As more and more business is done online, your website becomes more your shopfront than any brick-and-mortar location. It has to appeal, but the design is more than just about aesthetics; it also sets the tone for customer expectations, and everything that follows has to be congruent with that. This can make all the difference and significantly influence whether a visit can turn into a sale.
For this reason, especially in eCommerce or any form of online entertainment, website design is a make-or-break factor. So, if you want to make the most of every click your website gets, you need to be aware of the following factors:
#1 Make a good first impression
When a visitor arrives at your website, you have seconds to make a good impression, or they will just click away. You have seconds to make a good impression, or they will just click away. It’s not just about loading times; it is about creating a design that conveys credibility and trustworthiness. If you have not gone to the necessary effort and have a poorly designed website, regardless of how good your product or service happens to be – they are not going to see it. The design needs to also be congruent with your niche, so not too many bright colors for financial services and not too many corporate pictures if you are a pet sitter.
#2 Invest in navigation and user-experience
Another crucial aspect of website design is navigation, especially if your website has plenty of content, products, or services. The key here is making it simple for visitors to find what they are looking for, as this keeps them engaged and reduces the chance of them just clicking away in frustration.
Case in point – online casinos
An online casino illustrates perfectly why site navigation is important. A casino will typically have hundreds or even thousands of different games for you to play, each as appealing as the next. You might be looking for a particular slot like The Dark Knight, which could be next to impossible if the games were not divided into genres. By the same token, playing online blackjack in New Zealand is only possible by navigating to the table game section and then selecting your preferred variation from the many available.
#3 Provide quality content
Quality content and how it is presented will also play a significant role in influencing sales. Content like how-to guides and news relevant to your industry provides valuable information for your visitors and will keep them onsite for longer. Design is key here so that visitors can see all of the relevant content at the same time, so they know that the information they need is all there, and they do not have to look at a competitor’s site for answers.
A few final thoughts
Whether you are putting it together yourself or preferably getting the professionals involved, the design of your website can define the future of your business. A well-designed website that gives the customer a great first impression and makes it easy for them to find what they want can lead to repeat visits and sales – whereas a poorly designed one will mean that they go elsewhere.
