Web Site Design
Design happens, whether you want it to or not. There is no such thing as a lack of design. It can be shoddy, or it can be great, but there is no avoiding it. Design quality is up to you. Do you want to benefit from great design, or cross your fingers and leave it to chance that everything will work out in the end?
So what exactly is great design? To me, great design encompasses many things:
- An aesthetically pleasing appearance that makes for a powerful first impression, displaying a distinct identity through strong brand positioning, differentiating you from competitors.
- Persuasive, through convincing calls to action, enticingly designed site components and satisfying feedback. People will want to read the content, use the tools, and will desire your products or services.
- A positive user experience, accomplished through usability, accessibility, learnability and findability — anyone can access it, find what they’re looking for and figure out how everything works. This results in achievable tasks for each target audience.
- Well-written content, not keyword-laden search engine drivel. Getting people to your site is important, but without great content they won’t stay for long, let alone come back for more. Instead, content is concise, scannable, and filled with the valuable, juicy information your customers are craving — exactly what is needed for today’s fickle and impatient web users.
- Bullet-proof consistency across all major platforms through standards-compliant coding practices. People will have the same great experience with your site regardless of how or where they are accessing it. (As an added bonus, this makes future enhancements a piece of cake!)
All of these things combined give your business enhanced credibility, a vital asset for any online presence. Your web site will make your business memorable, turning customers into evangelists, singing your praises and spreading the word. In the end, that’s what this is all about.
As you can see, you can’t afford not to have great design. It really is non-negotiable. It’s the direct path to customer loyalty.
