Build a Website That Stands Out

Websites serve multiple purposes based on the industry you are in. For instance, if you have an online store, your website should function differently than if you have a business website. There are many different types of websites and website builders. Not all of them are created equally, but they should all serve one goal – to turn visitors into prospects.

Building an effective website requires an in-depth understanding of your brand, your customers, and your goals. These are the building blocks from which your website will be constructed, and provide details that designers can use to create smart, functional, and effective websites.

Do not overlook the importance of branding when you are planning your website launch. A brand is much more than just a logo, a name, or a set of colors and fonts. Branding is the foundation of your business. It is the identity from which your story is told.

Think of your brand as a story. Anyone who encounters your brand – be it the people, culture, or products – takes part in its journey. Your “story” should be clear, defined, and consistent in order to provide your “reader” with a great experience. Your website should do the exact same.

 

What makes a good brand?

· Clarity – Know the ins and outs of your product/service and what it stands for.

· Consistency – Make sure your brand identity is cohesive, visually appealing, and easily recognizable.

· Value – What you promise to fulfill or accomplish for your users

 

What does branding do for your website?

Branding speaks for your product, plain and simple. It communicates “this is who I am, this is what I do, and this is what I can provide for you.”

In everything created for your marketing plan, your branding should reinforce the promise you make to your customers. Ultimately, it creates user loyalty and naturally creates dedicated ambassadors for your brand.

Your website should either solve a problem or provide a product or service for your users. In order to do this effectively, you need to get to know them. Map their process, identify their frustrations, and understand what they are looking for. By doing this, you will be able to speak effectively to your market as an informed authority on your brand.

 

You may not always be able to give your site visitors what they want through your website, so you should focus on giving them what they need. For example, sometimes users need more information than your website can provide. You can help them by placing phone numbers or contact forms on pages where they might want to learn more.

 

Knowing your website visitors thoroughly will help you plan for any hiccups they might run into. This will create a better user experience and strengthen your chances of turning them into customers.

 

For 75% of customers, websites shape judgments and first impressions for your company. It’s imperative to have a high quality website that works for your customers. By understanding your customers’ journey on your website, you can design an effective site that achieves your goals and solves their problems.

In order for your website to work for you as a marketing tool, it needs to be intuitive and easily navigated by your visitors. User experience is the collaborative experience that your customer has when interacting with your brand or product. This can include usability, functionality, troubleshooting, clarity, and design. To create a positive user experience, focus on finding a balance between the objectives of your website as a business (contact, purchase, awareness, etc.) and the goals of your target market (what they are looking for).

 

88% of website visitors are less likely to return after a bad experience. This does not simply affect that individual user, but could also hurt your SEO ranking and keep potential visitors from reaching your site. With such a huge focus on creating a valuable experience, having a modern, responsive website has never been more important.

 

One overlooked part of websites is the mobile view. With over 53% of website visitors viewing sites from a mobile phone, having a responsive website will create a better user experience. The better the experience your user has, the more likely they are to take an action on your site.

A great user interface is dynamic and well designed, focusing on the needs of the website visitor. By now you know that the user is king. When designers do their job correctly, a website viewer should be able to navigate the site as easily as taking a walk in the park.

 

User interface should clarify and support the users’ options. Your website should be easy to absorb visually, offer clear and concise actions to be taken, and create a dynamic experience. Successful websites make finding information easy and should not overwhelm (or underwhelm) its users.

 

94% of website visitors develop a first impression based on design. This means that nearly every person who visits your website will make a decision about your business based on design before the quality of your content. This is not to say that content is not important, but rather, that quality design is more important for developing first impressions.

 

“You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.”

Great content embedded in poor design effectively renders that content useless. Your business needs a website that can create a lasting first impression that will retain customers long enough for them to take an action on your website.

Keep your visitors’ behaviour at the forefront of your strategy to create a positive, memorable experience that will encourage them to take action. If you are looking to make a greater impact with your customers, remember to focus your content on providing:

· Clarity
· Consistency
· Value

This will create trust and consistency with your users while building brand loyalty – helping your business flourish.