When visitors arrive at your website, they are accustomed to a certain set
of usability norms and are prone to judge your business based on your
homepage design quickly.
It can be argued that good web design should obey the five (5) second test
in forming the right impression of your website: in five seconds, visitors
must know roughly who you are and what you do.
Consider that the human brain is hit by 4,000 advertisements per day,
which doesn't take long for a brain to combat the right sense to rapidly
filter through a huge amount of information.
If what the user sees is to their expectation (before they can scroll to the back button), your website must consequently maintain user attention to lead to some form of "action", be it a general enquiry, targeted contact or even an online purchase.
Suffice to say design plays a huge role in this process, and here are my 1, 2 & 3 primary points of vital factors your online business should consider to this end;
1:Logo / Branding:
Even though it's not a predominant factor in website layout, your logo is
crucial as visitors will instantly categorise your industry market based on
its design. Human beings like to pigeon hole, or put things in boxes as
it's fast, easy and efficient (no surprises here).
Take the ToysRus logo, for example: colorful, round fonts... perfect for
kid-related products. The website layout is also an extention of the look
& feel / colour of the logo. Is it time for you to sit down and ask "Is
my logo accurately reflecting my company?"
Here's a great read on the topic:
2: Colour:
The colour, look and feel of your website is a major factor in forming the
right first impression. Before considering site design, you will need to
know the overall "feel" and ambiance you want to create around your
branding. These days you can pretty much go in any direction, from a safe
white background to a grungy layout, as long as the site is consistent
throughout and related to your industry.
3: Design Layout:
Whichever layout you choose, you must draw the attention of the customers
to the important items of the website. Smart layout is not only related to
representation of your brand, but is also a tool to convert curiosity to
commerce.
The best way to increase the effectiveness of your site is by using 'Calls To Actions', which are directly linked to an area of your website that allows visitors to interact (make a purchase, submit an enquiry, register for your newsletter etc.). Not only do they bring colors to your website, but guide your visitors to the interactive areas of your website.
Have a look at how Skype's website is laid out. From page-one the user is
guided, step after step, to download and create an account:
Keep an eye out for more strategic
design tactics for your online business, or feel free to contact our office
for more information.
Seasons Greetings!
Monday, 21 December 2009
| 
Christmas hampers | Thursday, 1 July 2010 1:24:09 PM