Why is it Important to Have a Good Website?

Most of us are becoming more aware of the growth of online use. Customers, employees and business owners alike are using the internet to find information. In a survey conducted by HubSpot, HubSpot Content Trends Survey Q3 2017, "67% of users still go directly to a company or brand’s website to start the research process." Business owners are now being challenged to evaluate their website as their customers do and ask themselves, “Do I really need to change my website?” On one side, if you are an established business, you have built a reputation, have a solid clientele and your business has a website, isn’t that good enough? On the other side, a website is the digital representation of your business which continues to grow in importance. If users see an outdated site, or have complications on your site, they think this is how you run your business and will leave your website, likely not to return. However, if users see a website that is simple to navigate, visually stimulating, delivers the information in an organized way and shows consistent branding they are more likely to trust your brand. With a well designed website, businesses can go from losing potential customers, to gaining loyal repeat customers and increasing revenue.

Why Your Website Aesthetics Matter

There are many different ways that the look and structure of your business website not only represents your company, but helps other parts of your digital marketing strategy. As the first impression of your business, users will judge your business by your website. Your website is the primary piece of your digital marketing strategy and without well designed aesthetics the rest of your digital marketing (SEO, content strategy, social media, etc.) is more difficult to plan. Make sure you give the right first impression by having these five things on your website. As a business owner, take a step back and see if your website contains the following elements that users are expecting to see and experience from companies they trust.

1. Website Navigation-Website navigation is the foundation to good web design. By having a clear and concise navigation bar, users know where there are in your site and how to get back to previously visited pages. There are two things you want to consider when deciding how your navigation should look. First, if you have less than nine main pages you will want to consider putting the navigation menu at the top of the page usually in the header so that it appears on every page in the website. Second, if you have more than nine main pages, you will want to consider a list style menu, usually on the left-hand side of the page. The list style menu keeps your website looking clean, organized, and won’t be confusing for the user to know where they are. Remember, navigation should be simple and easy.
2. Consistency in Branding-Your website is your digital business representation and the internet never sleeps. Your company logo and branding (slogans, catch phrases, etc.) should be consistent on all marketing channels, including both print and digital. By using the same logos and branding from print marketing, users are more likely to recognize your company faster and easier online. Today’s trend, which seems to be the standard right now, is to have your logo in the top left corner near the top of the page. Also, users now expect the logo icon to be linked back to the homepage for an easy restart in the research process.
3. Visual Elements-The demand for images and videos from brands is growing across all ages according to the HubSpot Trends Survey 2017. Photos catch the attention of the customer, show off your products, or tell a story that words just can’t describe. Video is even more engaging to the user and can show and explain what makes your business different and unique. By strategically using these visual elements, your website will stand out above your competition and users will remember your site first.
4. Design for User Engagement-The layout of your page design is essential to keeping the attention of users on your website. According to Kara Pernice from Nielson Norman Group, designers need to, “Do the work for the users instead of forcing them to exert effort and take bad shortcuts. Prioritize and format text to direct users to what you want them to see, and to what you know they want to see.” This means that the right text in the right place is how the user gets the most information from your site, even if they are just scanning through it.
5. Structure for SEO-The structure of your website determines how your SEO strategy will work. With a clean, organized website structure, other website details can be strategically placed in the HTML text. This includes headings (H1, H2, H3), page titles, meta descriptions, meta tags, alt tags (for images and videos), and the content on each page. By having each page structured for user engagement, these SEO elements are then easily incorporated into each individual page. This allows the right pages more visibility in search results with the information the user is looking for.

Design with Customers in Mind

Your website is the digital representation of your business, it needs to be designed customer first. This not only includes the presentation (fonts, color scheme, etc.), but the website needs to accommodate users that can’t search traditionally. Users are now able to search in ways that is changing the way that we design websites and with these rapid advancements in these technologies, having an updated, current website is becoming necessary to create more brand trust to elevate above the competition.

Text to speech devices give browsing access to users that have conditions that don’t allow them to search in a traditional keyboard fashion. Because the information is being read back to the user, make sure your design structure is clear and organized to deliver the correct information to these users. Voice search is also becoming more popular with devices such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home and the search language is different in these searches. By keeping all users in mind, a well designed website will be able to deliver proper information on all platforms which can lead to more engagement on your website, leading to increased revenue. Don’t be afraid to ask your customers what they like and don’t like about your site. Not only do your customers feel like part of the process, it shows that you are willing to listen to them to improve their online experience. This information will help identify where changes need to be made and what differentiates you from your competition. This keeps your website design updated with the elements customers are looking for, creating more trust and loyalty to your brand. Remember it’s not what you like, it’s what they like that is most important.

The Growing Importance of Responsive Design

According to HubSpot’s Trends Survey 2017, “48% of users are now using their mobile phones to browse the internet than desktops and laptops which is now at 43%.” Good web design has now become even more important, not only for desktop but for mobile design as well. Making sure your website looks good on multiple devices is very important. If your website is not mobile optimized, users will quickly leave your site and find one that is more eye appealing and accommodating. Good responsive design still shows your website, but in a more condensed version. This allows you to design for mobile specific applications that will make it easier for the user to engage with your site. Here are a few examples of the advantages of good design for mobile: Larger font sizes make it easier for users to read the information, smaller photos fit on smaller screens to clearly show your content, and elements can be removed in mobile to keep a clean, organized, and professional looking website. By thinking of the types of devices used and adapting website design to appeal to them, you keep users engaged and wanting to look farther into the website.

So, why is it important to have a good website? In short, it’s the foundation of your digital marketing strategy. A well designed website will show how your business is unique and different. Thinking of users and designing to their expectations creates trust and loyalty in your brand. A structured site that incorporates an SEO strategy greatly increases search visibility, giving your brand more exposure. Lastly, staying updated and knowing how people are using mobile phones to browse on the internet, a good responsive design strategy can be made. All of these different elements are important pieces that make good website design and when done right, they create an online experience customers and users alike will remember. That being said, does your website contain all the necessary elements?

Resources

F-Shaped Pattern of Reading on the Web: Misunderstood, But Still Relevant (Even on Mobile) by Kara Pernice November 12, 2017

HubSpot Content Trends Survey 2017