Creating a website for your business can be an exciting endeavor. You might have dreamed of developing the most unique website that everyone will love and now you finally get a chance to do it. But the reality is that the perfect website design is challenging to create unless you’re a professional. It might look pretty, but the positive aesthetics might lack functionality. When you only have a few seconds to make an impression on website visitors, functionality is critical. Here are several website design do’s and don’ts to help maximize its success.

Utilizing White Space In Your Website Design

Your website layout should be clear, concise, and easy to follow. This often means incorporating white space strategically so nothing gets too cluttered. White space can be used as a sign that you are shifting from one topic to the next. Or you might want to distinguish an image or block of text. Certain components need more white space than others, like the call to action, so it can be showcased. But what you don’t want to do with white space is to make it look random with small areas in some places and large areas in others.

Simple Navigation Is Key To Keeping People On Your Website

A key component of web development is creating a website that’s easy to navigate. If visitors don’t know how to find what they are looking for, then they’ll simply look elsewhere and likely won’t return to your site. Be sure to use clear navigation labels with words your potential customers can understand. The fewer clicks they have to make to find the information they need, the better. It’s tempting to get creative with navigation links, but don’t fall into the trap. Out of all elements of website design, navigation should be kept the simplest.

Incorporate Images, But Not Too Many

Good-quality images can enhance any website design. Having the right number of images is essential as well. Too many images can make your website look cluttered and slow it down. Be sure to make the images the same size for consistency and match relevant text with them. Never use low-quality images or put so many on your site that it slows it down or makes it difficult for consumers to find what they are looking for.

Don’t Get Too Creative With Your Background Design

Having a beautiful background might look good to you, but think about a new potential customer visiting it. First and foremost, the website content needs to be easy to read. So having a light-colored background with only slightly darker text will put a strain on the eyes. Contrasting background colors are ideal and make your content much easier to read. You can use images or various colors as your background along the edges, but keep the colors basic where your content is displayed.

Send A Strong Message With Your Website Content

Your website design will only be as strong as the content on it. Every word you publish on your website is a reflection of your brand. Feel free to demonstrate some personality in your website content, but remember that people visit websites to find information. From your products and services pages to blog posts and anything in between, remember that your customers are looking for an authority figure. When they can trust your website content, they’ll trust your business. Never stuff keywords or sound like a robot just to improve your SEO score since customers will see right through it.

Always Strive To Maximize Website Speed

You should assume all website visitors are impatient. If it takes more than three seconds for any page on your website to load, then it’s time to revamp your website design. Sometimes it’s as simple as updating a couple of plugins. Other times you might have incorporated too many images and need to remove some. The main things to avoid include having too many plugins, complex code writing, excessive flash content, pop-ups, and more. 

When In Doubt, Opt For Simplicity

We aren’t saying your website design has to be dull and boring to be effective. But we are saying that simplicity is ideal to ensure your website functions to its highest potential. If a particular image slows down your website, then find a new one instead. Or if you find yourself clicking too much to get to a certain page, then add a navigation link. No one is more familiar with your website than you, so if anything is an inconvenience for you, then it will be highlighted even more with a new website visitor.

Have Your Website Audited By Professionals

Unless you’re a professional website designer on the side, you will benefit from having yours audited by a professional. Website design professionals can run tests to ensure speed is sufficient and incorporate other strategies to maximize its effectiveness. It’s important for your website to be operating to perfection 24/7, so having professionals fix any issues that arise immediately can set your website up for success.

Our team at iwebcontent can help ensure your website design is set up to succeed. Whether you are creating a new website or need some help with your existing website, we will look for the most efficient ways to tackle it. Don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about our services and how we can help your company thrive with a successful website design.