Web design is quite an individual process (and yet it involves a wholesome amount of teamwork). To make a website that is really unique and makes an impact, designers should go beyond conventional thinking and philosophy to create something which is outstanding. They also should overcome their common perception of what a website should be like.
They should let their brand values, audience’s expectations and any points of difference be their guiding spirit, and allow these factors to help them go big in the design process.
At times, design is about bending and breaking the conventional rules and stereotypes. Then again, rules need to be followed but with newer insights. There are failsafe principles for web design each web designer must keep in mind. Such guidelines are tried and tested, and are fundamental for making polished and functional websites engaging audiences.
A website’s design, in short, has the ability to put an impact on customer experience, lead generation as well as revenue. Consequently, a classy layout is key to a classy website. Now we will explore why good web design matters, what is a worthwhile web design and how to make one that fits such a criteria.
Why does good web design count a lot?
There are numerous reasons proving web design counts a lot. It helps guide visitors through the ideal customer journey, which helps in creating worthwhile first impressions, highlighting the portfolio (products and services offered), and leads visitors to convert into customers. Top-notch websites involved pleasing aesthetics, well placed visuals and an overall classy experience.
A powerful and captivating web design helps create an easy and enjoyable user experience. When the website looks quite attractive and has a purpose which is clear, customers are more than likely to interact with them. Here is what an effective web design can help create:
- Helps create trust.
- Make a strong case for credibility.
- Guiding visitors to take the needed action.
- Raising conversions.
Best practices towards creation of a brilliant web design – the key practices worth remembering
It may sound like a broken record to some but in reality it is not like that. Web design involves a wholesome amount of creativity, energy, precision and patience. As websites house content which is crafted and placed carefully, visitors should be able to navigate the website with relevant ease and ensure they are never upset.
Let us now explore the best practice in this arena compiled by an experienced web design and development team working at a well known web design company Dubai:
The website should have a Purpose
The website must accommodate users’ needs. A clear intention on all pages can help users interact with the site and with the company’s offering. The website should have a purpose, whether it is a store, a guide, a blog, a corporate website and vice versa.
Here are some examples of purposes websites have:
- Description of expertise.
- Reputation building.
- Lead generation.
- Sales and After Care.
Maintaining Balance
Balance is key towards making a website aesthetically pleasant. A sense of uniformity and symmetry to each element of the page is added which makes it worth visiting. Here are two kinds of balance in web design:
- Symmetric: Symmetric means equal in each half or equivalent equal parts.
- Asymmetric: it means in either each half or equal parts, balanced but not equally.
Limiting Users’ choices
Hick’s Law applies here, which means keeping users’ choices to a minimum. If users have been overwhelmed by the number of options present, then they could not be held guilty for not making a decision. The more choices available and the more complex they are, the more time it will take for users to decide (make a decision).
The principle means that clutter is effectively removed and users are provided the necessary options. Clear examples of such are either a Save or Cancel options, or Yes and No during confirmation of some action.
Keeping things simple
The content on a website should be easy to understand, self explanatory and have the sense of being obvious. This helps users receive the information they want or for completing their desired action. A fresh and clean appearance is timeless and navigable easily.
Here are some ways to keep websites simple:
- Color: A palette suiting the brand, having an influence on customer behavior and evoking the right emotional response from them is best. Complementary colors should be used throughout the site that speak to the brand.
- Fonts: fonts should be website friendly, readable and easily skimmable. The correct font will be able to command users’ attention and be able to communicate the brand. Fonts must be kept to a minimum and contrast colors with background for improved readability.
- Visual content: Pictures, illustration, videos, graphics and other visual content should help embody the brand’s personality and help focus the attention of visitors on key information. Content will be more engaging if they are balanced properly.
Keeping in mind the F pattern of observation
Humans are habitual life forms and the way they consume content is not an exception. Research reports reveal that when human eye-tracking methods were analyzed, they actually scan information on a website in a F-shaped pattern.
It means that visitors read important content at the pages top and along its sections. Then they scan down the left side of the webpage at any piece of content and then across the page at any other piece of content.
The F pattern in web design means mimicking the natural path of the human eye in order to keep visual flow straight. It is quite important on landing and sales pages (as their objective is conversion).
Utilizing grids
Most websites are designed using a grid system. This fundamentally splits web pages into columns and rows. Grids help ensure that each thing on the website is properly aligned, keeping layouts balanced and clean. A lot of WordPress themes in fact are based on grids. Rebalance demonstrates grids, balance and white space in action.
In short, a website’s page templates can help site owners make more balanced and pleasing designs.
Utilizing white space
It may sound like a no-brainer, but it isn’t. In fact, white space helps give website visitors room to breathe visually. This allows them to focus on the content at hand and helps them improve their comprehension.
Moreover, it helps draw visitors’ attention to the most important elements of a web page. This helps them relax, and process what they have observed without getting mentally cluttered.
Proper content placement
Content is fundamental for attracting and influencing visitors and users alike. This is why audiences love quality content with credibility. The content’s copy should be clear, useful and credible with facts. Why? Because it will help guide users towards specific actions. This is why SEO writing tips help integrate the right keywords in content to bring on board more visitors and customers to the site.
Using bold and italics help highlight certain specific points of the content. Bullet list of points and headings are able to trim content and help users skim and digest it nicely. Users often scan pages before reading, and hence critical information should be spotted with ease.
Text can be broken through white space by keeping focus prominent on valuable content. Such space helps readers process both the design and content, and guides them to where they should be going to.
Conclusion
A lot of web designers often feel a bit of worry and concern when it comes to designing a website. In fact, they should feel confident about their skill and be able to design one which is outstanding, brilliant, fresh, clean, crisp and user friendly.
The sites they design should be something which are the talk of the town. Numerous websites are present out there ranging from small enterprises to medium and large sized companies who have made brilliant and outstanding websites.
