Web design and page load speed are the two most critical factors that decide the success of a business website. According to Blogging Wizard, over 94% of the first impressions are related to a website's design and visual appeal. Most online shoppers consider web design as a critical aspect of making a purchase decision. It takes them hardly 5 to 10 seconds to decide whether to stay on your site. Hence, you must engage them as soon as possible.
This post discusses some critical web design aspects to be considered by businesses to drive more organic search traffic and improve visitors’ browsing experience.
Table of Contents
• Replace Background Images with CSS3 Gradients
• Replace JavaScript with CSS3 Transitions
• Remove Every Possible Distraction & Friction
• Use Social Proof to Develop Trust
• Use Stock Images Wisely
• Don’t Panic about the White Spaces
• Explore Customization Opportunities
Endnote
Replace Background Images with CSS3 Gradients
Large background images on a website often negatively impact the bandwidth, resulting in slow loading speed. Replacing those background images with CSS3 gradients will increase your website’s loading speed and give it a minimalistic appearance.
Replace JavaScript with CSS3 Transitions
JavaScript has indeed been trusted by web developers to design a professional front page slider and give other interactive effects, but there is CSS3 which can not only be used to design a better-looking slider, but also a lightweight one. By combining HTML5 and CSS3, you can get an intuitively designed homepage without compromising its load speed.
Remove Every Possible Distraction & Friction
You must prioritize mobile-first designs for your website and look for possible distractions that can turn away visitors. These distractions can range from pop-ups to chat widgets and auto-playing videos to blinking elements. Visitors hate these distractions when they are seriously looking out for some relevant information on your site. Also, the navigation must be comprehensive to allow visitors to reach any section within three clicks.
Use Social Proofs to Develop Trust
Just like you automatically gravitate toward the five-star rating products on the Amazon shopping app, you can compel visitors to believe in your brand by offering a social proof section on your website. When visitors see these reviews, they get to know the worth of your products and services, contributing to enhanced brand value and trust. Testimonials, case studies, and reviews are some most effective ways to mark an impression on website visitors. Video testimonials are the most preferred ones by people and build stronger connections with the audience.
Use Stock Images Wisely
Always try using original photographs for your website, but if that’s not an option, you should avoid exaggerated images. Never use images that have no resemblance to real-life scenarios. Use photographs that depict the essence of your brand and allow visitors to relate with them. The more mindful you are of the images you use on your site, the better results you will get.
Don’t Panic with the White Spaces
The most common misconception among all website owners is regarding white space usage. This is a critical element for web designers; how they use white spaces decides the level of comprehensiveness of your web page content and visuals. Try separating different sections generously to make them look nice and avoid too much crowding. This will enable visitors to view each section with due attention, which will eventually help you to draw users’ attention to crucial information like CTA buttons and other value propositions.
Explore Customization Opportunities
Nothing can be as overwhelming for website visitors as custom product recommendations and some self-selection tools to arrive at the result that they are looking for. Consumers are willing to pay more for customized products and can wait longer if your brand promises to deliver what they need. Amazon’s product recommendation selector is a great tool that online retailers can consider for their stores. Whenever a user thumbs up or down on a product, the tool presents different products based on your reaction.
Endnote
Implementing this information on your business website will certainly help you offer a more personalized user experience on your website. Moreover, this will also add to the credibility of your brand, turning more visitors to your website and boosting sales figures.