How to utilise simple web design.
Producing a successful website doesn’t come with a handbook; it simply requires common sense guided by a number of easy-to-follow rules. The tell tale signs of good web design are that your users find it easy to use, your page ranks are high and your layout lends itself to an audience who are tech-savvy. Functionality and SEO are only two thirds of the winning formula however, in order to get your website up to scratch the aesthetics must all work.
It is crucial to remember that good web design takes time, never expect your site to be perfectly internet-ready in a matter of days, even weeks. Getting the key parts of your site right will take time, from researching and finding the images and colours that work for your target audience, to testing these ideas – it is not an instant process. It pays to expect some trial and error and keep in mind that you can alter this page whenever you like, the beauty of websites is that nothing has to be the finalised product, editing and tailoring pages as you go along is also a vastly important factor for getting your website to its optimum level. If time is not on your side, ensure you do your research but attempt not to launch until you’re completely happy with the end result.
Whilst designing your website try to focus on the graphics that instantly show your users what the site is about. There are so many tools on offer in the world of graphics; sometimes it can be difficult to make a decision between striking, manipulated images or more clear-cut photography and graphics. Most website opt for a basic graphic design as it makes it easier for the end-user to distinguish what they are doing in the blink of an eye and, generally, users will find it easier to navigate around with more straightforward imagery. This in mind however; always thinks about your target audience and the practice of your business before deciding on graphics.
When you’ve found the images that work for you, you need to decipher the right levels of text versus images. With so many people using the internet in so many different ways it has been shown that online viewers on average spend less than 60 seconds onsite. Knowing this, it is vital that your site keeps people’s attention long enough for them to decide that your product is exactly what they want. A text heavy site can be unappealing yet equally so can too many graphics. Simplicity and clarity are your ultimate goal here.
Once you’ve found your text and graphics, your site is almost ready to go live. The final key is sticking to a theme throughout your website. Attaining good web design doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to utilise every colour under the sun to grab your users’ attention; but the themes and colours you do choose should match and compliment one another. Basic colour schemes are great and difficult to get wrong but attempt to be a little different to other sites on the web by trying something new. Experimenting with aspects such as fonts (even font sizes) are a fantastic way to set you apart online.
To read more about marketing and web design, we recommend the following articles:
- Exclusive Study: How global companies use the web to engage with the world. Corporate communications strategy
- How a small company can become a big brand in B2B marketing
- Simple Web Design tips
- What is web page accessibility?
- Colour Inspiration for Web Design
- The Art of Good Email Marketing
- Top 3 Content Management Systems to use