Making your website visually appealing can be tough if you’re not a designer. However, there are some key points to focus on that will help.
Because website appeal is something you search for yourself, you already know it’s a big part of building trust. Therefore, where should you begin? What colors do you prefer to use? What types of images should be used, and which should be avoided?
The phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” only goes so far. When there is no underlying set of principles, this philosophy actually breaks down. Therefore, here are four fundamental things to focus on that help build website appeal. You can then go to town if you build on these foundations.
According to the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, 46% of site visitors say that website design is the most important factor in determining a company’s legitimacy. This includes the color plan, the size of your fonts, page layout, and site navigation. This means that half of your visitors determine they can trust you in a fraction of a second. In addition, this is based alone on what they see, rather than what you say.
Humans comprehend pictures 60,000 times faster than words, according to recent research. You can’t afford to lose 50% of your daily site traffic.
So, what are our options for resolving this? Let’s have a look at the four main characteristics that make a website visually appealing.
1. Design and color can make or break your website.
A visually appealing website begins with a well-designed layout and a well-chosen color scheme. Colors that are congested, have competing color schemes, or are garish do not inspire confidence. A well-designed website with a consistent color scheme shows that thought has gone into the presentation. It’s one of the reasons we enjoy opening our new iPhones.
Even before we see or use the device, the way it’s packaged tells us something about it. In addition, it helps us know what kind of experience we’ll have with it. Good design communicates competence, care, and credibility right away. Apprehension, on the other hand, is triggered by poor design. Additionally, interest can be lost in as little as 7 seconds. That’s not even enough time to say, “Hello, my name is Joe, and I can save the world with this incredible…”
Colors have diverse emotional resonances. Similarly, they can elicit varied emotions depending on how they are used. When developing your brand, make sure to include it on your website. This builds a complete picture of you and your business. Consider the response you want to create. After that, choose colors that assist you in creating it. To make your designing process easier and more productive, use Canva’s Color Wheel or something like it.
2. Use the best graphics and images to enhance website appeal.
Aesthetic appeal, sophistication, and quality are all attributes of good photography. Today, having well-composed and well-lit images of teams and their offices on a website is still unusual. However, doing this is the simplest way to get a leg up on your competitors. In addition, it helps your visitors trust you.
Suppose it’s just you and your iPhone taking pictures of your team. Hiring a photographer to snap images of your office and staff is not prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, if you have a good eye, your images help you convey an honest, strong first impression.
Stock photographs that are clearly marked as such lack appeal. Additionally, since they’re so common, we can recognize them a mile away. Take time to avoid overtly “stock art” stuff. You and your iPhone could help your website bridge the gap between you and your visitor with a little effort up front.
3. Consider usability.
Unless you’re catering to the avant-garde, the rest of us need a website that’s as simple to navigate as Walmart. A superb website is user-friendly and intuitive. It’s taken companies about a decade but most websites show that they know what works and what doesn’t.
Keep it simple and straight to the point. Additionally, don’t spend all of your time bragging about how great you are. Keep it short when talking about how great your services are. Keep things straightforward and easy to grasp. Avoid titles like “Join the Pub” instead of “Blog” or “Main Lobb” instead of “Home Page.”
Make your buttons stand out. Make your menu clear and straightforward. Keep your page layout focused on the most critical elements. Finally, make readability a priority.
4. Consistency is key to website appeal.
Use that layout everywhere. Once you’ve established a “language” for how to interpret your brand’s elements — text, photographs, quotes, etc. — use it. Always stick to a consistent design language. Your visitors will spend less time trying to figure out how you’re expressing something. Furthermore, they will spend more time absorbing what you’re saying.
Decide on your three tiers of relevance: fundamental importance, secondary importance, and then further detail.
Your headlines and above-the-fold space should emphasize the relevance of the content. After that, take a look at the rest of your page. Organize it so that someone scanning it can quickly see what they need.
