Your website is one of the most powerful marketing tools you can have for your business. You need to not only make sure the page design and layout are visually appealing, but also ensure that your site visitors stay on the site for more than a few seconds. If the text is too small or the colors you choose don’t complement each other, your website visitor could disappear in the blink of an eye.
Working with a professional web design company or specialist can increase your chances of having a high-quality and attractive website, but you may still be responsible for making some key decisions about the overall look of the site. Here are just five basic rules for great web page design to keep in mind:
#1: Navigation
Your website visitors need to be able to jump from page to page with ease. Make sure that all of your hyperlinks are linking out to the correct landing pages, and that any graphics and images are linked appropriately. Your header navigation – the lineup of pages under the address bar – needs to include your key pages.
#2: Readability
Use simple language and make sure the text size isn’t too small – or too large. Align the text so that it stands out but doesn’t overpower your website. Make sure all graphics with text are easy to read, and that your visitors can “scan” the copy easily to get the main idea.
#3: Search Engine Optimization
You will need a website that is optimized for the search engines. This means that it’s designed and coded in a way that will attract the attention of search engine web crawlers and can get indexed easily. You’ll also need to promote your site online using different types of online marketing strategies. Consider working with an online marketing company or a consultant to make sure your website is optimized for the highest possible search engine rankings.
#4: Consistency
Your company logo, the color of the text, size of pictures and any special text formatting you use needs to be consistent throughout your site. This helps to create a professional appearance and will create a better user experience. Make sure you are begin consistent with all fonts, images and text attributes you use, even when each page is customizable.
#5: Download Speed
If it takes too long for your web pages to load, your website visitor may just leave your site and go to your competitor. Overloading your site with too many graphics, media-rich files and animations can bore your visitors and prevent them from even getting to a landing page, product page or contact page. Make sure you consider page loading times when selecting a web page design or layout. Stick with simple and clean layouts to ensure a speedy download time.