No single aspect of brand communication is more important than a quality website. With a few clicks clients, potential clients, competitors, vendors, friends, and family and any one of the 4.95 billion Internet users worldwide can access your site and make an assessment.
In every case, there is no chance to explain what is meant by a particular phrase, picture, slogan, or color scheme. Visitors interpret their experience based on their own personal perspective and unconscious bias. Therefore, creating a quality website is very important. According to KPMG 47% of consumers search for a company’s website before deciding to take further action or make a purchase. If a small business does not have a well-designed, content-rich and user-friendly website it is missing a chance to present their products and services in response to a potential customer’s need.
A website is an opportunity to highlight company strengths and communicate to potential customers an offering; the product/service advantage and what stands out among the competition. With the average visitor spending less than 45 seconds on a page, there is not much time to make a good impression.
Here are my recommendations for creating visually appealing, polished and professional websites that drive sales.
DESIGN
A well-designed website lends credibility to an organization and demonstrates to customers the company is safe and trustworthy. Design best practices such as an uncluttered layout, the use of high-quality photos and graphics, easy-to-read fonts and colors that reflect a brand and industry communicate the message that attention to details is a hallmark of the business and value placed in customers.
FUNCTION
A website site must work quickly, correctly, and as expected. Certain aspects, such as built to modern standards, carefully proofread, and functionally tested cannot be compromised. Every page must remain fast and functional since any of them could wind up a potential customer’s first or only impression.
Broken, slow, or poorly constructed areas leave visitors frustrated and encourage them to leave.
USER EXPERIENCE (UX)
Site visitors are always in a hurry. Don’t make them work for information. UX plays a key role in helping visitors use, understand, and stay on a website. Obvious, logical navigation with clear hierarchy, a consistent layout, and visual cues for functionality across the site contribute to a positive user experience. A site should satisfy both ‘searchers’— visiting for something specific -- and ‘browsers’— those just looking. Help visitors accomplish their tasks quickly with onsite searching and keep them engaged by suggesting related content and minimizing dead ends.
CONTENT
Remain succinct, interesting, and new. Use language that makes sense to the intended audience. Avoid jargon, corporate speak and acronyms. Explain the “Why.” Visitors have short attention spans. Correct spelling matters, a lot! Stay accurate, relevant and refreshed.
Blogs and social media updates are great ways to add fresh content, which keeps visitors returning and helps SEO strategy.
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