Nowadays, having a great website is a critical element in building a successful business. To create a great website, you need to consider aspects beyond only having users see an excellent looking web page. The layout plays a huge part in the number of sales your business makes. Visitors want to locate what they are looking for in the first 15-20 seconds of being on the page. You do not want to risk losing potential customers just because you have a messy looking website. A standard error is having large chunks of content, clutter and a poorly designed navigation menu. Potential customers will be overwhelmed and reluctant to continue sifting through the site, despite how great the content may be.

Consider your audience

Websites often fail to remember that they need to speak to the type of customer that they want. It would be best if you talked to them in the tone and language that will attract them to your business. Say your business is a restaurant, then naturally, your website should be using layman’s terms to communicate with your customers effectively. However, if your business is in the medical field, you must speak using clinical terminology. Your customer will appreciate the technical terms that describe what it exactly is that you are offering. Likewise, the average Joe wants to read an online menu in plain simple English.

Respond appropriately

It is also essential that you don’t overwhelm your potential customer with too much information. Unnecessary, scroll after scroll gets tiresome. Studies have shown that if you have not captured the attention of your audience in 15 seconds, then they will click off. Consider using images, videos, headings and other visuals to engage with your customer and present an exact representation of what it is that you have to offer them. Waffling around will make it harder for your potential customer to find what they were initially looking for. Sifting through unnecessary blocks of content will also turn your customer away. Be direct with your message, direct with your information and allow room for customers to enquire if there are any further queries. A great website should build a credible online presence and convince your client to stay.

Aesthetically appealing

A great looking website is going to keep your potential customer on your page, and this is a fact. Much like how you should avoid bombarding potential customers with too much information, you should also avoid an overwhelming layout. The design of a great website should be visually appealing and clean-cut for maximum impact. At all costs, you should avoid using too many colours, shapes, pictures and other visuals. Ensure that your photography is high quality, the layout is cohesive and clutter-free. Carefully selecting images, colour schemes and typefaces play a large role in achieving a feel-good vibe. Your website must be aesthetically appealing, and if you cannot accomplish this yourself, you can always hire a designer.

Easy scrolling

Keep in mind that an easy and straightforward navigation menu is the difference between your customer staying on your page or clicking off. If they find the website hard to navigate, it will be a dealbreaker, and you can say goodbye to your potential sale. Your customer will become frustrated and annoyed that they cannot find what they are searching for. Keep in mind that as important as it is for your website to be aesthetically pleasing, it is equally as important for it to be user friendly. People are accessing sites from their mobile phones and tablets, so a responsive website is necessary. You need to accommodate the design of the website to the size of the device they are using to visit your site. Also, at the minimum, include at least one Call-To-Action on each page. Your potential customer is more likely to click the button that keeps appearing everywhere and is readily available. No one wants to scour the entire website to find the “Sign up” button. To eliminate your bounce rate and keep your visitors on your website, it is imperative that you have an organised page and navigation menu.

Having a great website is extremely important for your business. Considering the factors discussed above will lead you closer to developing and designing a business website that is effective in achieving your goal and reaching your customers.