How web design impacts content marketing

Enhance Readability and Engagement 

Numerous factors affect readability. The font, spacing, colors, and pictures on a page will all affect how simple it is for users to read. High conversion rates are more likely to be the outcome of website readability.

Visitors won't stay on a web page they don't understand or find valuable for too long. They want to locate the information or data they require as soon as feasible. Hence, it's crucial to have concise content and a design that makes it simple for readers to understand.

Everything on a website, including blog entries, service pages, landing pages, and price pages, must be readable.  It will help if you use an approachable manner to write all material on your website. This explains how web design impacts content marketing.

Utilizing online tools like Hemingway Editor is one method of evaluating readability. This tool assesses your content's reading level based on the grade level. Additionally, it offers advice on how to make your text more readable.

Essential Tips to Increase Website Readability and Engagement

To improve your reading experience, consider the following suggestions for web design:

  • Make your fonts large. Online readers do best with larger fonts, ideally between 16 and 18 points.
  • Apply the correct line height. Ensure the line height is 100% of the chosen font size.
  • Think about the color contrast deeply. A wise color scheme displays text well to readers.
  • Make content that users can scan at first sight. Be mindful of the sentence length, and utilize headings and bullet points whenever possible.

Boosts Conversion 

Having a beautiful website is only one aspect of web design. It also involves employing the appropriate visual or written elements to persuade visitors to take action. Content marketing draws users to a website. 

Adding visual components like photos, animations, videos, GIFs, and forms boosts user interaction with the pages. You can also add optical elements like movies, charts, and infographics, to make the material more attractive for your readers.

Check if the web design is adjusted to accommodate the addition of a new block after an update. Keep the design from moving or shifting while the element loads.

Provides a Great User Experience 

The best aspect of any website is, without a doubt, its usability. After all, users and visitors are the reason for the website's existence. There is nothing more to ask for if the UI is intuitive for them. 

Consequently, there are a few things that the designer should consider:

  • The website needs sections and categories to accommodate different contents. It will make the website catchy to the public.
  • Additionally, the layout should guarantee that the browser is always available at the top. Users, at a glance, get the information they need.
  • There should be appropriate space in the content. The usage of white space improves the content's legibility. Moreover, it facilitates the audience's ability to interpret and grasp the information presented.
  • A logical flow of information should also be present.

Enhances Accessibility 

Another way how web design impacts content marketing is how it enhances the accessibility for the users. 

A person can utilize and browse your website with ease if it has a superb web design. Even the best-crafted information is pointless if your intended audience cannot access or find them. Your visitors can access the pages they need using an intuitive web design instead of using their mental resources.

A corporate website should provide its customers with the information they require promptly. It is a waste of their time to make them browse through pages. They will only spend time browsing relevant stuff. Instead, they'll probably leave and get what they need on a rival website.

These components should be visible on your website:

Consider how the user will feel. Will the new users be able to find their way to the website? Do they get desired information for what they land on a random page? Do they have any directional breadcrumbs on your website?

Consider novel approaches to the layout and style of your website. It will help you to access the interests of your intended audience. Place yourself on one of them and examine the user interface of your website from their point of view.

Conclusion - How Web Design Impacts Content Marketing

In essence, the importance of content marketing and site designs are the same. Businesses are now embracing internet marketing to a large extent, and it's not the only marketing term you should know. Still, it would be best if you did everything in your capacity to align your marketing with your business goals. . User expectations have increased along with technology and tool development. 

Changes to your website's design will significantly impact your content marketing initiatives. A website should be content-friendly and accessible from both desktop and mobile devices.

Web design and content marketing are closely related. You want users to feel at home because they are entering your home. Therefore it's in your best interest to meet and surpass user demands now that you know how web design impacts content marketing. 

Content marketing is currently one of the most successful marketing strategies. It will help if you have a robust online marketing plan to make your marketing successful. And, believe it or not, your website design plays a significant role.

But how web design impacts content marketing? Well, You must be careful when developing your website or hiring a web design agency. Web design has an impact on various parts of your online business visibility. 

A company's choice of design affects how a potential customer views them. The first impression of a brand depends upon various factors, including style and color selection. 

Thus, it means that poor design, or a lack of structure, may cause visitors to look for alternative firms. As a result, your company's web design poorly affects various elements, especially content marketing.

