The Importance Of Website Design for Your Business

A business website is a must have, but the importance of website design for your business can’t be overlooked, keep reading to learn why.

In today’s digital age, there is almost no reason for your business to not have a website. Even brick and mortar businesses can greatly benefit from even a simple website. Most people spend a significant amount of their time online, and if your business does not have a presence online, it will be much harder to attract new customers.

Thankfully, websites are becoming easier and less inexpensive to create, as website and computer equipment to design them is pretty easy to come by. That being said, a poorly designed or optimized website can really hurt your business.

The importance of website design can’t be undervalued for your business. Take the time to build a high-quality website for your business and if you do not have the necessary skills to build a website, consider hiring professional help.

Whether you’re using your website to generate leads, drive traffic, or increase sales, website design for business needs to carefully address the following criteria to achieve success.

Clarity and Ease of Use

Your business website must communicate basic information to visitors such as what your business is, what it does, and how a customer can contact your business. Displaying basic business information, such as services, location, hours, and contact information, is the bare minimum that a business website should communicate to a visitor. You do not want a visitor to be unsure of what your business does or how to contact you because of poor website design. Do not over complicate your design and opt for simple language that clearly communicates vital information.

Fancy animations, pretty pictures, and bright colors can enhance your website, but they can also be distracting when overused. Most people care about finding the information they want and aren’t overly concerned with flashy visuals. The content of your website must take priority over visuals. Ensure your visual design never compromises the information you are trying to convey to customers.

Up to Date

You have very little time to make a good first impression when a visitor lands on your website, so while communicating critical information is the priority, many customers will negatively view a website that is outdated or poorly optimized.

Maintain your website so that the visual design and optimization reflects current trends. What passed for good website design in 2010 is considered substandard for 2020. If your website is outdated or runs badly, customers will assume your business is out of touch, tight on money, or too lazy to update the website. A customer may also assume that a business that doesn’t care about their website likely won’t put much effort into customer service either. None of these assumptions are desirable, so invest the time in building and maintaining your website so that it meets modern standards.

Security

Customers are becoming increasingly worried about their security online as cybercrime becomes more advanced.

Make it a point to show customers you value their digital security by adding security measures to your website. Switching from an HTTP to an HTTPS site is a basic and easy step that lets customers know your business is investing in digital security. Adding security services like Norton Secured and displaying their badge or seal lets customers put faith in your site’s security. Any trust or security seal should be clickable and take the customer to the seal provider’s website to prove that your site is certified.

Chatbots

Even if you create an extensive frequently asked questions page, chances are your customers will still have questions about your business. For years, the only way for customers to have their questions answered was to contact a business with an email or phone call, but chatbots are making customer service easier than ever. A chatbot is a form of AI that is programmed with pre-written responses to answer customer questions in a live chat window. Chatbots let customers receive answers to their questions in minutes and some advanced chatbots can be connected to your CRM so the bot can personalize their customer interactions. Many chatbots can be easily added to any website for free, but there are more advanced chatbots that come with a price tag.

Designing a website is a detailed task. The visual design should not compromise the content, but your website must be up to modern standards. Put your best foot forward by creating a website that is informative, clear, and easy to use with complementary visuals. Add security measures to your site and display security badges so customers know you are prioritizing their safety. Chatbots are an easy add-on that makes customer service easier and faster for both you and your customers. A well designed website can bring many benefits to your business, but a badly made website can drive customers away. Take the time to build a website that helps your business thrive.