Web Design 101: Your Intro to the PERFECT Website
You know that you’re offering something incredible and needed, but you’re struggling to be seen. The internet is a cramped place; there are over a billion websites right now, and that number keeps on growing. We want to help you stand out from the crowd.
Structuring a website is so much more than just getting your information published. You need to consider the usability and user experience. We have 3 basic rules for you to follow.
#1 Simple & Consistent
When you’re building your website, you want your visitor to recognize your brand and feel like every page of your website is working together. However, you also don’t want to focus so much on your brand that you clog up each page with a ton of copy and visuals.
Aim to design a simple & consistent experience. Here are some suggestions:
- Make sure every element has a purpose.
- Graphics are an asset, but they can also be overused! Make sure every image is intentional and compressed to a size that won’t take forever to load.
- Design a hierarchy; meaning the most important information should be at the top, front & centre.
- Get your brand kit together before designing. Pick a colour palette of about 5 colours and stick to that palette. You’ll also want to decide on typography! Three typefaces should be enough.
PRO TIP: Make sure you create a RESPONSIVE DESIGN. Simply put, that means your website will adapt to any device your visitor uses, whether it’s a desktop, laptop, smartphone, or tablet.
#2 Natural Navigation
One of the most important pieces of advice we can give you is to make sure your website is easy to explore and that it’s even easier to find information. Someone is likely on your site to find answers or make an action, and they should be able to get where they need in 5 clicks or less.
Start with a site map (a list of all the pages that make up your website) and refine the structure to be sensible and intuitive. We also recommend you keep these little tips in mind:
- Add a search bar to the top of your site
- Use breadcrumbs so your visitor knows exactly where they are
- Include a menu at the top with your primary sites
PRO TIP: You want your website to be easily accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. Check out the WAI’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
#3 Clear & Direct Calls-to-Action
On every single webpage, you should have a clear & direct call-to-action (also called a CTA). This is crucial to a successful website.
A CTA tells your web visitor the next step they should take. “Subscribe to our newsletter!” “Buy this product!” “Leave us a review!”
Here, let us finish off this post with a CTA:
CreoLogic can help you build a great user experience! Get in touch to chat about your website.
