Creating beautiful websites is now easier than ever because of many free site builders. Within minutes, you can make a site with a sleek web design. While the site looks attractive, it may lack the functionality your users need. You may end up with a generic website design that is not designed with your target audience in mind. As a result, your visitors may have a hard time navigating through your site, especially if it does not have the features necessary to have a hassle-free user experience.
The truth is small business web design is more than just about aesthetics—it is all about the combination of form and functionality. To ensure you create a well-designed website, here are some vital elements of an effective web design:
Fast loading time
The average loading time for websites is under three seconds. Very few users have the patience to stick around to wait, which means if your site takes a lot longer than that, your visitors will exit your page and potentially move on to your competitors. In effect, you lose the chance to create a positive impression, gain new leads, and boost your sales.
To meet your visitors’ expectations, you can hire a skilled freelance web designer to improve your website’s loading time. They can help you optimise image sizes, minify CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, or combine code into a JavaScript or central CSS file. You can track any changes in the speed and performance of your website using a page speed checker.
Accessible to mobile devices
The key to effective web design is responsiveness. It means your website should be accessible across all devices and multiple screen sizes to attract more visitors and increase your chances of ranking on search engines. This is important because more users are using smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.
You can make your website mobile-friendly by rebuilding your website, using a responsive layout, and following the best UX and UI practices for mobile design. Another option is to create a new site that is specially designed just for mobile users. You can also hire a web designer in Melbourne to ensure all mobile users can access your site.
Typography
Many business owners overlook the importance of typography on their websites. Avoid this common mistake by getting the basics of typography right. To ensure that your content is easy to read, use Sans Serif fonts, like Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana, at 16px font size. A good rule of thumb is to have no more than three typefaces on the headings, body, and elements. You should also stick to a maximum of three-point sizes to create a cohesive look and a streamlined design.
A clear purpose
Having a clear branding purpose is essential in every well-designed website. It allows you to ensure that your entire website, including every page and section, has a definitive objective. Those elements that don’t have a goal can make your site over-designed or crowded. Since they are unnecessary, remove them from your site.
Conclusion
Web design is ever-evolving. Make sure that you have an optimal, appealing website and that you keep up with the latest trends by adding these key elements to your site. To further improve your site and grow your business, partner with a skilled web designer.
If you need a freelance digital marketing consultant in Melbourne, reach out to SKCreative. I offer digital marketing services that deliver measurable results at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house marketing person. Book your free 45-minute strategy call today!
