What your website says about you is not limited to the content but rather the impression it gives your users. There are a lot of articles regarding this topic and after research, this article will reveal some of the most important aspects that companies should consider when creating a website. This may also serve as an evaluation sheet to better your company’s image.
melanieclarkcommunications.com
Illustration
If you show up to a board meeting in jeans and a t-shirt while your colleagues are in business suits, the attitude that you convey (intentional or not) is that you do not care how those in the room perceive you. They in turn will be less inclined to have you participate in the meeting as they will deem you unprofessional and not trustworthy.
The design
Before a user reads your content, no matter how life changing it may be, they first notice the design then place a judgement on your company. If your presentation is simple and crisp (like Apple.com) then they will know your company is professional and high-end. If your information is cramped (little white space) then a user will assume your company unprofessional or inexperienced.
When choosing a look for your company, keep two things in mind: the essence of your business and your audience. The site of a company that offers services and that of a company that sells products will not have the same design. Once you have the design, be consistent. Also, value user satisfaction above all else; if your users need brain power when accessing your site then you have it all wrong. Lastly, do not forget to add your company logo to the design.
Visuals are also important but be mindful of how you arrange them on the page.
The content
However, do not focus too much on your design and forget the content. People do come to your website looking for content, not admire the design.
promobubble.com
Content should be simple, clear and precise. Use headings and bullet lists to make your site more user-friendly. If you have bad grammar or are not confident in your ability to write good content, consider hiring a professional. That way they can use SEO (search engine optimization) to increase visibility on search engines. After all, you have to send money to make money.
The website and its accessibility
Invest in a good website. If your website looks cheap then people will view you as cheap and prone to shortcuts. If your content is out of date, people will wonder if you are still in business. Get someone with knowledge and skill in web design; people can tell when a site is not professionally done.
Make sure that the visitor can access information within the first few seconds: elements like introduction, products or services and contact details should be clearly indicated. If not, the visitor will go to other pages or links.
Some websites are accustomed to having pop-ups advertising a product or asking the user to sign up for newsletters. As a company you should avoid such as it tells the user that you are more inclined toward sales and traffic rather than user experience. This interruption or delay will put off a user and have them looking for another site that contains similar content. Also, websites that force you to log in using an app such as Facebook or Gmail should be reconsidered. Though a user may choose to do as asked, any design that obscures information or delays a users access to information takes away from the experience. Not unless your content is one of a kind, visitors will not be quick to return to your website.
Web designers should also consider web accessibility when designing a page. Many times we have to access a website through our phones. That said designers need to work to enable all users to access a website, not just those with expensive smartphones.
If your website resembles this site in any way, it is time for an upgrade.
Glass House PR 