If you want to drive users to your website, it’s crucial to have a strong web design. 94% of users’ first impression of your brand relates to your web design. It doesn’t matter how great your products or services are if they’re displayed on a website with an ugly, clunky, or outdated design.
But what exactly is a good web design? With trends that change so frequently, it can be hard to keep up. In today’s blog, let’s discuss what users like to see in web design so you can know what to incorporate into your website.
Mobile and Desktop Friendly Theme
There are many different ways to access your website. While once it could only be accessed through a desktop computer, now users can pull it up on their phones with ease anywhere in the world. In fact, 55% of website traffic comes from a mobile device. Unfortunately, website themes that look great on a desktop screen don’t always translate well onto mobile.
Test your website layout on both desktop and mobile. Is everything still legible when you switch over to mobile? Is it still aesthetically pleasing? If not, you’ll want to change your theme. Chances are if mobile users struggle to read your webpages, they simply won’t bother.
Easy-to-Use Navigation
No one wants to waste time figuring out where everything is on your website…and they probably won’t. That’s why you need to make it easy for them. A top navigation bar that isn’t too clunky but leads them to all of the relevant web pages is a popular choice. Another option is a sidebar that can be opened or closed when needed. The important thing is that everything is clear and easy to find so they can access the information they need and go about their day.
Clean and Professional Layout
Users want to feel that they can trust your brand. If your website uses images that look like they were made in MS Paint or a juvenile font, they may not feel that they can take your company seriously — or that your company will take them seriously. This does not mean that your website must lack personality. On the contrary, it should express your brand’s personality well. But a clear, clean layout and professional font, albeit one that fits the aesthetic of your brand, is key to making a strong first impression.
Clear and Open Message
Users visiting your website want to know who you are and what your brand is about. Front-loading them with jargon or sweeping statements can often lose their interest. Instead, lead with a transparent message about who you are as a brand and what you’re trying to do. Most importantly, how does your brand relate to them? Your users likely sought out your website because they’re struggling with a particular issue. How does your brand help? You want users to be able to find the answer to this throughout your website, beginning with the home page.
Fast Site Loading Time
In today’s digital age, audiences are used to accessing information quickly. So much so that if a website takes longer than the blink of an eye to load, many users will simply give up. Think of how much traffic you could be losing if your website takes too long to load. This is a distinct possibility if your website layout utilizes large images or other media that takes time to load.
Where you can, swap out those big images for something cleaner and faster to load. While it might look less flashy, it will get your users to the information they want faster, which tends to matter more.
Trendy Aesthetic With Strong User Experience
Users like websites that look fresh, modern, and new. Keeping up with the trends could benefit you in terms of appealing to your audience with your aesthetic. However, that design should never compromise the user experience. The reason minimal designs remain so popular among websites is that it offers something that is both trendy and intuitive to use.
User experience is everything when it comes to web design. Users should be able to explore your website smoothly without any inconveniences or hiccups. If something holds them back from a good user experience on your website, they may leave to find that experience elsewhere.
Authoritative Website Content
Finally, the content on your website should be worth the visit. Webpages, blogs, videos, and more should be chock full of engaging, relevant information that helps users to come away with the value they had hoped for. The stronger your content, the more they will be likely to explore of your website — and the more likely they will be to follow up with your brand.
