4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Website's Design

You probably already know how important your website is to your business. It is one of your most valuable assets. It is crucial for providing information about your company, showcasing your expertise, building credibility, instilling trust, and setting your business apart from your competition. In fact, a website is so important that many customers won’t engage with a business that doesn’t have one. That’s saying a lot.

Since it’s such a vital part of your business, you need to make sure you are making the most of your website.

User experience is arguably the most important aspect of a website. Research has shown that 88 percent of online customers will not return to a website after a bad experience, so it is crucial to keep your audience in mind throughout all aspects of the web design process. Since it’s the first thing visitors see, you want to make a good impression.

Whether you already have a website or you are in the process of building one, here are four ways to make the most of your site’s design.

1. Define your needs.

As with everything in marketing, you want to start with a well-defined plan. The first step to define the needs of your website is to define the needs of your customers. Once you have identified those, you will be able to decide how you can address them. Specifically, what do you need to solve?

These are some of the issues our clients wanted to solve when we first met with them:

• Communicate who we are, who we serve, and what we do

• Increase online reservations

• Provide ease of merchandise sales

• Highlight specials

• Feature our blog

• Integrate with social media

• Showcase our business

• Easily update and change site information

• Incorporate an efficient online store

• Add a client portal

• Increase site speed

Depending on your business, you may have similar or different needs. However, every website should be:

• Clean

• Well-designed

• Easy to use

2. Choose the right platform.

There are many different options when it comes to choosing a platform for your website. And they are not all created equal. Make sure to choose carefully based on your site’s needs. A little research ahead of time can save hours of frustration down the road.

When looking for the right platform, there are some basic things to consider:

• Speed

• Ease of use

• Mobile optimization

• Social media incorporation

• Search engine optimization

• Security

Remember that website design incorporates more than just the way a site looks. It also encompasses the way a site performs. The platform you choose needs to increase your site’s performance, not impede it.

3. Focus on aesthetic value.

After you have chosen a platform, it will be time to focus on the aesthetic value of your website. We have all seen sites that were too cluttered, disorganized, and navigationally- challenged. It can be very frustrating to visit those sites. You definitely don’t want to own one of them.

Make sure to choose a design that is:

• Clean and uncluttered

• Consistent with branding

• Easy to navigate

• Updated

• Visually pleasing

4. Incorporate functionality.

Finally, make sure your site functions according to the needs you defined. It doesn’t make sense to create a beautiful website that performs poorly. Consider the user experience from a customer and an internal standpoint. Everyone should be able to fully access all the features available on your website.

Here are just a few things to consider:

• Ease-of-use from customer perspective

• Ease-of-use from owner perspective

• Speed

• Search engine optimization

• Mobile optimization

• Responsiveness

• Options for customization

• Security

• Analytics

When it comes to your website, there’s a lot to think about. It can be overwhelming. If your site needs a refresh or completely new design, the team at The Social Bullpen can help. We offer custom solutions for your website and other marketing needs.