What is the intangible element that makes one website stand out over another? We often know good design when we see it, but defining what makes it excellent is harder. If you want to create a captivating web design project, there are some key factors you should consider.
According to Internet Live Stats, there are approximately 1.82 billion websites in the world. Of course, the number changes frequently, and not all sites are active at all times. The bottom line is you’re competing against a lot of other things clamoring for people’s attention.
How do you grab attention and keep it? What takes your site past professional to engaging? We’re going to look at nine key components and some examples of how others create amazing designs.
1. Provide Excellent Content
People need a reason to visit your site. They have the option to spend their time on a social media page, texting friends, streaming movies or visiting millions of other websites. You have to give them incentive to come to yours.
Top quality and frequently updated content keeps your followers engaged. You’ll also attract new visitors as they see you have an answer to their question or when their family and friends share a link to your content.
Blik is an online art supply store. Its blog shares information on the latest sales and offers inspiration for artists of all levels. You’ll find ideas for decorating your home or current trends and styles.
2. Speed up Load Times
When designing a beautiful-looking site, you might not think about the usability as much as the aesthetics. However, studies prove that the longer your website takes to load, the more people bounce away.
When you must choose between style and function, go with the option that reduces page loading times. Invest in a better hosting service, use caching and compress photos to make them load more quickly.
3. Use Amazing Photos
It might be tempting to use stock photos. After all, they are typically shot by professionals. However, although the quality is high, the relevance is low. You also risk a competitor using the same images as you.
Instead, use your own photographs. If necessary, hire a professional photographer to take pictures of your products, office space and other pertinent details. Think about what best represents your brand and how you can incorporate unique images into your design.
You can always overlay a visual with a color to tie into your palette or fade it out to use as part of your background.
It isn’t surprising that Alpha Genesis Design Build highlights its design capability with beautiful photos of spaces it has designed. No other architect and design firm will have the same look on their website.
4. Engage the User
Don’t just approach your design from the look of the page. Instead, consider the usability of your site. Those who will interact with your online presence must understand the steps to move smoothly through your website.
The words you use, the interactivity of various elements, and even arrows and other accents guide the person through the buyer’s journey.
5. Grab Their Attention
You need to hook the visitor from the minute they land on your page. The best way to do so is with an amazing headline that summarizes the benefit of your product or service.
You could also use a video to grab attention. Think about the pain point driving people to your site and how you can solve their problem. Once you know the answer, you’ll have the words or images to make them sit up and take notice.
Hi, Skin is a series of studios with professional estheticians. It grabs user interest in two ways. First, it has a video loop in the landing page’s background showing people of different ages and races with gorgeous skin. Second, it features a headline that reads, “Customized Skincare for All.”
6. Choose an Easy Name
When you first start on a web design project, you may have to secure a domain name. This isn’t an easy task. There are millions of websites, after all, and most simple names already have an owner.
You must come up with something simple for users to remember so they can easily find you again, but it should define your brand. Brandstorm and look outside the typical dot com options if needed.
7. Write Scannable Pages
People are crazy busy. Between work, raising a family and keeping a household, time to read things in-depth is at a minimum. Make your pages as skimmable as possible. Use headings, subheadings and bullet points to break things up.
What are the main ideas and how can the person easily get the main gist in a few glances?
Choice Properties uses headings to highlight the main benefits of doing business with it. Users can scroll quickly down the page and get the general idea of what the company offers. You’ll see subheadings such as “Our Properties,” “Sustainability” and “Choice Cares.”
Each section has a CTA button if the user wants to learn more about that specific point. You’ll also see images relating to the topic at hand.
8. Know Customer Pain Points
Make sure you dig deep into who your customers are. Create buyer personas so you fully understand the problems they face. Once you see what the pain points are, it’s much easier to highlight how you can fix them.
Make a list with two columns. On the left, put the heading of “Pain Points,” and on the right, put “Benefits.” Try to match the user pain points with the advantages of choosing your brand.
9. Focus on Your CTAs
Your landing pages should have a goal. Whatever your objective, a call to action (CTA) should lead users forward through the sales funnel.
It can take time and practice to find the perfect design for your CTAs. Think about what colors work best, the wording, and even if you want to use first or second person. Try out different methods and conduct A/B tests to see what your target audience responds best to.
Pay Attention to Excellent Designs
If you want your web design projects to stand the test of time, pay attention to the websites you use most frequently. What do you love and hate about them? How can you incorporate the positive elements in your next creation?
Author
Eleanor Hecks is the editor of Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.