When a small business owner plans to have an online presence, it’s not enough to launch a website and hope for the best. Websites must be well-designed to attract visitors, improve SEO and CRO (conversion rate optimization) efforts, and deliver a strong user experience across all devices.
Effective web design can make or break your business. If your site is poorly designed, you’ll lose potential customers and may never even get them to visit in the first place. If you’re creating or updating a website, keep these 10 Essential Elements of Effective Web Design Burlington in mind to create a site that meets your goals and impresses your customers.
1. Clear Navigation
Great websites are intuitive and easy to navigate, whether a visitor is on desktop or mobile. Navigation is influenced by everything from the use of navigational elements like bread crumbs and drop-down menus, to logical page hierarchy and the placement of information on the page.
2. Clarity of Content
Getting your message across is one of the most important aspects of successful web design. Your content should be well written and easy to understand. It’s important to have a plan for your content early in the design process, so that it can be implemented throughout all your design choices.
3. A Consistent and Reliable CMS
A centralized, robust content management system is the backbone of a successful website. It should be easy to update and include relevant news/information, video content, and imagery that relates to your brand. It should also be easy to add links and navigational elements, as well as track inquiries and sales to help you determine the effectiveness of your marketing strategy.
4. Optimal Content Structure
Users on the web tend to be impatient and want information quickly, so it’s important to communicate your content in a clear, concise way. This includes using headlines and sub headlines to organize and prioritize your message, keeping text short and to the point, and avoiding waffle and jargon.
5. User Experience
Visitors to your site will be instantly turned off if they can’t easily find the information they’re looking for, or if the site takes too long to load. This can be a result of poor site architecture, too many page elements, or the use of bloated plug-ins and templates.
6. Conversion Friendly
Ultimately, your website should encourage visitors to take the desired action you’re aiming for, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. Introducing points of friction, such as confusing or distracting visuals, can be detrimental to your conversion rate and should be avoided at all costs.