Businesses approach their online presence in a number of different ways. Due to modern trends, some already have a website they built themselves, or by custom website design professionals. Some do not even have a website and rather rely on Facebook and other social media platforms to bring in new customers. There is no denying that these platforms have their place, in fact, they are great ways to engage with your existing audience and advertise to potential new customers by using different analytic and retargeting tools.

However, there is already a large and growing number of businesses that have their websites professionally designed and managed by website design companies including Brandphic. This means that a web surfer could be looking for a restaurant, plumber, painter, electrician, grocery store and infinite other products and services. These people are going to do a quick search on their mobile devices and find a website of those businesses that have been build for the purpose of catering to their requirements.

Your website is your digital front door

Let us take a look at some helpful tips that website design professionals follow when creating websites for their clients. You can use some of these tips to aid your own website design and even engage with these professionals for a better briefing while they design yours for you.

1. Does the website look attractive and professional?

We all know the value of first impressions and it is no different when it comes to website design. Your website is the first impression of your business so the design should have order, unity, and clarity to reinforce the overall intention of the site. So, it should be both attractive and simple.

2. Is there a professional logo design?

The logo design is another element that should display the business’s essence. The design should be simple and more importantly, memorable. The time taken to understand the logo’s meaning is important as it shows how long it takes to have a subtle connection to the business.

3. Is there a call to action or an important message in the main banner?

Is there any kind of information or message on the homepage that states what the company is about and how it would benefit its customers? Customers today are more interested in the benefits and values of a product, not just the features. The banner should clearly summarize the business and encourage visitors to stay engaged in the website.

4. Is there contact information at the top of the website?

Easy to find contact information is one of the most essential features of a website. Since 80 percent of search traffic is from mobile phones and growing rapidly, the phone numbers or email addresses should also be clickable for those you want to engage with you right away.

5. Is the menu navigation convenient to use? 

Visitors are accustomed to smoothing navigation so they should be able to find the Home Button or Contact us form without having to hunt around. The navigation should be logical and according to your business model and how you want your prospects to move around your website. The menu options should be easy to access from all devices.

6. Are there external share buttons?

Complementing your website exposure with social media is a great way to engage with customers quickly, efficiently and inexpensively across different platforms. Businesses link their social media accounts to their website which will help with search engine optimization.

7. Are there customer reviews or testimonials?

Credibility is one of the most important contributing factors to a purchasing decision. This is where customer reviews and testimonials are important and helps prospect compare their options. The more the merrier is what they say so the more the reviews, the more encouraged customers would be. Happy customers result to happier businesses. In fact, customer feedback is one of the main contributors to upgrades.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when designing your website. These tips will not only help you in making your website attractive but also help you with the planning and layout of the site for much better performance.