Let us talk in detail how web design impacts content marketing today.

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is the process of producing valuable content that indirectly promotes a brand. It sparks readers' interest by offering pertinent details related to the brand. Using content marketing to raise brand exposure and engagement is common practice. 

Also, it draws in customers or users, produces sales leads, or encourages sales and revenue. Content marketing is one of the most crucial components of search engine optimization (SEO), and as you SEO marketing strategy allows you to rank higher in search results.

How Web Design Impacts Content Marketing 

For brands, appearance is everything. The consumer is still at the center of everything in modern marketing. New tools and technology automate operations for efficiency or enhance analytics and data collection. 

Still, one can never deny the importance of web design in content marketing. Here are five ways that web design affects the success of content marketing.

Your Website is the Face of your Business 

A website is a digital business card, only more versatile. It is among the best platforms for increasing the consumer base. The public face of your business is your website. 

When potential consumers search for you or your company on Google, they land on your website. Building a solid and attractive website that offers the appropriate information and can persuade visitors to become clients is essential.

Looks are important. Your content and brand will be worth less on a website that doesn't appear friendly. Even if the content is excellent, people won't feel persuaded to stay and read it if it looks unpleasant.

Users are more selective about the information they read today due to the dozens of options available. They'll use the expression, "judge the book by its cover." They'll form their first impression based on how you offer your content. This is how web design impacts content marketing.

Builds Trust and Credibility 

Credibility is one thing you'll need to convert more website visitors. Customers can tell you are secure and reliable if you have credibility. Without it, it is hard to create more leads, sell more goods, or draw more visitors.

The legitimacy of a website is a problem for almost all businesses. Visitors to websites are suspicious right away. Unknown people are dangerous. It would be best to persuade website visitors before they are willing to place a wager on your company.

Visitors to your website are trying to find a cause to depart. In actuality, the majority of users exit online pages within 15 seconds. Websites with strong value propositions will keep visitors' attention for longer.

Here are a few pointers to assist you in increasing the trust and trustworthiness of your website's users.

Enhance Readability and Engagement 

Numerous factors affect readability. The font, spacing, colors, and pictures on a page will all affect how simple it is for users to read. High conversion rates are more likely to be the outcome of website readability.

Visitors won't stay on a web page they don't understand or find valuable for too long. They want to locate the information or data they require as soon as feasible. Hence, it's crucial to have concise content and a design that makes it simple for readers to understand.

Everything on a website, including blog entries, service pages, landing pages, and price pages, must be readable.  It will help if you use an approachable manner to write all material on your website. This explains how web design impacts content marketing.

Utilizing online tools like Hemingway Editor is one method of evaluating readability. This tool assesses your content's reading level based on the grade level. Additionally, it offers advice on how to make your text more readable.

Essential Tips to Increase Website Readability and Engagement

To improve your reading experience, consider the following suggestions for web design:

  • Make your fonts large. Online readers do best with larger fonts, ideally between 16 and 18 points.
  • Apply the correct line height. Ensure the line height is 100% of the chosen font size.
  • Think about the color contrast deeply. A wise color scheme displays text well to readers.
  • Make content that users can scan at first sight. Be mindful of the sentence length, and utilize headings and bullet points whenever possible.

Boosts Conversion 

Having a beautiful website is only one aspect of web design. It also involves employing the appropriate visual or written elements to persuade visitors to take action. Content marketing draws users to a website. 

Adding visual components like photos, animations, videos, GIFs, and forms boosts user interaction with the pages. You can also add optical elements like movies, charts, and infographics, to make the material more attractive for your readers.

Check if the web design is adjusted to accommodate the addition of a new block after an update. Keep the design from moving or shifting while the element loads.

Provides a Great User Experience 

The best aspect of any website is, without a doubt, its usability. After all, users and visitors are the reason for the website's existence. There is nothing more to ask for if the UI is intuitive for them. 

Consequently, there are a few things that the designer should consider:

  • The website needs sections and categories to accommodate different contents. It will make the website catchy to the public.
  • Additionally, the layout should guarantee that the browser is always available at the top. Users, at a glance, get the information they need.
  • There should be appropriate space in the content. The usage of white space improves the content's legibility. Moreover, it facilitates the audience's ability to interpret and grasp the information presented.
  • A logical flow of information should also be present.

