Commissioning a website designer is a big deal. You want them to vibe with your business requirements and create an attractive, user-friendly site that will engage browsers and convert visits to sales. So, if you’re in the market for a new website, place all of your ideas to one side for a minute and find out why user-focused website design should be your number one concern.

Your opinion of how a website should look and work will not necessarily be shared by your chosen website designer. An effective website not only has to look good, it has to work well. There’s no room for bells and whistles and flashing images or multiple pages with no purpose. That’s a sure fire way to lose your visitors, most of whom are only willing to give a web page scant attention before moving on.

The trick is to listen to your web designer and to your users. Your designer has a wealth of experience and expertise so they’ll know how to create a site that is easy to navigate, entertains and converts. They’ll know what trends are worth adapting and those that aren’t.

 

Aug 20 2 | Website Design That Works

Listen to your website designer

Build a positive working relationship with your designer and they’ll give you an aesthetically pleasing, high functioning site that meets your long term needs.

They’ll build a site that’s easy for your browsers to use with clear calls to action; after all, the main purpose of your new site will be to retain current customers and engage with potential new customers.

For that to work, they will take your branding and sensitively incorporate it into your site, creating a colour template that will be instantly recognisable to your customers and draw the eye of new visitors.

Your layout will be simple. There will be no place for dense text, varying font sizes and shocking typography. Users want a clear page with plenty of white space. So remember, formatting matters!

Websites must also be accessible on desktop and mobile as the majority of site visits are currently made via a smartphone. If your user is constantly zooming in on their mobile they’ll quickly click elsewhere.

Your Call to Action button must be well designed, clearly displayed and allow your visitor to easily make a purchase. Too many steps and the user will get fed up.

Listen to your users

Aug 20 3 | Website Design That Works

Talk to your target audience.

Before embarking on a new website design, ask your customers what they want to see. A successful website will work for its users, not just look fantastic. Remember the bell and whistles from earlier? Steer clear.

Can they find information quickly and easily? Similarly, can they make a purchase without jumping through endless hoops?

Finally, review your site and test, test, test. There’s always room for improvement and listening to your users will make that process a doddle. Can you make your purchasing process easier? Is your contact page adequate? Are you updating your product pages on a regular basis? How about adding in some blogs to entertain visitors and improve your search rankings?

You’re about to embark on an exciting journey. The design of your website could make or break your business, so listen to your designer and enjoy the process.

To learn about our website design services, just click here.