31 Aug Hallmarks of Great Web Design
Consider a Web site your “home away from home”. It is the landing destination for current or would-be customers and it is imperative that it be graphically appealing with solid content and an easy user experience. What do all these things mean though? What is graphically appealing? How do you define solid content or a great UX (user experience)? Let’s walk you through a few of these terms:
A graphically appealing site supports what your business does without detracting by being too busy or confusing for new or established visitors. Choice of color, images, font and whether to add multimedia or flash animation depend greatly on WHO YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE (or who you want them to be). If your customers are older and conservative, your site should reflect that (no bright colors, a more streamlined layout and perhaps a serif font). Of course, if you want to attract a younger crowd despite your current customer base, you will want to expand that. If you are serving teens, your site is likely to be much more animated and graphics driven. Older customers will read written content, younger customers won’t read much…
Solid content means your site should have words that make it easy to find by search engines (like Yahoo, Bing or Google) and that accurately and succintly describe what you do, who you are and why they should be customers. It should give your readers a variety of ways to find you that they don’t have to dig around for…
Which brings us to the UX: user experience. Take note of some of the Web sites you visit-some, like your bank, because you have to and others because you want to. Notice the things that frustrate you. Is it hard to find a site logon (if you have to register?) or a way to find a phone number for your personal wireless service? Have you come across a site and you aren’t sure what the company does or the site is about? This is bad user experience. You want your visitors to spend time, poking around, getting to know you and the company. Dwell time is important. The longer they stay, the more likely they are to buy or sign on with you.
Whether you are getting a Web site for a brand new company or you are thinking about redesigning your current Web site, keep these things in mind. Ratio7 specializes in media and graphic design. We can do a site redesign or development for you that is graphically appealing with solid content and a great user experience. Call or email us for a consultation.
Photo Courtesy LARuth.