Enhances Accessibility 

Another way how web design impacts content marketing is how it enhances the accessibility for the users. 

A person can utilize and browse your website with ease if it has a superb web design. Even the best-crafted information is pointless if your intended audience cannot access or find them. Your visitors can access the pages they need using an intuitive web design instead of using their mental resources.

A corporate website should provide its customers with the information they require promptly. It is a waste of their time to make them browse through pages. They will only spend time browsing relevant stuff. Instead, they'll probably leave and get what they need on a rival website.

These components should be visible on your website:

Consider how the user will feel. Will the new users be able to find their way to the website? Do they get desired information for what they land on a random page? Do they have any directional breadcrumbs on your website?

Consider novel approaches to the layout and style of your website. It will help you to access the interests of your intended audience. Place yourself on one of them and examine the user interface of your website from their point of view.

Conclusion - How Web Design Impacts Content Marketing

In essence, the importance of content marketing and site designs are the same. Businesses are now embracing internet marketing to a large extent, and it's not the only marketing term you should know. Still, it would be best if you did everything in your capacity to align your marketing with your business goals. . User expectations have increased along with technology and tool development. 

Changes to your website's design will significantly impact your content marketing initiatives. A website should be content-friendly and accessible from both desktop and mobile devices.

Web design and content marketing are closely related. You want users to feel at home because they are entering your home. Therefore it's in your best interest to meet and surpass user demands now that you know how web design impacts content marketing. 

Why Web Design Matters

One question we still hear all the time is: why web design matters?

In a world where almost every customer checks you out online first, your website is often the “face” of your business. Even if you have the best product or service, a confusing, outdated, or ugly site can quietly kill sales, trust, and conversions. That’s exactly why web design matters so much more than most people realize.

Why Web Design Matters

Your website is:

A strong design makes visitors feel confident, comfortable, and in control. A poor design makes them bounce, doubt, and click on a competitor.

Good web design:

How Design Builds Trust and Brand Consistency

People rarely buy from a site they don’t trust. Before they spend money, they scan:

A clean, consistent design with your colors, typography, and logo across all pages feels intentional and professional. A messy mix of fonts, colors, and layouts feels careless—and makes people nervous about giving you their credit card.

Key Design Features That Matter

Here are some of the most important elements of a strong, effective website:

Site organization
Content should be grouped into clear sections with headings and subheadings. Visitors should be able to quickly find who you are, what you do, and how to contact or buy from you—without digging.

Visual hierarchy
Not everything on a page is equally important. Use size, color, spacing, and placement to guide the eye: big headlines for the main ideas, clear buttons for actions, subtle text for details.

Customer reviews and social proof
Testimonials, star ratings, case studies, and logos of clients or publications should be easy to spot. They give visitors instant confidence.

Awards and recognition
If you’ve won awards or been featured in respected outlets, show it. It boosts credibility and helps both users and search engines see you as authoritative.

FAQs
A simple FAQ section answers common objections and reduces friction: shipping, refunds, process, timelines, guarantees, etc. This makes visitors far more likely to move forward.

Web Design and SEO: They Work Together

Another big reason why web design matters is its impact on SEO. Search engines look at:

A well-designed, responsive site is easier for both users and search engines to understand. That means better rankings, more traffic, and more opportunities to convert visitors into customers.

User Experience and Conversions

Design isn’t just about “looking pretty.” It’s about making it simple for users to do what they came to do.

Think about:

When pages are clean, buttons are clear, and forms are simple, conversions go up. When pages are cluttered and confusing, people abandon their carts, close the tab, and never come back.

Core Elements of Good Web Design

Some of the biggest building blocks of a strong website include:

FAQs About Why Web Design Matters

Why is web design so important for my business?
Because people judge your business based on your website in seconds. A good design makes you look professional, trustworthy, and worth doing business with. A bad design does the opposite—no matter how good your product is.

Isn’t content more important than design?
You need both. Great content on a terrible layout won’t get read. Design is what makes content easy and enjoyable to consume.

How does web design affect SEO?
Clean code, fast loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and well-structured content all help search engines understand and rank your site. Poor design and structure make it harder to get found.

Can I just use a template and be fine?
Templates can be a good starting point, but without thoughtful layout, branding, and customization, your site can look generic and confusing. A strategic design tailored to your business will always perform better.

