We all know by now that you really can’t get by in the digital space without a website. But why does good web design matter and just how good does it need to be? What separates the great websites from just the okay ones and how can you be sure that your site is doing more good than harm?
Today, we’re breaking down why web design matters in the first place, the elements necessary for a great site, and much more.
The Importance of Good Web Design
Your website is arguably the most important aspect of your brand’s entire online presence. That’s why getting it right is imperative and you can’t really afford to have a poorly designed website. But let’s take a closer look at the true importance of good web design.
Creates the First Impression
When someone hears about your brand or business, chances are – they’re immediately going straight to your site to see more. Once they visit your site for the first time, they’re also getting the first impression of your business, which they will judge in a matter of seconds.
As you only have a few seconds to make that first impression (and make it a good one), you need to make a positive impact. Having a website that is outdated or jumbled up will leave customers with a bad taste in their mouths. If they don’t find your website unappealing, chances are, they’re going to leave it and find one that looks better and instills more confidence.
As you can see, having a good web design is essential because it will impact how potential audiences and customers perceive your brand. With a good web design, you can keep leads on your page and not hand them over to the competition.
Improves User Experience
Nowadays, modern website design is more than just about creating something that looks appealing. It’s about delivering a positive user experience and crafting a narrative that positions you as a leader in your industry.
By having a user-centric design, you will be prioritizing and catering to the behaviours, preferences, and questions that your users have. With this approach, you’ll be preventing frustrations by anticipating your users’ actions.
The key factors that go into creating a user-friendly website include:
- Research and feedback
- Accessibility
- Usability
- Responsive design
In essence, having a well-designed website that is also user-centric helps you anticipate and meet the needs of users and foster a positive online experience.
Helps With Your SEO Strategy
Search Engine Optimization or SEO is an integral part of good website design and a solid marketing strategy. SEO and good website design don’t really work without one another.
However, combining a strong SEO strategy and design has an incredible impact on your entire business and brand. By joining SEO with design, you can improve your search engine rankings, boost your visibility, and attract organic traffic.
Elements including load speed, site structure, and proper implementation of HTML tags all play a key role in how search engines perceive and rank your site. But more on that a bit later.
Builds Trusts
Another benefit of having a great website is that it shows users and potential customers that you care about their experience. That alone, helps build trust in your brand and establishes you as an industry leader.
What’s more, a great site will make you professional, credible, and reliable. All of these factors and more, coupled with a strong digital marketing strategy will increase the chances of having people buy your services or products.
Helps You Stay Competitive
While all of the benefits we’ve listed so far do ring true and a great website can help you accomplish them all, the truth is, nowadays, you can’t afford not to do it. Most, if not all, of your competitors, are investing in their sites and business, and being the only one who isn’t is going to cost you a lot.
Here are just some web statistics that support that claim:
- 75% of consumers make judgments on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design;
- 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience;
- 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive;
- A study found that 94% of negative website feedback was design-related;
Having an outdated and low-quality website gives your competitors the edge and allows them to rank above you. With a higher ranking, they’re more likely to attract new customers and get leads.
When considering the costs and importance of web design, just remember that it’s an opportunity for you to set yourself apart from the crowd. With a good design, you can show off your unique features and give potential customers a reason to pick you instead of your competitors.
The Fundamental Elements of Good Web Design
When it comes to good design, there are some best practices that all great web designers know and enforce. Even though every website and business is different, here are some things that go into making a website you’ll love.
Site Navigation
Navigation is one of the most important aspects of web design and development and it could make or break your site. Your users should be able to skip around pages with ease and efficiency.
If your site has too many clicks or unnecessary bells and whistles that confuse the end user, they’ll most likely quickly leave. That’s why having a site map with clear directional navigation makes the most sense. Also, think of white space as your friend, not your enemy.
Responsive Design
“57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website on mobile.”
As an incredible number of people use the internet every day just on their mobiles, you can’t afford to not have a responsive, mobile-friendly design. Your website should be designed so that it fits well on screens of all sizes, while still looking neat and easy to use.
When considering responsiveness, make sure the text is legible and easy to read, the site map is accessible, and your buttons aren’t too small and useless.
Usability
Starting with the home page to all other pages on the site, you have to address the needs and pain points of your users. If the site is too confusing, too outdated, or not indexed properly, your users will get frustrated and leave.
When it comes to overall usability, there’s so much you can do. Starting with creating a responsive design, avoiding too much unnecessary information, keeping the language and layout simple, and much more. If you’re not sure where to start, get in touch with a web design agency.
Good Content
There’s a saying in the digital marketing world “Content is king.” That’s because you can’t really have a website or social media platform without content. It’s the meat of your website, what draws people in and makes them want to stay.
The content on your website should be at the core of your design and it should support your purpose while directing users to take action. Luckily, you can do this in a variety of ways and using many different types of content. From blogs, videos, infographics, and other elements, you can share your brand story and show others what your business is all about.
Page Speed
Page speed is one of the most important elements of good web design and it determines whether someone actually stays on your site or clicks out. If your site loads slowly, you won’t be able to drive conversions.
There are many things you can do to optimize your website speed and reduce the time users need to access your content. For example, look at the hosting of your site, choose images that are high-quality, but smaller files, and optimize your structure.
Final Thoughts
If you want to stay competitive, attract new customers, improve your brand visibility, and show up on search engines – you need good web design. If you’re looking for a trusted partner to ensure your website is helping, not hindering your efforts – get in touch with Guru SEO today.
Our team of experienced web designers and developers knows exactly what to do to make your site stand out. Call today or schedule a meeting to get your proposal!
