When you create a content marketing plan, it should include the message and brand you want to convey on your website because, within the first ten seconds of visiting your site, people should have an idea of who you are and what you do. While content marketing focuses on creating and publishing your content, you should also be concerned with design. The design of your website is what truly creates the first impression and determines whether or not people will stay on your site. Here are five tips for effective web design.
1. Prepare for the Consumers’ Steps
To understand if your website is successfully keeping visitors on your page, you need to be aware of your analytics. Check the bounce rate. Is it high or low? A high bounce rate means that when people visit your page, they leave quickly. From this, you can determine that they either didn’t find what they needed, or your site was too messy to understand. Designing a website that prepares for each of the consumers’ steps will decrease the likelihood of them bouncing. As a designer, remember that a website is an experience for the consumer, so don’t rush them to the end, let them enjoy it.
2. Review
Before publishing your site, have a third party observe it. Can they understand the jargon? What do they think of your images? You should always try to use language any person could understand on your site, as well as images that showcase your company. Consider hiring a photographer to come into your office to shoot pictures you’d like to see on your website. That way people who visit your site can truly become familiar with you and you’ll be able to showcase what you do.
3. Organize
While the text on your website is technically content, and designers typically don’t worry about what it says, they should be concerned with what it looks like. The content you are trying to communicate should be readable and organized with bulleted or numbered lists, headings, short paragraphs, and links. Nobody wants to look at one giant block of text with no titles or breaks and try to decipher what you are saying. However, you should use the right organization strategy when it’s appropriate. Don’t simply throw in bulleted lists or links when it doesn’t make sense to.
4. Navigation
While organizing content is important, having an organized navigation bar will make it easier for visitors to find what they are looking for. If they can’t find something, they’ll leave. On each page consumers navigate to, there should be a call to action like, “Make an appointment to learn more,” or, “Follow us on Facebook.”
5. Mobile Optimization
With so many people using smart devices to check the internet, you’ll want to ensure that your site is mobile friendly. Having broken links, missing pages, and elements that are unprepared for mobile devices will result in you losing potential clients and customers. A good designer will prepare for this as they are creating the site.
The design of your website is just as important as the content it holds. If you aren’t designing the page yourself, make sure you hire a reliable company like manwaringweb.com to create the best website for your brand.