If you’d rather not figure all of this out on your own, that’s where we come in. Tom&Co’s design team can help you create a site that looks great, works beautifully, and actually supports your marketing and sales goals—so you never have to ask why web design matters again.

What is a Content Management Platform and are They Needed?

Content management software (CMS) helps website designers to create a content management system for all of the content on a particular website. Some people complain that CMS takes more work than just posting content, while others insist that they could not run their websites without their CMS platform. What is CMS and is it really necessary to run your website?

What Is CMS?

Content management software (CMS) is a platform of programs that allows you to publish, arrange, edit, and archive all of the content on a blog or website. It is most commonly used on blogs, but many programmers use CMS on corporate websites as well. The CMS platform allows you to add any graphics or templates to your content that would help to unify new content with existing content.

Why Do People Use A CMS Platform?

The most appealing feature of a CMS platform is that it allows a person to manage website content without having to know anything about Internet coding. A CMS system is very straightforward and easy to use, and most CMS platforms offer a wide array of add-ons that can help you to customize your CMS even further.

Why Do I Need A CMS Platform?

Without a CMS platform, you have to know the HTML coding process for adding and arranging content in your website. Even for people who know Internet coding, a CMS platform makes it easier and faster to manage content and move content around on a website. But if you do not have that coding knowledge, then you have to find someone who can add and manage your content for you manually. Not only is the manual content management process time-consuming, but it is going to add extra costs to maintaining and updating your website.

A Content Management Plan

Every website or blog needs a content management plan if it is going to be successful. You need to map out how often you want to add content, what kind of content you want to add, how to handle older content, and what to do with content that you want to archive on your website. Do you want to keep your archived content available to all of your users, or are you going to put it someplace only you can get to it?

With a CMS platform, you can create an entire content management plan that will allow you to maximize the content that you add to your website. Without a CMS platform, the entire process will get extremely complicated and bogged down. A good CMS platform increases your content management efficiency and makes your content more effective.

WordPress is one of the most popular CMS platforms in the world, and you can usually get WordPress for your blog for free. Before you start getting involved with CMS platforms, you might want to talk to a digital marketing expert to get the information you need to maximize your content management plans.

The Growing Importance of SSL Certificates

An SSL certificate (Secured Sockets Layer) is a device you add to your website to encrypt and protect any information your clients input into your site. Over the past few years, the stories of data breaches and the theft of millions of pieces of important personal information have been making headlines all over the world. Google has decided that it has seen enough and it is going to immediately ramp up the importance of SSL certificates and make these devices mandatory for all websites.

What is Google Doing?

In 2018, Google is launching its initiative to go from recommending that websites get SSL certificates and use HTTPS (secure website coding language) to making both actions mandatory. If your website does not have an SSL certificate, then Google is going to flag your site as unsafe. While your site might be free of viruses or any immediate dangers to users, your lack of encryption protocols used by SSL certificates will force Google to consider your site unsafe.

What Does SSL Cost?

One of the reasons website owners avoided SSL certificates in the past is because they were extremely expensive. In recent years, there have been some companies that have offer robust and free SSL certificates and that number is growing. An initiative called Let's Encrypt is a collection of IT and security experts who are going to offer durable SSL certificates for free. These certificates are going to cover your main domain and any subdomains you have, but it is still recommended that you invest in a more powerful SSL certificate for enterprise size websites.

SSL and Your Google Rankings

Not only is Google going to mark your website as unsafe if you do not have SSL protection, but it is going to give all websites that do have SSL certificates slight boosts in their Google ranking. If you do not have SSL and your competition does, then the gap between you two in Google results is about to get significantly larger. Needless to say, most users are not going to go to a website that Google considers to be unsafe.

Gain Credibility with Your Customers

Having an SSL certificate on your website not only enhances your Google results, but it also increases your website's credibility with your target audience. Users will see that you have a secured website and they will know that their personal information is safe with your site. This is going to be a huge advantage over websites that do not have SSL certificates, especially with the way Google is going to make security a priority in the media.

Peace of Mind

An SSL certificate means peace of mind for you and your clients. You will be able to grow your business knowing that all customer data is encrypted and secured from hackers. Your customers will feel more secure about giving you their payment information, and that is going to encourage more orders.

If you have never heard of an SSL certificate or the HTTPS coding language, then it is time to get familiar with both. In 2018, Google is making security a priority and if your website does not meet the new Google standards, then there is a good chance that your slipping Google search results will also conspire to keep consumers away from your website for good.

