Before sharing tips for creating an awesome website, let's go over what makes a website awesome in the first place.
An awesome website is a “done deal” website. It’s a website so irresistible that it's hard not to notice it or visit it again and again. The simple truth is that no matter how good your product or your service might be, if your website is lacking, your business won't last long. The main formula to balance your digital marketing efforts is to make sure that your website is an absolute killer.
To start building an irresistible site, here are the basic things you can do:
#1 – Make It Clear What You Do
The average attention span of each user opening your site is just 5 seconds. Thus, you need to make each second count. Don’t bore them and get directly to what you want them to do or what you want them to take. Eliminate the clutter and get your site’s user experience right.
#2 – Keep It Short
The site’s content is as essential as its design. Keep your language clear and avoid using long sentences and paragraphs. Break up your content so that it's easier to read and avoid adding extra information that's not crucial to your message. Again, be direct and strike a short yet compelling message that can grab their attention and make them stay until they convert.
#3 – Add Social Media Sharing Buttons
Make it easy for your visitors to share your content by placing social media buttons on your site. Include them below your individual blog posts or articles and don't forget to include the links to your social media profiles so they can follow you on different social media channels.
#4 – Keep Your Page Loading Times Fast
We live in the cyber age where people simply can’t afford to wait. If your site has slow loading times, then you run the risk of losing your visitors and sending them to your competition. There are various ways to optimize the speed of your website, including reducing the number of script and style files, optimizing your images for the web, using a CDN service, and more.
#5 – Pay Attention to the Fonts
Yes, even the typography matters. If your chosen font is hard to read, then people will most likely hit the back button. Avoid using decorative and script fonts for large blocks of text. Instead, opt for serif or sans-serif fonts for your body copy. Also make sure that there is sufficient contrast between the text and the background.
#6 – Keep It Responsive
Considering we live in a mobile era, you need to ensure your website looks good on all devices, including tablets and smartphones. It should also be viewable no matter which browser your visitors are using.
#7 – Make It Easy to Navigate
Do not take for granted the power of easy navigation. There is a golden rule that says your visitors should find information they want in 3 clicks, otherwise you risk losing them forever. Include only the most relevant pages on your website and make them easy to find. If you need to include more, consider using drop-down menus to keep your navigation clean and uncluttered.
#8 – Know Your Audience
If you know who your audience is, you can better personalize your site in a way that matches their interests and behavior patterns. This is the most important step before you start anything else.
To further help you out, here are web design and UX trends for 2017 to boost your conversions:
Full-width Images
Studies show that huge images, make people stop and pay attention. It is exactly the kind of “attention-grabbing material” that can help boost your conversions. Choose images of happy and smiling people, some ambient background video, or even cinematographers.
Split-screen Layouts
If your website has many kinds of products, services, or categories, it is best to split your users into the right landing page as soon as possible. A split-screen layout enables the users to make the right choice and take a step closer to opting in. This tactic funnels the audience to the exact area where they are most likely convert.
Monochromatic Colors (with contrasting call-to-action)
Your call-to-action must stand out all the time. A bright tint of contrasting color on a neutral color palette can easily do the trick.
Prioritized Navigation
If you offer too many options, users are ten times less likely to convert. So, the best move is just to tuck away the secondary options and navigation by hiding them in a menu icon. Prioritize the part where you want them to go to convert and do the exact action you want them to take. It’s also best to style your main call-to-action button for better click-through rates.
Minimal Lead Capture
The more minimal the user interface is, the fewer the distractions, and the better the chances for users to make a conversion. The best way to keep your lead capture straightforward and simple is to ask a question. Place this minimal lead capture on your landing page, and match it with persuasive content that can get the leads coming.
Video
Videos can come in many forms—testimonials, welcome videos, and product demos. This enables the audience to know more about you in a direct and clear sense. It also boosts their trust in your brand or in what you have to offer.
Sticky CTA
Since your call-to-action is essentially the most significant part of your page, it’s best to make it visible ALWAYS. You can keep it in a sticky header for desktop screens or a sticky footer for mobile. This might sound like a simple addition, but it can actually work magic.
Card Design
Card design sites are incredibly easy on the eyes. It makes it easy for your visitors to visually and quickly go to the parts that interest them. This is also proven to be a solid technique that gets people to convert.
Single Column CTA
Just get rid of the sidebar distractions and place your CTA in one column. This is proven to increase clicks better.
User Experience
You can customize your site’s browsing experience in a way that perfectly matches the kind of demographics you serve. This makes your website more interactive. And when sites are engaging, that is when people get interested and stick around.
These are some of the steps you can initially take to create a website that is bound to gain the best results. What tips do you have for creating an awesome website?
