Websites can quickly express your brand and attract new customers and clients. Websites are also a great way to showcase your products and services, and share positive testimonials to demonstrate your expertise further. But what makes a website go from good to great? Here are seven principles every website needs to start with for an ideal user experience that gets results.
Purpose
Everything has a purpose, and your website is no exception. Is the purpose of your website to highlight a particular industry? Display high-end products? Share advice and tips?
At a minimum, all websites should accomplish the following:
- Build awareness – convey what your business is and the specific products or services you offer.
- Describe expertise – note what you do and how you are knowledgeable in this area.
- Enhance your brand – make sure your website reflects the personality of your brand through words and visuals.
- Generate leads – drive more sales, gain new customers.
Typeface & Color
Typeface and color are essential building blocks for the entire website. Make sure your typography is easy to read, and use no more than three different fonts throughout the site. Color is one of the most visually recognizable elements of a brand. Utilizing colors on your site consistent with your brand can leverage brand equity and drive conversion. Color is often used to trigger a desired feeling. For example, health care companies often use blue colors to convey peace and reliability while design and advertising agencies often use orange to signify energy and creativity.
Images
Websites are very visual communication channels, making them a perfect fit for photographs, videos, illustrations and infographics. Use original, unique photos of real people whenever possible rather than stock photos that are often cliché and overused. Images are best when they relate to the text on the page and help users understand the content or create an emotional appeal that speaks to the target audience.
F-Pattern
The English language reads from left to right and from top to bottom, so it’s easy to see why the F-pattern is the most common way for web visitors to scan your site. And the mirror effect works for languages that read from right to left, such as Arabic. Readers are attracted to the first lines of text and images on a page; then, they tend to scan select areas going down the page. Always make sure your most important information is in the top fold of your site so web visitors can readily see it without scrolling.
Navigation
Simple, intuitive navigation can keep web visitors on your site longer, while confusing navigation – too many choices or unimportant links in the main navigation – causes visitors to give up and go elsewhere. Make sure navigation throughout the site is concise, consistent and easy to find. Navigation bars are most often found horizontally on the top. Place your primary navigation above the fold so it is visible without scrolling down the page. Many organizations place secondary navigation at the bottom for a straightforward menu of additional information such as About Us, News & Media, Leadership and Careers.
Load Time
Like poor navigation, slow load times will frustrate web visitors and cause them to bounce away from the site – and never return. Keep in mind that slow website load times are three seconds or more! Studies have shown faster load times create more conversions (sales, clicks, calls).
How can you improve load time?
- Reduce your image sizes.
- Remove unnecessary formatting.
- Work with a developer to optimize coding wherever possible.
Mobile-Friendly
Responsive, mobile-friendly websites are critical as more people use phones and tablets for web browsing. Responsive sites will adjust automatically to different screen sizes, enabling viewers across platforms to not miss out on the content. Testing mobile responsiveness frequently throughout the development process can eliminate headaches after launch. Mobile-friendly sites also ranked more positively in Google’s search engine algorithms.
If you’re building a new site or considering a refresh, make sure to keep the site’s purpose top of mind as well as what is the best experience for your web visitors. It’s easier to develop and launch websites nowadays; however, working with a consultant or agency who can address design principles and all aspects needed for your unique website is recommended. Keep these seven web design principles in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a more helpful website!