It starts with an understanding of your target audience and what they expect from their web experience. What may be a good web design to you and your team could be the exact opposite of what your audience members are expecting. So, when designing your website, it’s important to have a clear vision that aligns both your business goals and your target audience goals.
A great website design encompasses a combination of visual aesthetics, usability, functionality, and user-cantered design principles.
Here are some key elements that contribute to a great website design:
Feel free to comment or input some of the elements we may have left out…till then, lets dig in.
Survey Your Audience
Want to get a head start on a killer design? Take advantage of asking your target audience what they expect from a great user experience. Ask great questions to get great feedback:
- What kind of website layouts to you enjoy?
- What kind of functionality do you expect out of your website experience?
- What about our website is distracting or providing no value to you as a user?
- What do you think would make our website better or more engaging?
User-Cantered Design: A user-cantered approach places the needs and preferences of the target audience at the forefront. Design decisions should be made with the user’s goals and behaviours in mind to create a seamless and enjoyable experience.
Clear and Intuitive Navigation: The website’s navigation should be easy to understand and navigate, allowing users to find information quickly. Logical menu structures, clear labels, and well-organized content contribute to a positive user experience.
Responsive Design: A great website design is responsive, adapting to various screen sizes and devices, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. This ensures that users have a consistent experience regardless of the device they’re using.
Visual Consistency and Branding: Consistent use of colours, typography, imagery, and other design elements that align with the brand identity creates a cohesive and professional appearance. Branding elements should reinforce the company’s message and values.
Whitespace and Layout: Effective use of whitespace (empty space) helps reduce visual clutter and allows content to breathe. A balanced layout with appropriate spacing between elements enhances readability and aesthetics.
Readable Typography: Legible and well-chosen fonts contribute to the readability of the content. Fonts should be easy on the eyes and appropriate for the website’s tone and purpose.
High-Quality Imagery: Images and visuals should be of high quality and relevant to the content. Well-selected images can enhance the overall design and engage users.
Fast Loading Speed: Slow-loading websites can frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates. Optimizing images, using efficient code, and leveraging content delivery networks (CDNs) can help improve loading times.
Engaging Calls to Action (CTAs): Well-designed CTAs stand out and guide users toward desired actions, such as signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or contacting the company.
Accessibility: A great website design is inclusive and accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Following web accessibility standards ensures that the site is usable by everyone.
Content Hierarchy: Establishing a clear hierarchy of content elements using headings, subheadings, and formatting helps users quickly understand the information and navigate the page.
Consistent Page Structure: Maintaining a consistent structure across different pages makes it easier for users to predict where information will be located and how to interact with the site.
Feedback and Interactivity: Interactive elements, such as buttons that change colour on hover or form fields with real-time validation, provide immediate feedback to users, enhancing engagement.
Mobile-First Design: Given the prevalence of mobile browsing, designing for mobile devices first ensures a seamless experience on smaller screens, then progressively enhances for larger screens.
User Feedback and Iteration: Regularly collecting user feedback and analysing website analytics can help identify areas for improvement and guide iterative design changes over time.
Search Engine
