds Your Attention
Fourth, the design of your website is integral to holding a site visitor’s attention. Today's standards for graphics, photos, and video are very high so you want to use the best graphic elements you can afford. The design of your website must take into account the tastes and preferences of your clients and prospects. Be sure to use visual imagery that will excite their interest.
5. Design Allows for Growth
And fifth, a well designed website will allow you to add new content and images without altering the quality and structure of your website. We recommend that you use a Content Management System (CMS) when developing your website for a strong design structure that is flexible enough to add images, content updates, and new pages. With a CMS you can easily make edits and changes to your website using a simple backend editing system that will help you maintain design standards.