10 Common Misconceptions About Websites

The Internet has been around a long time, which means websites are a well-known commodity to just about anyone. As with any other technology, there has been plenty of time for myths and misconceptions to be created about websites that can skew business owners' opinions. Here we address some of the most common misconceptions and give you real information to work with.

It is easy to make a professional website

It is easy to make a free website that you can use for your hobby or group, but a professional website requires a professional programmer with years of experience and an understanding of the latest Internet technology.

Websites automatically generate traffic

Websites are exactly like brick and mortar locations; you need to advertise to generate foot traffic. Putting a website on the Internet is not enough to generate revenue.

All of my ideas should show up on my website

Even in the virtual world of websites, not everything is possible. Your web designer will do what they can to make your website just as you envisioned it, but sometimes concessions need to be made to get a functional and user-friendly website.

Once the site is made, the job is done

A website is never truly finished. There are constant updates to your company and product information, not to mention new tools that are added to your website to increase traffic and gather data.

I don't need to develop a website because I can just copy one

For almost any website, you can find the source code and see how the website was made. But any professional website is going to have trademark and even copyright protections on its website content. Also, copying code from one site to make another is going to cause your site to incur Google penalties, which means no one will ever see your site in search results.

Web design is easy so it should be cheap

It takes years of training and experience to become a professional website designer. As with any other business service, if you want professional results you will pay for professional services.

My web content needs to appeal to me because it is my website

If you want people to visit your website and interact with your content, then your content needs to be everything your visitors want to see. Appealing to your own preferences is not going to grow your business.

Once my website is completed the updates should be free

Website designers charge one fee to build your site, and then a monthly fee to maintain it. It takes work and time to update your site and you always pay for the time of a professional web designer.

I can write my own content

Your website is going to need daily content updates that you do not have time to create. Website content writing also requires an experienced copywriter to be done properly. If you try to do your own content, you might wind up violating Google rules and having your website penalized for months.

I can just grab images from the Internet for my site

You must either own the copyrights for the images you use on your site, or have permission from the copyright owner to use those images. When you grab images from the Internet and use them, you are stealing someone's property and creating a criminal situation.

The best approach to getting a good and professional website is to hire an experienced digital marketing firm. A professional will always get the best results for your business.

WordPress And Google Strengthen Their Partnership

When Google takes an interest in anything to do with the Internet, there is always a very good reason for it. Google believes in unifying as much of the Internet as possible to give users a satisfying experience each and every time. To achieve this goal, Google has partnered with many Internet giants and merged with others. The most recent Google partnership to start showing signs of getting serious is the one with WordPress

Why WordPress?

When it comes to an overall presence as a CMS platform, WordPress owns an amazing 59 percent of the CMS market share. Obviously, this makes WordPress the dominant platform on which websites are created and maintained. But it is also worth noting that one out of every three websites on the Internet are done on a WordPress platform. This makes the developers, add-on creators, and website owners who use WordPress a very significant group within the world of websites.

Mobile Website Development

In 2015, Google launched a program that sought to change the way website owners looked at mobile computing. Prior to 2015, most website owners did not focus on good mobile websites. For the most part, mobile websites were text versions of the company's main site. But in 2015, Google said that any mobile website that was not developed to maximize the experience for the user would not appear on Google mobile searches. Since most users access the Internet through their mobile devices, website owners immediately recognized the need to fall in line with Google.

The WordPress mobile templates have always been a challenge for website developers and users. Google has recently announced that it will be working with WordPress and all of its developers to create mobile templates that load faster and give a better overall experience to the user.

Speed Is The Key

One of the most important aspects of a website experience to a user has always been the speed at which a site loads. While WordPress remains a popular platform, it is also loaded with extra programming that slows down a website's load time. Between security procedures and add-ons that are not always completely compatible, WordPress has always had a problem loading smoothly.

Google has announced that a big part of its new WordPress initiative is to help streamline template programming and make add-ons more compatible. The key to a positive Internet experience is to have a website that loads quickly, and Google wants to help WordPress to get to the point where its sites load just as fast as any other platform, if not faster.

Now is the time to start getting involved with a digital marketing company that knows how to work with WordPress. With Google bringing plenty of extra attention and resources to the WordPress platform, it will not be long before WordPress is the elite platform that developers use.

