Imagine entering a shop and finding one big mess: products are hard to find, the lights flicker, and so does the checkout line. Would you stay? Probably not. The same principles apply to the website: If cluttered, slow, and awkwardly difficult to navigate, the visitors are out in a jiffy. How then do you build a website that keeps people’s attention? Let’s explain.
Define Your Purpose: Why Are You Here?
Before entering the stage of designing, you should ask yourself: What is the website intended for? Will it be selling products, showcasing works, or giving information? A business website has to be very professional and can instill trust in customers, while a portfolio should shine a light on creativity.
My buddy Mike runs a bakery. The first version of his website was a disaster with tiny fonts and no menu, and the background color was weird. He hired a design agency to redo the website, and he ended up with a clean, picture-heavy design that allowed customers to order cakes easily. That same night, sales went up!
User Experience (UX): Make It Effortless
Nobody likes a confusing website. Good UX means:
Menu items should be kept simple (Home, About, Services, Contact).
Faster the loading time; slower the invitation to leave whereas optimizing the images and good hosting provides the impetus to stay.
Mobile phone usage has currently reached a level that surpasses traditional desktop traffic. In the likelihood that your site is not mobile-friendly, you run the risk of losing customers to your competitors.
Tip for your beginners: view your site on various devices. If not so handy with your phone, fix it!
Visual Design: Ensure It Looks Good Without Being Overwhelming!
Good design is not about plopping every color and font on the page. It is about equilibrium.
- Keep it to two or three colors that align with your identity.
- Use readable fonts-not Comic Sans, please!
- Ensure to retain more than enough white space to prevent your content from feeling hemmed in.
Content: Keep It Clear & Engaging
Every word should matter. Each page should have a purpose that should either inform or invite the reader in. The Home Page should tell the visitors immediately what you are and what you do; no digging is needed. About is the page where you tell your story. People connect more to real humans than faceless businesses so add a little personal touch here. Most importantly, each page must include a Call to Action (CTA) because this part will guide the visitors on the next step with, for example, “Buy Now”, “Contact Us”, or “Get a Quote”. A clear and interesting message keeps the users interested and encourages action.
A website is not just something you create and then forget about. Test, refine, and get feedback on it. It doesn’t matter if you are hiring a company to design the website or are doing it on your own; just make sure to focus on clarity, simplicity, and usability.
