Stay Afloat: The Do’s and Don’ts of Website Design

Designing a website is hard – and just about anyone who has tried their hand at one can attest to that. Whether you’re starting from scratch, building off a template, or using a specialty software; the many competing demands and goals can make it difficult to keep your head above water, much less successfully navigate through the obstacles of bad design. Here are three do’s and three don’ts of successful website design. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, but it does provide a good baseline to keep from being overwhelmed in the deep waters of web design.

  • Don’t present a cluttered design – You only have a few seconds to grab the attention of your visitor, so don’t waste it on disorienting, cluttered, or confusing design. It may be tempting to include the latest gifs and catchy videos, but if the purpose, content, and layout of your site isn’t immediately clear the customer will move on.
  • Don’t be generic or overly broad – The internet is a big place, and chances are your visitors are looking for an answer to a very specific question. Pick your target audience and go after them. As the old saying goes – if you go after everything, you’ll get nothing.
  • Don’t forget about the blog – Your customers want to know they can trust you and that you have the answers to the questions they’re asking. By failing to include a blog on your website you might be missing out on a great opportunity to inform your readers on why they can, and should, trust you.
  • Do keep it simple – Focus on what you do and make it plain from the very first seconds on your website. Make it easy for the customer to see what you do, how you do it, and why you’re the best; all without getting distracted by needless information. The Nielsen Norman Group suggests that in order to retain visitors, your value must be clearly communicated within 10 seconds.
  • Do provide targeted content – Know your customer and know the questions they have, then seek to answer those questions. Understanding the problems they face allows you to provide focused and targeted content that aims to solve their problems, and that is how you win customers.
  • Do speak as an industry authority – Even the most well-informed customer wants to trust the businesses they frequent. A website is the perfect vehicle for building that trust. Whether that comes in the form of a blog, industry recognition, or customer testimonials your website is the prime location for putting forward your industry knowledge.

Following these easy tips will provide an anchor as you navigate the often turbulent waters of SEO, customer expectations, and market competition. The web designers at Fusion Group USA are ready to sit down and help you create the perfect website to highlight your unique contribution to the marketplace. Contact us today to set up a consultation.

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