Right now, WordPress is revered for its ease of use and huge network of add-ons. In a few years, Google wants to make sure that WordPress is the platform developers choose when they want a website that delivers the ideal Internet experience.

Tips On Having A Great Homepage

Your website is extremely important to all of your company's marketing activities, and your homepage is your website's first impression. As the saying goes, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Your homepage needs to be user friendly and be the kind of online resource that your visitors will want to visit over and over again.

Loading Time

The longer it takes your homepage to load, the more likely your traffic will bounce to another website. When we are talking about loading time, we are talking about tenths of a second. Your homepage needs to be designed to load quickly, and it needs to grab your visitor's attention right away.

Avoid The "Annoying Factor"

Contrary to popular belief, Internet users do not enjoy homepages that have audio or video that starts automatically. This is something called the annoying factor, and you need to keep your annoying factor very low if you want repeat traffic to your homepage. Avoid pop-up windows, large advertisements, and videos that start automatically to make your homepage appealing to all audiences.

Simple Design

While you will occasionally get the visitor who likes to look at a homepage and figure out what it is supposed to be saying, those kinds of visitors are few and far between. Your homepage needs to have a simple but appealing design that tells your traffic immediately what your company and website are all about.

Clear Navigation

The three-click rule states that if a visitor to your website has to click more than three times to find what they want on your site, then they will go to a different website. You need a simple but effective navigation system for your website, and you need to have an easily accessible site map to give your visitors everything they need to find what they are looking for.

Effective Images

Your images should take up as little disc space as possible to allow for fast loading, and they should all help benefit your company's brand. Images and videos are becoming very important for websites, but you need to make sure that all of the images on your website explain what your company does and entice your visitors to want to learn more about your company.

More Videos

Just because visitors to your homepage do not want to see videos that start automatically does not mean that they do not want videos at all. Your homepage is a great place to put a company promotional video, or a couple of video testimonials from satisfied customers. While you want your homepage to be as clean as possible, you do want to include as much information as you can that will entice your visitors to want to learn more.

A good homepage is going to make a big difference in how well your website converts traffic into paying customers. By putting together an effective homepage, you will attract more traffic and convince repeat traffic to come back more often. Hire a good digital marketing agency to make sure that your homepage is as effective and appealing as possible.

Tips For A Better Holiday Website

The holidays are a time when people start making travel plans and start shopping for friends and family. This is the time of year when retailers want to get the most out of their websites in the hopes of increasing business throughout the year. As the holidays get heated up, there are plenty of things you can do to make your website ready for the influx of new traffic.

Get A Site Map

A site map is not only valuable to visitors using your website for the first time, but it can also quickly improve your standings in the search engine results page. Instead of burying the link to your site map along the bottom of your front page, put it somewhere prominent where it will be easy to find and use.

Clean Up Your Site

If you do enough marketing before the holidays, then your website will more than likely get more traffic during the holidays than at any other time of the year. The holidays are your chance to win repeat business and grow your revenue base. But if your links do not work or your website wording is misspelled and hard to read, then you have wasted an opportunity. Take the time to go through your entire website and make sure it is the kind of website your customers will want to visit again.

Don't Forget The Mailing List

During the holidays, your website traffic expects to see sign up forms on your website for your mailing list and newsletter. Instead of disappointing them, make sure that your mailing list sign-up form is on every page of your website. You might get people occasionally opting out of marketing emails throughout the year, but you will never have a better time to get people to join your mailing list and have a larger audience for your website information.

Have Incentives

During the holidays, your website will get lost in the rush of competitor websites that are all clamoring for the same customer base that you are. Instead of getting buried by the noise, have your website stand out from the rest by offering incentives to your traffic. You can run daily competitions that all of your traffic can enter, or you can give discounts on orders placed during the holidays. You should get creative and find incentives that will help your website to stand above the rest and get more attention.

Be Sure You Are Remarketing

Remarketing is the process of reaching out to traffic that visited your website for only a short period of time, made no purchase, or made a purchase they did not complete. Your digital marketing expert can set you up with a remarketing program that will grab this valuable traffic and try to turn it into another revenue stream.

The holidays are the one time of the year when people who do not normally shop online take to the Internet to get great deals. Your website will never have another chance all year and this kind of great exposure, so it is important that you take advantage of it and turn your holiday traffic into year round business.

