The rise of the Internet has changed the world in nearly every aspect. The world wide web has become a venue for social networking, a means of spreading information and ideas, a hub for entertainment, and a marketplace for just about any commodity you can imagine. Perhaps more than anything, digital media has changed the world of advertising and marketing.
The average smartphone user checks his/her device 150 times a day! Because so many people are online for a good portion of the day now, companies are wise to stay on top of their web presence. For companies that can afford it, hiring a web designer to handle their online operations is an efficient way to maintain a suitable web presence.
Website Design Ideas and Tips
There’s certainly a lot to consider when it comes to designing a website for a business, and much of it will depend on the tone of the company, what it provides and sells, and so on. But there are some website design basics that all businesses should attend to regardless of their individual concerns. Here are a few website design ideas and tips for companies who wish to expand and optimize their online presence.
Small Devices, Big Impact
As stated earlier, many of those with smartphones use them frequently throughout the day, and for many reasons. Today, 34% of these smartphone users go online using their phones as opposed to desktop computers or laptops, and about 60% of time spent on social media sites takes place on smart devices. These trends indicate that more and more people are utilizing their personal devices to communicate, search, and shop online, which means websites must cater to the smaller screens and faster nature of smart devices like phones and tablets.
If a website is not mobile friendly the consumer will be quick to leave and take their business elsewhere (most likely to one that is mobile friendly). Companies must consider what their advertisements and web pages will look like from a smart device, as well as how easy or difficult it is to navigate through the information. After all, consumers visit business websites on their phones about six times during a purchase process. The better formatted a website is for mobile devices, the more successful a modern business will be.
A Picture is Worth a Million Views
Visual content is a big part of online marketing. Sometimes we don’t have the time or attention to fully read something, but when accompanied by an image or video, web content is much more appealing. Websites with relevant images and video clips are proven to be more effective at keeping people on the site than those that are primarily text-based.
However, it’s important to not go overboard! Less is often more when it comes to web design, and bombarding a viewer or potential customer with pictures, videos, and sound bites can be overwhelming rather than welcoming. Just think of those websites in the Internet’s early stages, crammed with pop-ups and clashing colors — not the kind of web page a business should aspire to.
More website design ideas and tips can be found online. If you own a business, contacting a web design company is a great way to start building a powerful online presence.