How Web Design Standards Are Getting Higher and How to Adapt Accordingly
Can your visitors say what your brand does, just within five seconds of landing on your website? Can your users easily find your contact information, should they need it? Is the layout of your page easy to understand and navigate? Does your website have a low bounce rate?
If the answer to any of those questions is No, you should really take a good hard look at your website’s design. Web design standards and trends are evolving, getting better, and prompting your users to expect nothing but perfection. Low quality or mediocre design just doesn’t cut it anymore.
In the following article, we’ll give you some precious tips and tricks on how to adapt to the ever-changing web design standards. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly what to do to increase your conversions and lower your bounce rate.
Start with a Plan
Now that you’ve faced the truth, it’s time to set up a solid action plan. This is not as complicated as it sounds. You can start by creating a user journey, based on the very first steps users take when landing on your website. As you do this, map out the pages they’re going to visit and make sure the transition is as smooth and seamless as possible.
If you get a good understanding of this, you’ll be able to build an actual sales funnel that works. You can gather all the data you need by using Google Analytics or simply asking your users through custom feedback and surveying tools.
Mind the Distractions
You might want to check if you have some elements that distract attention from the message you’re trying to convey. Things such as needlessly complicated animations, endless blocks of text, or obviously stock images are just a few of these things. You need to understand that your visitors won’t have huge attention spans, so you need to push your message as fast and as clearly as you can.
That’s why you should make sure that your page doesn’t have too many interactions or animations. There’s nothing more distracting or annoying than having all the buttons flashing at you or having to go through a different animation for each section. Keep it simple.
Use Good Images
In a perfect world, you wouldn’t use any stock images for your website. But because you might not have the funds or time to get custom ones, just make sure you pick the right stock photography for your website. Try to stay away from cliches – think corporate people shaking hands with exaggerated smiles or groups of people jumping together in your About section.
Instead, try to focus on the more realistic side of things. Office spaces aren’t always full of people in suits. Try looking for well-lit photos of people bonding over an office coffee, typing on their laptops, or drawing on a whiteboard. We’ve all been in those scenarios and when we can identify with a photo or a message, it’s easier for us to trust a brand.
Have a Clear Navigation
The navigation bar can make or break the design of your website. This will act as a map that your visitors will use to make note of the more important places to visit and that’s why you have to make it as clear as possible for them. So don’t overcrowd your navigation bar with irrelevant information such as vague hypertext or small subcategories.
This way, you’re giving your visitors a reason to stay for longer on your website. When they can easily find what they’re looking for, your conversion rates will considerably increase. Make sure your content is as streamlined as possible and that you have a clear navigation hierarchy, along with a good mobile responsive version.
Allow Your Users to Scroll Your Homepage
There is a common misconception that homepages shouldn’t be too long. This stems from the fear of users not having the patience to scroll and it might force you to cram as much information as possible in the most common screen resolution. This is wrong and can hurt your conversions in the long run.
A good and effective homepage has three to five sections that will help direct new visitors to the main areas of your website. These sections should include a value proposition, an overview of your services or products, important features, a short section about your company, some testimonials, and, if applicable, some case studies.
Closing Thoughts
As the web design standards evolve, so should you. If you have a website, it’s crucial you keep up with industry changes, otherwise, you risk looking outdated. So take your time, read this article carefully and try to implement as many changes as possible.
We guarantee that if you follow these tips and tricks, you’ll see a decrease in bounce rate and an increase in conversions in no time. Sure, it might sound intimidating and even tedious to do all these changes but think about the pros – you will establish a better brand image, you will easily build trust amongst your visitors and they will keep coming back for more. And, as you might know, an engaged and loyal customer base is the key to any successful business endeavor.
If you liked this article, feel free to share it with your friends. And if you have some tips and tricks of your own, share them in the comments below. We’re sure they will be appreciated by your fellow marketers and entrepreneurs!
This article has been published in accordance with Socialnomics’ disclosure policy.