5 Things Every Good Website Has

Your company website is one of your most important marketing tools, which is why it is important to invest in a digital marketing expert or a website design agency to design and maintain your site for you. If you spend enough time comparing the websites of your competition and sites outside of your industry, you will start to notice that good websites have a few qualities in common. While you don't want your website to look like everyone else's, you do want to have a site that brings in traffic and has the basic features it needs to be successful.

A Site Map

A site map serves two important purposes for your website. It acts as an easy way for your traffic to find the exact page they are looking for, and it helps search engines to catalog your site easier. This entices search engines to move your website higher up on the search result pages for primary keywords in your industry.

A Fast Loading Front Page

Time is money and every fraction of a second your traffic has to wait for your website to load increases the possibility that your traffic will bounce to another website. While it is important that every page on your site load quickly, it is critically important that your front page load as quickly as possible. Internet users will not wait very long for your front page to load, and you could be losing valuable traffic if your front page is loaded with programs that slow it down.

A Simple Navigation System

Every web designer uses the old adage that it should only take a visitor three clicks to find the page they are looking for. In most cases, your traffic will leave your website if it takes more than three clicks to find the primary pages on your site. Users will often give a pass to archived information or special information that is not expected to be easy to find. But all of your primary company, product, and customer service information should have an effective and easy navigation system. Being a business owner its important that you know why web design matters for good customer experience and for driving business revenue.

Easily Accessible Contact Information

Since your website is a marketing tool, it needs to supply your web traffic with basic information as quickly as possible. That is why just about every website you see has the company email address, phone number, and even physical address prominently displayed on the front page. Even though every website has a separate page for contact information, that very same information will still be easy for users to see the moment they access your website.

Standard Fonts

It can be very tempting to try and put fancy fonts on various parts of your website, but that also defeats the purpose of having the site in the first place. All of your information needs to be easily accessible to your audience and easy to read. Using special fonts could not only cause problems when your site tries to load, but it can also make it difficult for your audience to understand all of your important information.

A good website utilizes the tried and proven methods that have helped other websites to find success. There are plenty of ways to make your website stand out from the competition, but you want to avoid trying to alter the core principles of good website design that bring you web traffic in the first place.

The Basics of an Effective Website

A company without a website may as well not exist as far as most consumers are concerned. A website provides a measure of legitimacy and professionalism that cannot be overlooked, especially when there are so many competitors vying for the customer’s loyalty. Does your website measure up?

The Why

Why are your customers on your site? Are they looking to browse items and ultimately make a purchase? Are they looking for more information and potentially seeking to make an appointment, get an estimate, or make some other kind of request? It is crucial that your website’s format meets the user’s needs. Regardless, your website should be easily navigable and contain appropriate pages such as “About Us” or “FAQ”.

Your site should also be mobile-friendly so that consumers on the go can have easy access to information about your business. Your website can be responsive, meaning it will automatically adjust to various screen sizes or you can utilize a mobile-ready site for those on portable devices.

The What

What is your site doing for the customer? Make sure your site’s purpose is clear and is appropriate to the industry. Information should be easy to read for the consumer as they will not dedicate too much of their time on your site. Color scheme and font should not clash with your logo or your business’s colors and your color palette should contrast with the text color. Pick a font and color scheme combination and stick with it throughout your site in order to maintain a clean streamlined look that conveys professionalism. Consider using a Sans Serif font such as Arial that makes for easy reading on screens. Try not to over-clutter your site with too much text and use images to draw attention and provide variety.

The How

How does your site convey information and appear aesthetically? Images on your site should be crisp and high quality as well as relate to your business. Overly stock-y photos, while excellent quality, can seem fake and not as authentic. Be sure consumers know how to contact you from the site by providing information like a phone number, email address, and business address. The 3 click-rule is essential in web design: your user should have to use no more than 3 clicks to find the information they are looking for. This means not burying information under layers of pages off of the home page. Use an ‘F Pattern’ design, meaning convey information in order of importance, i.e. left to right and top to bottom, or the way we read. Use a grid layout to keep your site neat and orderly and easy for the eye to follow.

If your site doesn’t follow these basic guidelines, you may want to consider a re-design. Use a professional web design agency that will ensure your site is professional, easy to follow, and appealing to consumers.