Sometimes building a website is like preparing for a job interview; you want to make the best first impression and then show the interviewer all you’ve got to offer them—your website should do exactly the same thing.
Get your website right from the start
Business owners spend thousands of pounds trying to get their website right and SEO is often the first hurdle. But while SEO is still important, on its own it’s only half as effective as it could be. With radical algorithm changes in Google’s search engine, SEO is now just one small part of building an effective website. So although your website may have been picked through with a fine toothed comb and SEO’d within an inch of its life, you still might not see the traffic numbers you’d hoped for. And that’s where web design comes in.
High quality web design is just as important as SEO. It can even make or break a sale because if the user who has landed on your page finds a disorganised site with poorly written content, they’re likely to find their way to your competitors with just a few clicks of the mouse.
So what makes a good website?
A good website should instantly engage the viewer no matter what it’s about. Even a novice internet user can spot a lacklustre website a mile off. Some of the worse offenders include busy, visually overpowering backgrounds and a small typeface that can barely be seen. Bold colours and clean lines will be easier on the eyes as well as visually appealing. Too many flashing images is also off putting, as well as potentially slowing down loading times for your website.
As well as first appearances, easy navigation around a website is a must. Hidden navigation bars are a no-no, and so are broken links which can hurt your SEO and create a negative user experience.
With more people now using their mobile devices to search the net, ensure your site is responsive. This means that whatever device a user searches your website on, whether that be a computer, phone or ipad etc, it will adapt to that device, display correctly and will still look aesthetically pleasing whilst remaining functional.
Teaming up with an SEO and web design specialist will not only help you take a step towards creating a beautifully designed website that you’ll be proud to put your name on, but will ultimately encourage users to interact more with your site and increase sales.