In a digital world, every business must have its own website, regardless of industry or location. Tech-savvy customers expect you to have an online presence. A site provides them with the information they need to make an informed decision. It’s the first interaction of your target audience with your brand. An online platform optimised for SEO and conversions puts you in front of customers without spending too much. Work together with a professional web design agency to make a site that fits your business needs. Your business will rise to a whole new level of effectiveness.
Creating a few pages and putting in some content isn’t enough. So, what are the most important features to include on your website? Website design is changing all the time. Amidst change, some constants remain. Let’s see what elements you can implement to enhance your site’s performance.
Minimalistic Design
Internet users are attracted to clean and simple designs. Make sure your site has fewer elements to facilitate people’s online interactions. You don’t need images or videos. An unpretentious interface that lacks extra buttons and flashy colours allows people to navigate it more easily. Keep the design minimal and place only necessary elements on the landing page. Outsource to a local company to easily monitor progress. If your business is based in New York, don’t look too far. Using a web design agency New York will save you time whether you’re launching your first website or rebranding.
A minimalist website design features negative space, limited colour palettes, visual harmony, and flat texture, to name a few. It’s about creating an impeccable experience. To succeed in minimalistic design, it’s necessary to have a sharp vision, an open mind, and the courage to declutter. Just because the minimalist design is popular, that doesn’t mean that it supports the needs of your business. Types of businesses that can benefit from minimalist web design are fashion companies, furniture stores, and freelancers.
One-Of-A-Kind Typography
Chances are that you have a specific font or typography you use to stand out in the eyes of consumers. In case you didn’t already know, there’s a wide array of fonts available these days to choose from. Consider making a change. Good typography can enhance recognizability and brand awareness. Use unique typography to represent what your brand is. You can draw attention to certain parts of the content and de-emphasize others by simply changing the font’s colour, style, or size. Picking the right font can make a huge difference.
Hamburger Menus
The hamburger icon has been around for some time now. Not only is it distinct, but also easily visible. Even if the design is mostly used for sites optimised for viewing on mobile devices, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t incorporate it into your website design. The menu will slide out from the side of the screen. The advantage is that it doesn’t take up valuable space. The hamburger menu is created to be super simple. Since most users are familiar with it, they won’t overlook it. The hamburger icon is one of the universally understood ones.
Place the hamburger icon on the top right corner of the web page. It’s the standard location for the main navigation menu. You can place the hamburger menu on the left side of the screen if you have too many action items in the right area. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Remember, there’s no real difference between the performance of the two menus. Whether you place the hamburger icon on the left or right is a matter of personal preference. People can easily accommodate the menu design regardless of where it’s placed.
Relevant Calls-To-Action
Call-to-action buttons are used for specific actions, usually some form of conversion. They vary in style, size, and shape. Without a visual cue, visitors might wander through the website without seeking involvement. They might even abandon the platform altogether. The CTA buttons get the audience to take action. Types of CTA buttons you can use on your site are the form submission button, “Read More” button, social sharing button, and product and discovery button. The list isn’t definitive. Larger buttons are more effective, but smaller buttons can turn out to be more compelling.
Readers scan your website in a Z pattern (left to right and top to bottom) because that’s how they read. Thus, the ideal position for a CTA is at the end of the Z pattern. CTAs that answer questions, offer supplemental information, or move people to an email list should be centrally positioned. For blog posts or offers, place the CTAs at the bottom of the web page. A call-to-action could be as simple as “Click here”. It should clearly define what the user is expected to do. Make sure the button stands out from the colours around it.
White Space
In web design, white space refers to the space between the text, images, and animations. By balancing content with white space, you can draw visitors to key areas of your website. You should create at least some white space between every content element. It encourages minimalism and balance. If you use too little white space, the usability of the site will be gravely affected. On the contrary, if you use too much of it, you risk sending the wrong message. It’s necessary to determine the optimal amount of white space. Keep in mind that the focus is easily lost.
An ever-increasing number of designers are moving towards giving the white space the appreciation it deserves. Dropbox makes excellent use of whitespace to group the content on the page. Child-like illustrations are paired with a calming white space on the homepage. As you’ve probably noticed, white space is used on a macro level. Let’s not forget about Apple, which uses white space to highlight its products. The clean, simple design makes a lasting impression. You, too, can use large areas of white space and big margins. Let your products take centre stage. A simplistic design lets your brand speak for itself.