{"id":21019,"date":"2023-07-18T13:58:30","date_gmt":"2023-07-18T13:58:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/?p=21019"},"modified":"2024-09-16T14:53:39","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T14:53:39","slug":"successful-website-design-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/successful-website-design-what-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Successful Website Design – What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having a\u00a0<\/span>professional\u00a0<\/span>website<\/span> for your business<\/span> is no longer optional. In our\u00a0<\/span>digitalized<\/span> world, your website<\/span> is how you welcome many or most of your customers<\/span> to your business<\/span>, educate them about your products and services, and\u00a0<\/span>convince them to make a purchase.\u00a0This is why\u00a0it\u2019s so critical<\/span> for your website design<\/span> to be\u00a0<\/span>excellent.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Why Your Website Design is Important<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Your business<\/span> website<\/span> is like<\/span> your front door.\u00a0<\/span>Prospective customers<\/span> want<\/span> it to look professional, warm, and welcoming.\u00a0<\/span>If it\u2019s dingy, dusty, and covered<\/span> with weeds<\/span>, they\u2019ll<\/span> just go next door instead. And with how competitive\u00a0<\/span>most industries are these days, not to mention the huge\u00a0<\/span>growth<\/span> of marketing<\/span>, there\u2019s a lot of noise out there your business<\/span> needs<\/span> to cut through to gain and keep customers<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Website<\/span> users<\/span> these days have high expectations for\u00a0<\/span>their user experience<\/span>. They will<\/span> abandon a page<\/span> for a whole host of reasons \u2013 it takes too long to load<\/span>, it\u2019s poorly laid out, making a purchase involves too many steps<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Your\u00a0online presence\u00a0<\/a>has to\u00a0be flawless to\u00a0<\/span>delight customers<\/span> now.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Your website design<\/span><\/a> also reflects on your business\u2019s image<\/span>. If your website<\/span> is glitchy,\u00a0<\/span>full of errors, or missing key<\/span> information, that\u2019s not a professional experience<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>And since it\u2019s how your business<\/span> presents itself, those mistakes make your business<\/span> seem less than professional.\u00a0<\/span>First impressions<\/span> are tough<\/span> to shake<\/span>, and your website<\/span> is probably your main source of first impressions<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s not enough anymore for your website<\/span> to just look great. Thoughtful website design<\/span> goes far beyond outward appearances.\u00a0<\/span>But with the\u00a0<\/span>right website design<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>process<\/span><\/span>, you can create a website<\/span> that looks good and functions well<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>That will<\/span> bring your customers<\/span> in and drive them to make a purchase.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>How to Design Your Website<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Your business<\/span> website<\/span> needs<\/span> to have these critical<\/span> elements to\u00a0<\/span>bring in your potential<\/span> customers<\/span> and get them to make a purchase.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Mobile Responsiveness\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>More and more people are doing most of their web<\/span> searching and social media<\/span> browsing from their phones or tablets<\/span>, not their laptops or desktops<\/span>. Your site design<\/span> needs<\/span> to be mobile<\/span>-friendly, meaning it\u00a0<\/span>looks and responds well<\/span> no matter what size device your\u00a0<\/span>audience<\/span> uses to access it. This goes for every<\/span> page<\/span> element \u2013 your photos<\/span>, your call-to-action<\/span> buttons, your logo, and your webpage copy.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Quick to Load<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Web<\/span> users<\/span> these days are an impatient bunch \u2013 most of them will<\/span> abandon a webpage if it takes more than three seconds to load<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>If your website<\/span> isn\u2019t designed with speed<\/span> in mind, you will<\/span> need<\/span> to make some updates so you\u2019re not losing these customers<\/span> before they even see<\/span> your page<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Strong Security<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Making your website<\/span> as secure<\/span> as possible isn\u2019t just good for your customers<\/span> \u2013 it\u2019s key<\/span> for your search engine rankings<\/span> too. Google<\/span> prioritizes secure<\/span> sites\u00a0<\/span>in web<\/span> search<\/span>. And it\u2019s a way to keep your valued customers<\/span>\u2019 information and data safe<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>You also need<\/span> security on your side too \u2013 make sure your site is hard<\/span> to take<\/span> over or attack. You don\u2019t want<\/span> to be down at a critical<\/span> time for sales<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Social Media\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You probably already know how<\/span> powerful your\u00a0<\/span>social media presence<\/span> is in your\u00a0digital marketing strategy<\/a>. But is it incorporated into the design<\/span> of your site itself?