Remember the websites of ten years ago, when everything had to have flashing animations and a plethora of colours? Today’s approach to web design is very different. We take a look at what constitutes good web design in the current context. It may not be what you think.
Objective
Firstly, why does the site exist? Unless you know the purpose of your site, it will never be successful. For some businesses, their website is simply an online brochure. Others will have a campaign site that encourages a user to carry out a call to action and allows the company to collect data for marketing purposes. For other firms, their website is a wholly integrated e-commerce website with advanced functionalities such as customer diagnostics, account management and self-service facilities.
Communication
A website is another marketing channel or route to market. This means that messaging must be clear and concise and back up your other marketing messages. Customers who understand the purpose of a website and can navigate around it simply and easily are more likely to use it. A good copywriter is a great asset for getting your website right.
Navigation
Functionality and easy customer journeys are at the heart of a good website. A site can look utterly beautiful from an aesthetics perspective, but if it doesn’t allow for easy navigation, customers will be put off. Journey mapping is a fundamental activity pre-design.
On-Brand Designs
Good websites are clean, attractive and on-brand. Most firms will use a design agency to help achieve this – very often a full-service digital agency with capabilities in both design and development (Such as SEO). For a Web Design Gloucester agency, http://digi-tel.co.uk/gloucestershire-website-design/wordpress-web-design/ is a useful resource. Design considerations will also include colour palettes, which will be carefully considered and used effectively across the site for an attractive finish.
The Right Typeface
Modern sites tend to use clean sans serif fonts which are optimised for digital reading. They are visible for readers with impaired vision and allow the user to read text quickly and easily. Avoid italics, serif fonts and overly complex fonts. Verdana and Arial are good choices and16px is the ideal size for online reading.
A Good Template
Most modern websites are based on templates that are widely available on platforms such as WordPress and Umbraco. These tend to be based on grid formations which allow for easy layout. This avoids the random placing approach of earlier years, which could result in a messy and unorganised site that was hard to navigate. Studies into user eye tracking suggest that customers scan digital screens according to an ‘F’ pattern. They tend to look at the left and top of the screen – at least in the West – and tend to ignore the right. A good designer will work with this principle and structure content accordingly.
Mobile-Friendly
M-commerce is growing rapidly and today’s best websites will be optimised and responsive for mobile platforms such as smartphones and tablets. The content will also be fast to load, allowing users to access and interact with the website when they are on the go.
These are certainly some of the most important factors when it comes to creating your online presence. What other elements would you say constitute good web design?
Making a site work on every screen
Many people now visit websites mainly on phones and tablets, so a good design has to adapt. Responsive design is sometimes misunderstood as simply being viewable on a mobile. What it actually means is that the layout itself changes shape, size and arrangement to suit whatever screen it is shown on, from a small phone to a wide desktop monitor, without the user having to pinch and zoom.
For smaller businesses, the most effective step is usually simplification. Focus on the content visitors really need, keep the number of pages and links manageable, and make navigation obvious on a small screen. Buttons and links need to be large enough to tap easily, images should be sized so they load quickly over a mobile connection, and forms should ask only for what is essential. Test the site on real phones and tablets rather than just a resized browser window, and if you can, watch a few customers use it; what confuses them is what needs fixing first.
Design mistakes that undermine a website
Good design always serves the site’s purpose, whether that is sharing information, collecting sign-ups or selling online. A design that looks attractive but makes it hard for visitors to find what they want and take action has failed, which is why design is different from art. It also needs to support search optimisation through a clear navigation structure and sensible customer journeys.
A forgettable site is another common mistake. The best are memorable and on brand, with a colour palette that suits the business and imagery people can believe in. Overused, out-of-context stock photos put customers off, as do rainbow palettes and gimmicky fonts. When in doubt, keep it simple.
Readability matters too. Avoid fancy, hard-to-read fonts and pay attention to contrast. Dark text on a light background is easiest to read, while light text over images or coloured backgrounds, especially in thin weights, can be a struggle.
Planning content, purpose and upkeep
Good design starts with knowing what the site is for. Decide whether you want to sell online or simply inform, and whether visitors should interact with you on the site, call you or book an appointment. There is no right answer, but the choice shapes everything from the layout to the functionality you need.
Content matters as much as appearance. Keep it timely, relevant and accurate, review it regularly, and use news, case studies and social links to keep it fresh. Every page should have a clear next step for the visitor. A simple layout that makes the customer journey easy will also help, and testing the site for bugs and glitches before launch improves the experience for users.
Be clear about who will manage the site once it is live. Without the resources to keep it updated, it soon becomes outdated. Know your budget from the start too, because simple template sites cost far less than custom builds with bespoke systems.