Expert Web Design Secrets
Ever wondered how professional web designers consistently get great results? Design Inspiration has been leading the web design industry in Plymouth and Devon for over 20 years and in that time have built sites of every size for every kind of client. Here, Ash Mashhadi, Partner at Design Inspiration reveals some of the expert web design secrets that the best web designers use.
Simple Navigation
One way to put your visitors off is to confuse them with multiple navigation systems. It’s still reasonably common to see websites with a navigation bar along the top as well as down the side. This is just confusing.
Avoid being tempted by the ‘mystery meat’ approach either: strange icons do not explain themselves to visitors. Your website navigation needs to be really clear at all times. Visitors need to know what will happen when they click on a link. There’s nothing wrong with using words on a navigation menu; people have been using words for thousands of years; words are good.
Great Design
Expert web design is not about having a riot of animated graphics. It’s not about melodrama. Good design is about problem solving. Everyone who has a website has a problem, the designer’s job is to identify that problem and provide a creative, yet efficient solution. That problem may be needing publicity; it may be needing to attract customers; it may be needing a channel to talk to existing customers. It can, in fact be almost anything. Whatever it is, your website should do that job efficiently without unnecessary (note that word “unnecessary”) decoration that gets in the way.
Short, Punchy Copy
Writing copy for a website is different than on paper. Shorter sentences makes for more compelling text. Write for maximum effect, with an eye on the benefits to the visitor, rather than simply listing your products or services. Top tip: head up each key paragraph with a short heading.
Use a Professional
Everyone can tell if your site was designed by your 15 year old nephew or your neighbour’s pal who offered to ‘do you a website’ in exchange for a pint or two. Resist the impulse to go the DIY route. If you use an amateur, you will look like an amateur too. Is that what you want?
Calls to Action
One of the most common mistakes we see on websites is a failure to incorporate a clear call to action. Don’t miss this golden opportunity. If someone is interested enough to read through your website, they will appreciate the chance to talk to you further. If your site has been designed properly, your visitors will get a clear idea of how you can help them, so may wish to sign up for your newsletters or fill in a simple enquiry form. Looking for expert web design secrets? Here’s one: don’t disappoint them.
Expert Web Design Secrets – Next Steps
It’s always a good time to take a look at your website’s design, performance and effectiveness. Take the time to sit back and take a good, clear look at yours today. How’s the navigation? Can users see the benefits easily? Is the photography up to date and the copy snappy, crisp and focused? If not, you now know what to do about it.