\u00a0<\/span>You want<\/span> to include social<\/span> share buttons on your content<\/span>, especially blog posts<\/span> and articles, to make it seamless for your customers<\/span> to\u00a0<\/span>share your content<\/span> with their networks. And you can even incorporate your Twitter<\/span> or Instagram<\/span> feeds into your website<\/span>, if it makes sense for your business<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Visual Flow<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Your potential<\/span> customers<\/span> come to your site looking for a solution to a problem they have.\u00a0<\/span>Your website<\/span> needs<\/span> to guide them through to that solution, which is the product<\/span> or service<\/span> you offer. But if your visitors<\/span> get lost on your site<\/span>, they won\u2019t make that journey successfully.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>All your website content<\/span> should\u00a0<\/span>direct the attention of your visitors<\/span> through the steps<\/span> you need<\/span> them to see<\/span> through to your solution. They shouldn\u2019t be getting distracted by\u00a0<\/span>busy design<\/span>, too many buttons, or excessive content<\/span>. Their eyes should be drawn right through to your desired endpoint. You can achieve this with color<\/span>, shapes, images<\/span>, and words<\/span>\u00a0to draw<\/span> their attention to the most important parts of your page<\/span> first.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>White Space<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>To help that visual<\/span> flow we just referenced, you need<\/span> some white space<\/span> in addition to content<\/span>. This empty space<\/span> helps your important content<\/span> stand out. A site with no white space<\/span> at all is too busy and confusing.\u00a0<\/span>Reducing the clutter\u00a0<\/span>makes focusing on your offerings easier for your distracted customers<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>But the exact amount of white space<\/span> you need<\/span> depends on your overall site design<\/span> and the products you offer.\u00a0<\/span>White<\/span> space<\/span> can help draw<\/span> the eye to your most important content<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Accessibility\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Your site needs<\/span> to help every potential<\/span> customer find what they<\/span>\u00a0need<\/span>. That means you\u2019re not just catering to the tech-savvy millennials with time to research. You\u2019re also trying to get the frazzled parents\u00a0<\/span>browsing with one hand while pushing a swing with the other, and the older\u00a0<\/span>crowd who is less comfortable with complicated websites.\u00a0<\/span>Every one of your potential<\/span> customers<\/span> needs<\/span> to be able to\u00a0find what they need<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>take<\/span>\u00a0whatever action<\/span> you need<\/span> them to take<\/span> as easily as possible.\u00a0<\/span>Otherwise<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0a large portion of them will<\/span> get frustrated and opt out<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>We\u2019ve all gotten used to more and more well<\/span>-designed digital<\/span> user<\/span> experiences. Your prospects<\/span> aren\u2019t just comparing your website<\/span> to your competitors<\/span> \u2013 they\u2019re comparing you to Uber<\/span> or Amazon<\/span> too.\u00a0<\/span>If it\u2019s too hard<\/span> to read your text<\/span> because of the font or color<\/span> contrast,\u00a0<\/span>they will<\/span> leave your site.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Limited Choices<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>If you force your website<\/span> visitors<\/span> to make too many decisions\u00a0<\/span>before they make a purchase<\/span>\u00a0or book an appointment, most of them will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not choose anything at all. You\u2019re just giving them more time to get frustrated or distracted and opt out<\/span> of your site.\u00a0<\/span>Make their path to\u00a0making a decision\u00a0as smooth and easy as possible<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 one click<\/span> to give you an email<\/span> address, for example \u2013 and you\u2019ll<\/span> see<\/span> a higher conversion rate<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>S<\/span><\/b>earch Engine Optimized\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>All your work to make your website design<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>efficient and attractive will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be wasted if no one can find your website<\/span>. You need<\/span> to make sure it\u2019s designed using the best practices<\/span> for\u00a0search engine optimization<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>That way, you\u2019ll<\/span> attract plenty of web traffic<\/span> from search engines<\/span> like<\/span> Google<\/span> and Bing<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Making your site SEO<\/span>-friendly is not just about writing content<\/span> with lots<\/span> of keywords<\/span>. It\u2019s also built into the backend<\/span> of your site making it accessible for\u00a0<\/span>web<\/span> crawlers and adding in title tags, meta descriptions<\/span>, and alt text<\/span> for each picture.