Hey there, entrepreneur friend! Let’s talk about website designing & redesigning. It’s easy to get caught up in the visual details – like whether the font color and size is the perfect fit with your image, whether your logo should be in the middle or on the side, or if you should use video or not.
But let me tell you a secret…. According to Internet Live Stats, there are over 1.8 BILLION websites out there, and if you want traction, your website has to do more than just look good. It needs to be optimized to be user-friendly, intuitive, and have easy conversion points for your viewer.
And the other secret? It’s not rocket science. Even if you are not a developer, you DO have the ability to master these skills! To get you started, I’ve come up with a list of important steps and best practices for your next website project, launch, or redesign. Plus, I’m including my favorite FREE tools for your site to put these recommendations into practice. Ready to check it out? Let’s do it!
8 Rules for Amazing Web Design
1. Simplicity
2. Mobile-Friendly Design
3. Fast Load Times
4. Clear Navigation
5. Consistent Branding
6. Correct Use of White Space
7. Strong Call-To-Actions (CTAs)
8. Accessibility
1. Simplicity
Less is often so much more. Avoid clutter and focus on a clean, straightforward design that makes it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for. Here are some of my favorite examples of beautiful, clean websites:
New Bangs Design – www.newbangsdesign.com
For North Seattle – www.fornorthseattle.org
Ashli Design Studio – www.ashlidesign.com
2. Mobile-Friendly Design
Ensure your website looks and functions well on all devices, including smartphones and tablets. Responsive design is crucial as more people access websites on mobile devices. If you’re wondering about your ratio of mobile viewers to desktop, Google Analytics is an incredible, free tool you can download to see your stats.
3. Fast Load Times
Optimize images, use efficient coding practices, and leverage tools like content delivery networks (CDNs) to ensure your site loads quickly. Slow sites can frustrate users and increase bounce rates. My favorite tool for compressing and optimizing images is Imagify. It’s super easy to use, and allows you to compress your website images without losing any of the quality for the viewer.
If you’ve ever been curious about how your site is performing with site load times and speed, one of my favorite FREE tools is called GT Metrix. You can type in your website’s URL and see all of the data regarding what is slowing your site down and how to improve it.
4. Clear Navigation
Use intuitive navigation menus and a logical structure. Visitors should be able to find information quickly and easily, without having to click through multiple pages. If you would like a complimentary site audit, I can look over your site’s layout and navigation, and let you know my suggestions. Shoot me a message through my contact form.
5. Consistent Branding
Maintaining consistent use of colors, fonts, and logos throughout your site will strengthen your brand identity and make your site look professional. If you need branding help or want a redesign to freshen up your branding, shoot me a message.
6. Correct Use of White Space
Don’t be afraid of blank space. White space helps break up content and makes your website more readable and easier to navigate. As you’ll see from my own work, I am an advocate for “white space” also being the use of intentional colors, designed with the viewer in mind. Here are a few examples:
VorLit Media – www.vorlitmedia.com
Loving Is Key – www.lovingiskey.com
Coach Mindy Lee – www.coachmindylee.com
Count on Patty – www.countonpatty.com
7. Strong Call-To-Actions (CTAs)
Make sure your CTAs are clear, compelling, and easy to find. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or contacting you, CTAs guide users towards your desired actions. One of my favorite FREE tools for marketing and email signups lately has been MailerLite. Their service allows you to create email sign-up forms and track your new subscribers, send emails, create workflows, and more.
8. Accessibility
Design your website to be accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. Use alt text for images, ensure good color contrast, and make your site navigable via keyboard.
Design That Puts the Viewer First
Web design can be pretty subjective—what looks great to one person might not impress someone else. But these are some pretty rock-solid UX principles that can make your visitors feel right at home on your site.
Did you know that according to Amazon Web Services, 88% of visitors are less likely to come back after a bad website experience? And let’s be real, we’ve all been there, stuck on a site that just doesn’t work well.
So, here’s a final piece of usability and UX advice: start caring more! Put yourself in your visitors’ shoes (or, more accurately, their browser windows). Think about their experience every step of the way. It’ll make a world of difference!
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