Developing a website has a lot to do with patience and ingenuity. Being patient includes having the knowledge that your project might take a little bit longer than you expected. Ingenuity goes together with patience. This includes important factors of website design.
It’s that unique spark that sets your project apart from every other creation online. Fusing these two together gives you an identity.
Today, an online presence is everything, especially because we’re living in the age of digital marketing.
Of course, designing and developing a website requires expertise, but we’ve decided to take another route. Aside from all the technicalities, we’ve deemed that web design doesn’t put enough emphasis on intangibles.
Some things are more important than Java, CSS or HTML. These factors shape the way your business develops and determine the future of your business venture.
Let’s take a look at each one and ponder about why they’re so important and effective in the modern world of web design.
Factors-of-website-design … cost-effectiveness
At the beginning stages of your business, you should focus on making both steady strides and as much profit as you can.
Because every brand and business are struggling in the beginning phases, you may want to cut down on the expenses you have.
This requires a little bit of research and effort – something that will take you a long way if you choose to utilize it properly. Ask yourself – do you need all the things that you’re paying for?
For starters, focus a bit on promoting yourself and your brand. Use WordPress; it’s one of the best free resources for website building.
Additionally, you can get any design you want, for either no money at all or for a single purchase.
You don’t have to hire a programmer to deal with all the things you wish to focus on. There are many WordPress add-ons that might give you all the features you need.
This is a phase where cost-effectiveness becomes something more – knowledge.
By not having to worry about the technicalities, you can focus on learning. Studying the code of a theme or an add-on can give you a unique chance to become independent.
Cost-effectiveness gives you more time and money to invest in areas where you aren’t that skilled. Your team will also benefit from increased finances, as they will be paid better – which will motivate them even further.
Therefore, a website is only as good as it is cost-effective. This mentality should project even at the later stages of your project – you should never spend money that isn’t necessary to be spent.
Having a frugal mentality can sometimes save your business.
Convenience
While the first factor is oriented towards your brand and team, the second one is solely committed to customers. Why convenience of all things?
Well, look at it this way – everyone has an online presence nowadays. The more brands and companies have an online presence, the harder it is for your website to be seen.
Even when it gets seen, people won’t have time to explore and do research. They’ve already spent 5+ hours on their smartphone – they have the so-called “browser’s fatigue.”
Therefore, some things can seriously hinder the growth of your brand. You should avoid everything that slows down the performance of your website.
When designing and developing your website, you should ask yourself – what is the quickest way the reader can reach his or her goal?
With that in mind, here are a few things that can improve the convenience facet of your website and boost your audience.
Factors-of-website-design … direct landing pages
When advertising, most people won’t reach your website by the search for it in particular. Through keywords and ads, they will likely reach it.
The link that they’re supposed to click must take them right before they.
Take Tesla as an example. With a simple click, you can reach their test drive page and get what you want. You don’t have to search – the landing page gives you the opportunity to see everything for yourself, instead of looking around.
Try a one-page website
A good choice would be to have a website that requires scrolling but contains all the information on that one page.
That way, people won’t be inclined to get lost in a million sub-menus, sliders, and other things.
Make sure that important sections to have their part in the grand scheme, but follow the golden rule – nothing should require more than THREE clicks.
That ideology will make your website cleaner, better and more efficient.
Use contrasts
Every single bit of text and background on your site should have a contrast between them.
You can use this tool to find out which colors go best together and what combinations can you use to make your site as readable as possible.
Even though this action is completely free and very much easy, people refuse to abide by the laws of contrast.
What happens is that different platforms display their preferred colors differently and it ends up being an unintelligible mess.
Accessibility is the key
Accessibility is closely related to convenience, but it goes a step further. By having an accessible website, you ensure that many of your customers have the chance to get the services they hope for.
Whether it is reading the FAQ, reading the history of your company or even getting some knowledge about the products.
An important facet of accessibility also features making your website available for people with sensory impairments. If you wish to have your brand as a global presence, there are two things you need to focus on
Selecting a focus group, according to the product or service you’re offering
Making your website available to anyone else who might be interested
Having accessibility features doesn’t give you an extra customer or two. People love to see that you care about everything and that you don’t want to exclude anyone.
These deeds that you do will continue to live on as word of mouth marketing, the most effective form of marketing out there.
It’s not easily attainable, but you have to invest resources in it.
“Because we’ve advanced so much in the field of technology, it’s preposterous to see a website not being accessible for everyone. We live in the age of free information, and everyone deserves a piece of that proverbial pie. Having everyone on board is the main principle of the age of information – that way we educate one another and bring an end to ignorance. Website design should represent that particular ethos”, says William Davenport, a senior writer for assignmentgeek.com.au, a renowned writing service.
Organic marketing
Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns are a good way to make sure you have your campaigns aimed at a particular group of people.
You invest a certain amount of money, effort and time and click “Start campaign,” to see your result not being as surprising as you thought they would be. What happens?
This proverbial roadblock is something that happens when you focus on advertising in a forced manner. PPC campaigns on Google AdWords don’t focus on people that need your services; it’s more of a trial-and-error modus operandi.
Focus a little bit on SEO, especially during the beginning phases of your website design. However, don’t make the mistake of optimizing your content solely to please the algorithms of search engines.
Yes, Google, Yahoo and, Bing prefer thorough keyword density, short sentences, and short pieces, but is that appealing to the reader?
Organic marketing can manipulate statistics to allow your website to be found, but customer retention is completely your duty. How can you accomplish this?
Before adding keywords, focus on writing from your mind. Write whatever comes to mind and then add keywords, separate into paragraphs and otherwise manipulate the text. That way, you will be sure that your readers will feel what you’re telling them.
Use testimonial videos. When your brand is taking off, you should reward those loyal and omnipresent customers. Send out an email to your contact list and invite them to write testimonial pieces, alongside testimonial videos. When new customers see that a real human likes your product for obvious and sincere reasons, they will be more likely to become customers themselves. This is the best form of organic marketing out there.
Collaborate with like-minded brands and individuals. There is no better way of marketing than people hearing about you. Organize podcasts with your collaborators and discuss both general and current subjects. That way, you will make sure that both you and the other brand will get an equal promotion. Return them the favor and establish a marketing network via regular features.
Credibility
Even in the beginning stages of your web-designing journey, you have to focus on being a credible medium between your customers and the services they need.
This includes having HTTPS, terms of use and all the necessary “paperwork” readily available if anyone is interested.
By being credible, people will give you the benefit of the doubt even if they didn’t collaborate with you on previous occasions.
Being credible also stimulates existing customers to promote you, thus making credibility perhaps the most important factor.
Designing and developing a website is one thing, but designing a credible brand is a whole different level you have to reach.
The bottom line
By having a dedicated business model, you can save a lot of money in the beginning stages of your web design project.
By making your website easy to use and accessible, you will make it ideal for everyone interested. Through the power of organic marketing, your website will slowly rise and reach the credibility it deserves.
Digital Spark Marketing’s Firestorm Blog
Mary Whitman is a blogger and freelancer from Adelaide, South Australia. In her spare time, she enjoys talking about Sustainable Development and Art. Find Mary on Facebook or Twitter.