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Common Mistakes in Website Design\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Now that we\u2019ve covered<\/span> all the things you need<\/span> to do right in your website design<\/span> process<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>let\u2019s cover some common mistakes in website design<\/span> and development.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Mistaking Aesthetic Value for\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Design<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Your site looks great. It has compelling pictures, a thoughtful color<\/span> scheme, and\u00a0<\/span>attractive fonts. That\u2019s all it takes, right?\u00a0<\/span>As we covered<\/span> in the design<\/span> principles above, it\u2019s not nearly enough. Usability<\/span> and a\u00a0<\/span>clear call to action<\/span>, plus the SEO<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>essentials, are critical<\/span> to your site\u2019s success. It\u2019s because your website<\/span> isn\u2019t just a showcase for your company<\/span> (or if it is, it shouldn\u2019t be). It\u2019s a place where you solve a problem for your prospects<\/span> and get them to\u00a0make a decision<\/span>\u00a0or take<\/span> an action<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Nice photos<\/span> alone won\u2019t make that happen.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Looking at Pieces Instead of the Whole\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It can be tempting to design<\/span> your site piece by piece, especially if you\u2019re just starting to build your website<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Good web design<\/span> takes time, after all, and as a business<\/span> owner that\u2019s something you probably\u00a0<\/span>lack.\u00a0<\/span>But this can add up to<\/span> a disjointed mess. Your whole site \u2013 each\u00a0<\/span>web<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>page<\/span>\u00a0and landing page<\/span><\/span>, each blog post<\/span>, and even each social media<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>post<\/span> \u2013 should\u00a0<\/span>maintain a consistent look, feel, and tone. That consistency<\/span> is what helps you build strong brand awareness<\/span>\u00a0over time<\/span>. Your customers<\/span> should come to know what your content<\/span> looks like<\/span> and how you speak to them, building<\/span> trust in your brand<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Using the Wrong Professionals<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/span>If you really want<\/span> your website<\/span> to get conversions<\/span> and drive sales<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>you need<\/span> to get professionals on the job.\u00a0<\/span>The money you will<\/span> lose from users<\/span> leaving your\u00a0poorly-designed\u00a0website<\/span> might exceed what a web<\/span> designer or even a team of professional designers would cost.\u00a0<\/span>As we\u2019ve covered<\/span> above, graphic design<\/span> alone isn\u2019t enough to\u00a0<\/span>get the results you want<\/span> from a great website<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It takes a knowledge of\u00a0web development<\/a>\u00a0to get it truly right.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You can try to do it yourself if you are a small business<\/span> just getting started, and that might be enough for now. But once you\u2019re ready for growth<\/span>, don\u2019t hesitate to bring in the professionals to\u00a0<\/span>set your site up for success.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Get the Guidance You Need to Grow<\/span><\/b> with C1M<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Web design<\/span> for your business<\/span> can be a big project. And it should be \u2013 your website<\/span> is how\u00a0<\/span>most customers<\/span> will<\/span> be introduced to your business<\/span>. It\u2019s important to get it all right.\u00a0<\/span>But it can be hard<\/span> to find the right help, and you probably don\u2019t have time to do it all yourself. If this sounds like<\/span> you, give C1M a call. <\/span>We have a team of experts who will<\/span> optimize your web design<\/span>, write you compelling content<\/span>, and set up email automation<\/span> campaigns<\/span> for your business<\/span>. Schedule your free business<\/span> review today and start seeing measurable results quickly.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Schedule your consultation today!\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Having a\u00a0professional\u00a0website for your business is no longer optional. In our\u00a0digitalized world, your website is how you welcome many or most of your customers to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,233],"tags":[693,1075],"class_list":["post-21019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing","category-website-design","tag-web-design","tag-website-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21019"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21019\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23536,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21019\/revisions\/23536"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdev.com\/c1m.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}