Website Design – Tips, Tactics and Techniques
In a world where businesses from all sectors own a company website, the competition between website owners grows stiffer by the day. In order to stay ahead of the competition, many business owners must take some form of action, whether it is the launch of an internet marketing campaign, a search engine optimization campaign, a complete website redesign or any other strategy to win the race for invaluable Internet popularity. At the cornerstone of every successful Internet business is great website design – and with the following tips, you can be well on your way to dominating the competition.
(Image Source: ODM Studio)
Ready. Set. Impress.
The design is the first thing your visitors see upon logging on to your website. If there is one single aspect of your website that is responsible for sparking your visitor’s interest before anything else, it is your design. Poor web design reflects a poor website in the eyes of your potential clients and a visitor will most likely leave your site instantly and move on to the next upon detecting a shoddy web design. In the Internet world, first impressions are lasting ones (just like anywhere else in life) – so always ensure a visually stunning and impressive design fresh from the gates.
Web Design – More Than Just Graphics
Some website designers make the mistake of overemphasizing visual graphics while neglecting aspects such as slogans. A slogan, which is a brief blurb that describes the main perks of the actual product or service, is actually an integral factor in the web design. As a designer, there are a few important things to consider when creating a catchy slogan:
- Emphasize the main purpose of the site
- Explain why this is the best site for the particular service or product
- Explain what the client gains in return
Subheadings are another example non-graphical website design. Subheadings optimize the reader experience, make the content easier to read and help the reader establish the main points of a particular paragraph or section. Finally, subheadings create an aura of organization that save the reader valuable time often wasted sifting through irrelevant nonsense.
Balance and Space
Website designers also need to consider space and balance. Some areas of the site will feature design elements, while others will be mere empty spaces. Discovering a balance between these two is the key to produce great web design. Try not to include design elements in every area of the site as this will minimize unwanted cluttering and an overwhelming experience for the visitor.
User Experience
Visitors also enjoy some type of interaction within the site. A great example of a visual interaction that adds to the overall visitor experience is a specific area that subtly changes when the cursor moves over it. These subtle design elements seem unimportant, but often help the visitor distinguish the difference between a unique website and one copied from a template.
Akesh Gupta is the President and co-founder of Light Speed Solutions, a software development company specializing in building custom complex data-driven web applications (Webware), from initial design through delivery and beyond.
