Did you know that over 5 billion people, or 63% of the world's total population, use the internet? In addition, most internet users go online to make weekly purchases, and most of the time, it's through a mobile device.
For your small business to succeed in today's market, you need a website that not only stands out but functions well too. If you're designing your own website, it's essential to know the best web design tips, so you know what to focus on first.
You'll want to tune into this guide to learn seven web design tips that will take your business website to the next level!
1. Make Your Website Accessible
One of the most important things you can do with your website design is to make it accessible from many different devices.
Optimizing your website for computers, cell phones, and tablets will increase your marketing reach as a small business. If a potential customer can't navigate your site easily on their phone due to its formatting, they'll click off your site immediately and find somewhere else to go.
It's also important to spend time on your designs and themes to make sure people can find the information they need quickly and efficiently.
Finally, ensure you use the same design style on your landing page and your email newsletter to keep everything balanced across the board.
2. Make Your Business's Purpose Clear
Your website should clearly show what your business is all about. As a small business, you want your website to create a strong brand identity that will help visitors identify you on all types of social media and other internet platforms.
You'll want to carry this theme throughout your website and ensure you include pages that identify who you are, such as:
- Home page
- Contact us
- About us
- FAQ
- Locations
- Services
- Product reviews and testimonials
- Business portfolio
Remember, the more content you provide on your website, the more visitors on your site will understand who you are and what you're offering.
3. Focus on Fast Loading Times
Fast loading times are a crucial element you don't want to overlook when you're designing your small business website.
According to a recent survey, the average loading time for a desktop page was 4.2 seconds. People are used to quick loading times, and anything over 8 seconds causes people to lose patience and choose a better functioning website.
If you're able to get your website loading time to less than 3 seconds, you make your website among the top performing websites on the web.
You can start this process by compressing images, deleting unnecessary plugins, and choosing a more straightforward website theme.
4. Use a Minimalist Design
You've likely visited websites many times in the past that have been too cluttered. You don't know where to look first. Maybe the screen looks too crowded, you can't find the information you need, or all the graphical elements are downright distracting.
Minimalist website designs are becoming increasingly popular, giving your visitors the best experience and making them return for more.
So, when you're choosing your design, go for clean lines, consistent colors, and plenty of negative space that lets the important content stand out.
5. Pay Attention to SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential part of your web design planning. A good SEO strategy increases your organic traffic long-term at no extra cost to you.
It also makes your website design stand out more because you'll have popular content that's useful and helpful to your users. Some steps you can take to optimize your site for SEO include:
- Start a blog with high-quality content and high-value keywords
- Place keywords throughout the article content and headlines
- Add appropriate alt text to your images
- Make sure you're using an SEO-friendly platform
SEO can often seem overwhelming at first. So, if you're designing a website for the first time, focus on providing both value and entertainment to your visitors above anything else, and you'll start to move up the Google ranks naturally.
6. Design a Logo That Stands Out
A logo is like a window into your business and an important aspect of your website. When you're designing a business website, you'll need a memorable logo to make your business stand out.
It's best to keep your logo simple with a clear design that tells people what your business is all about. In a digital environment, users will click away from a website with a complicated logo they don't understand, even if you're offering top-quality products and services.
You can use free logo makers on sites like Canva or download the Hatchful app by Shopify to find ideas and create your own logo.
7. Hire Professional Website Design Services
Whether you have experience in website design or not, one of the best things you can do is enlist professional help to design a winning website.
A website design company will ensure your business website runs smoothly, looks professional, and gets you the customer interaction your business needs.
Make sure you find a reputable company that offers affordable web design, unlimited website support, and website maintenance services. You'll also need to check that they offer different website packages and focus on SEO and high-quality web design.
Take These Web Design Tips to the Next Level
Now that you know where to focus when designing your website, you can take things to the next level by hiring a web design company to ensure your website soars.
For top-quality web design in Indiana, it's time to turn to Distinct! We offer professional website design, unlimited support, flexible terms with many design options, and web pages optimized for mobile devices.
Make sure you contact us today so we can help you create a website that makes your small business stand out online!