Once they land on a webpage, it takes visitors just a few seconds to form an opinion about your business. First impressions matter, so you want to capture the attention of your website visitors immediately. The design of your website is a crucial aspect that will determine if users stay longer or leave sooner. Meaning your website design should have certain elements if you are to convert your visitors to customers. This article will look at five critical elements of a good website design.
Utilize the F or Z Design Patterns
An eye-tracking study by the Nielsen Norman Group found that the F-based pattern is how most visitors scan a webpage. F- shaped pattern implies that readers first glance at the headlines on top of a page, then scan the left side of the page, and finally look across the page at texts in bold and sub-topics. A good website design will consider the natural way most readers scan a page. On the other hand, the Z pattern is where a user scans a webpage from the top left to the right, then down again on the left side, and finally across to the right, forming a “Z” layout. The Z pattern works well for landing pages with little content, where the goal is to direct the user to the call to action button.
Easy to Navigate
The purpose of navigational elements in a website is to guide users to the information they seek as fast as possible. A good test is to ask yourself if children and elders can navigate your site; otherwise, you have a major flaw in the design. For example, if you use a hamburger menu (represented by three parallel lines), run a test to determine if your target audience can intuitively grasp that all your site’s information is contained there. Your site’s header, body, and footer should contain navigation elements. For instance, you may include a “back to top” button that sends users quickly to the top of the page.
The Design is Mobile Optimized
The number of users accessing the internet via mobile devices is higher than those using desktops, which will be the trend as we advance. Google took notice of more people using mobile phones or tablets for online access and introduced the mobile-first index in ranking websites. A good website design will display and function seamlessly on all browsers and devices, including mobile gadgets. Most WordPress themes are optimized for mobile users. However, if you have a customized design, ensure it is mobile-friendly.
Make Use of White Space
The minimalist movement popularized the phrase “less is More.” White space, also called negative or blank space, is an aspect of minimalist design that lets your homepage breathe. Some websites are overly cluttered and bombard visitors with a barrage of information which can lead to intellectual exhaustion. A good website design will balance white space and content, ensuring the site appears organized, cleaner, and easy to read and navigate.
Consistent Design
Consistency is key in web design, and one of the ways to apply this is by having clean and bold typography. Your website’s colors, icons, fonts, and spacing should be uniform across your branding, which helps with a professional outlook, thereby boosting brand credibility. Besides, a website with a consistent design looks orderly and harmonious. For instance, Some brands will adopt a particular font and use it across all website pages and online platforms.
Website design is more than choosing the right colors, images, typography, and other visual aspects. The main objective is to design a website that will give users a great experience and influence them to take the desired action leading your business to greater prosperity. A beautifully designed website won’t add any value if it doesn’t lead to a good user experience and higher conversions for your business.
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