In a world of cookie-cutter, DIY websites, it can be easy to overlook the importance of a well-designed website. If you don’t sell your products online, then why do you need a great website? There are actually several reasons why good web design matters.
First, let’s define what “good web design” means. A well-built site is one that is:
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Functions well and is easy to navigate
- Provides useful content, including services and contact information
Now, on to why these aspects of web design really matter.
What Is Evaluated in Website Design?
First Impression
You know the old saying, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” The same can be said for your website. How your website looks and functions say a lot about your company. If you’re willing to put time and effort into creating an easy way for potential customers to interact with your business, then you’re probably willing to do the same for them with your services. Poorly designed websites can give the appearance that your business is cheap, antiquated, and/or disorganized.
Validity
Have you ever searched for a business online and come up empty-handed? Did you continue to try to find that business, or move on to another? Chances are, you moved on. And it could be because, without a website, your business doesn’t seem legitimate. A well-built, informative, and responsive website shows your customers that your business not only exists but that it takes its customers’ convenience seriously and therefore has a very easy-to-find website.
SEO
One study found that 87% of consumers searched for a business using a search engine, which means if your site’s SEO isn’t maximized, you could be missing out on potential customers. Good web design is a major factor in Google Ranking and hits on several areas including responsiveness, quality, security, and more. Having a well-built site not only makes it easier for potential customers to navigate your site, but it also makes it easier for them to find you in the first place.
One study found that 87% of consumers searched for a business using a search engine, which means if your site’s SEO isn’t maximized, you could be missing out on potential customers. Good web design is a major factor in Google Ranking and hits on several areas including responsiveness, quality, security, and more. Having a well-built site not only makes it easier for potential customers to navigate your site, but it also makes it easier for them to find you in the first place.
Mobile
With nearly half of the world’s 3.9 billion internet users doing so from their mobile devices, not having your website mobile-optimized is a problem. Having a well-designed site will usually start with a “mobile-first” format. This will ensure that potential customers will be able to find you and your site, no matter where they are searching from.
Refresh or Rebuild. How Do You Know Which You Need?
Some businesses need a refresh of their current site in order to achieve good design and some need a full rebuild. Each type of client and their needs are unique and making the right recommendation for what exactly a client’s website needs is crucial. So how do you know what your site needs?
Take a look at your business goals and what is limiting those goals when it comes to your website. Are you ready to start selling your products online? Do you need to be able to retain visitor contact information and aren’t able to do so on your current site? Is your site speed fast enough? Does your site look outdated but serve your business well? Knowing the answers to these questions can help point you in which direction to go.
Refresh
A website refresh is similar to refreshing a home; it’s mostly cosmetic. In your home, you might paint the walls, buy a new rug, bring in new furniture. Refreshing your site is similar in that colors, layout, content, and logos are reworked to create an updated look. Refreshing a site is perfect for businesses that are rebranding and/or updating product offerings – or just need a fresh look for their site. The new-look alerts visitors that something has changed with the company and will get attention.
Rebuild
Companies that have an established website that has outdated infrastructure and/or can no longer support the business demands would qualify for a full site rebuild. This may include some refreshing visually but typically will keep the same color scheme and logos to stay on brand. The majority of changes are behind the scenes, updating the site framework to support new business channels such as e-commerce, site security, speed, and optimization capabilities.
Good Design Impacts SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Search engines crawl all of the websites on the internet and rank them in order to deliver the most appropriate search results, without advertising or other paid-for processes.
Why It’s Important
So why is it important to have organic results from a search engine? Simply, good SEO is free. It means without paying for advertising, boosts, or anything else, your website will be in the search results of a query. Of course, you could pay for these returns, but if your site is naturally appearing, it’s more likely that your site will get a look from the searcher because it most closely matches what they are looking for.
How to Improve SEO
To improve your site’s search engine optimization, start first by enrolling in Google Search Console. This free app will show you how Google is analyzing your site and pinpointing any areas of the site that are possibly not being categorized correctly by a search engine. Second, give search engines lots of fresh information to crawl through. Search engines won’t continually re-analyze a site, so creating new content to be evaluated is key. Update product information, add a blog, video blog, and or new images often to keep the crawlers working. Lastly, make sure all your videos and image information is completed – alt text, caption, description, and title are all analyzed by search engines, so don’t miss an opportunity to give more important information.
Questions? Ready to Get Started? Hammersmith Support Can Help.
Schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation to talk through your questions. In addition to offering redesign and refresh services, Hammersmith Support also offers monthly maintenance packages to help keep your site healthy and manage content updates too.