You may have already read many times that in order to survive in the digital age, your business has to have its own website. It’s now a vital part to survive in the business arena. That is why, most, if not all, digital marketing agencies in Singapore will advise you to invest in putting up your own website.
However, a website can turn into an expense if it’s not done right. It can only become an investment when it helps you gain conversions or profit. If you are a beginner or it’s your first time to launch a website for your business, it may seem like a rocket science. You may think that websites are all about establishing your online image and communicating with your potential customers. While that may be true, there are more aspects to consider in designing your website.
Same goes with any project, it’s essential to know the basic elements to make it a success. And even if you have a team who handles your web design and developments, it pays to also know what makes a good web design. Here are 8 basic elements of a good design that is more of an investment rather than an expense.
1. An ease in navigation brings a solid foundation of user experience
From the moment a user sets foot on your website, it’s important that it will be easy for them to look for what they want. While it’s okay to have to use your site as a platform to introduce yourself or to showcase your company’s achievement, showcasing your products and services is the most important feature of all. Make sure that your potential customers will be able to look through it and can get the information that they need.
To create a solid navigation experience, there has to be a combination of clean, simple, and creative web layout where texts are easy to read and the colors are not too shocking. Aside from that, buttons and menus should also be easily accessible for them. Think about looking into your fridge and knowing exactly where everything goes. That’s how you can offer an ease of navigation to your clients. After all, ease in navigation comes with a positive user experience – and a positive experience can bring conversions.
2. Useful contents creates lasting impression
Back up your products and services with reliable and useful information. Luckily today, web content goes beyond articles and write ups. With the power of video marketing, you can also create video materials and presentations to showcase your company, your products, and your services. It’s more interactive and it’s easier for the users to digest. Plus, it’s more engaging so it helps with your site’s dwell time.
Moreover, web content goes beyond the homepage. You also need to consider your About page and Contact page (or other miscellaneous pages such as News) because it’s where you can gain the trust of your potential customers. You can also take advantage of having onsite blogs. You can pick out topics related to the products or services that you cater and create articles that will be useful and helpful to your customers. Content, as in all types of platform, should be strong but short and sweet.
3. Give them the option to search
Not all users have time to browse through your entire website to look for information. Some of them are in a hurry to look for information. To attend to this need, you can give them the choice to search. You can design a box where they can input keywords or terms to search for information. It doesn’t have to be a big box at the center of the page. It can be an average box on the upper corner of the page (upper right is the most common). It can be anywhere, actually. For as long as it’s easy to see and it’s actually functional, it will work.
4. Make a Responsive website or don’t do it at all
Let’s admit it. It’s the era of mobile. Though some users still use a computer to search for information, majority of the users are now using their mobile phones and devices to access the Internet. Especially if you are a local business, focusing on the mobile access is recommended.
Picture this: A potential customer was at home at the end of the day searching for a furniture to buy. He was then using his computer to check out your website. Then in the morning, he decided to purchase it already. But instead of a computer, he is already using a mobile phone and tried to check out your website again. Unfortunately, your site is not Responsive and he can’t view the information properly. What do you think will happen? Most likely, since the user is already online, he will Google for other furniture stores nearby and buy from there. Lost clients, lost income.
Thus, making sure that you are accessible anytime and anywhere is also of utmost priority.
5. Consider the loading speed
The overall package of your website is not complete if the user has to wait long before the page loads. Website speed plays a big role in persuading a potential customer. 40% of web users immediately exit the page when it doesn’t load successfully in 3 minutes. With the fast-paced evolution in technology, users are also expecting to access website immediately. A second delay can already bore them which will lead to losing a potential customer.
To make sure that you will have a fair speed, always optimise the images on your site regardless of how small it is. It will also help if you will enable compression on your site so the files will be smaller when necessary and it’s quicker to open. Most importantly, choose the right host for your website.
6. Colors and layout plays a big role too
Visually-enticing website always result to satisfied users. Web design is solely reliant to the layout scheme and the color palettes. You design should fit the needs of your target market and it’s important to utilize white spaces when necessary. You can make use of good photography and illustrations to send the message across rather than keeping a full block text.
Same concept applies with the color scheme. Choosing the right color for your website is more than just keeping the brand’s swatches. You should also consider the demographics of your target market and the visual impact of these hues when combined. If the colors are too striking, users may not be able to focus on what you’re selling. But if it’s too dull, it may not really entice your audience. So, make sure that you will use a combination of the two.
7. Make them feel like the door is opened
Having a Contact Us page is acceptable. But if you want to advance your customer relationship, give then an instant option to get in touch with you as if the store/business is always open. You may utilise click-to-call buttons or your social media icons where they will be directed to your social media accounts. Through that, the user will already have the means to contact you should they need to ask something.
But what separates other websites is the availability of a chatbox where they can just type to ask questions without leaving the page. With this feature, you can be sure that your customers are your utmost priority.
8. Above all, SEO matters
All these elements will not make any sense if you don’t keep an optimised website. As much as possible, make your website SEO-friendly – which means following a strategic approach to appear on SERPs for a chance to have more impressions and clicks. SEO is like the cherry on top of a well-crafted website. It makes your site visible online. Despite the drastic changes in the digital landscape, SEO is still one of the most effective and important digital marketing strategies of all time. That’s why many companies prefer to get SEO services in Singapore to help run their business.
Looking for an SEO and SEM agency to help your online rankings? Give us a call!
