It’s easy enough to pinpoint the things that annoy us about bad web design. Slow load times, wonky navigation, terrible distribution of content, difficulty in locating what we want to know. Sometimes it’s easier to say what not to do instead of what should be done.
However, it’s always best to focus on the positive. So, instead of listing ways that web design can go horribly, horribly wrong, let’s look at the benefits of good design. Here are seven reasons why good web design will always be in demand.
Makes The Best First Impression
A company website is the virtual home of the brand. Just like a literal home, it can be either off-putting from the first step, or welcoming.
Our first impressions are formed almost immediately. According to some research, it takes only about fifty milliseconds for a web visitor to form a first impression of the site. The majority of that impression will be dictated by the appearance of the site. Web design encompasses more than just visuals, of course, but the aesthetic and general layout is a big part of design. So good design is necessary for the best possible first impression, which filters down into engagement, as well.
Dictates The User Experience
User experience is a big factor in the success of a site. It’s so important, in fact, that Google has designed its SEO ranking analytics around a user-centric platform.
This includes loading time, how long it takes for interactivity to become available, and even the degree to which content shifts on the page as it loads.
Other factors that go into UX are navigation, clarity and value of content, and aesthetics — the colors, the layouts, and even the use of typography from your brand logo to your website in a way that both builds the brand and boosts the UX. Good design makes for a good user experience.
Lowers Bounce Rate
Bounce rate — it plagues us all. If a site isn’t loading swiftly or correctly, there’s a high likelihood that the visitor will just click right back out of there. Google suggests that site loading speed should be no more than three seconds — and web design is really in charge of that.
Through optimization and careful selection of where to distribute content, web design can keep loading speeds low and the bounce rate even lower.
Enhances Branding
Speaking of building the brand through excellent web design, this is another vital factor that indicates we’ll always be in need of designers. Good branding and good web design goes hand in hand; the way that a site is designed will either boost the credibility of the company or drag it down.
Good web design should include branded visuals, such as logos, to make sure that the site operates effectively as the home for the brand behind it.
Builds Trust In The Company Behind It
We all want to work with brands that are professional. It makes everyone’s job easier if the companies they buy from can be trusted to deliver on their promises.
But that trust requires time to build up. Web design can help from the very beginning by creating a feeling of trustworthiness, influencing the site visitor to feel, “Oh, okay. This looks legit.”
It may seem like a small start, but it’s powerful. Good design, excellent content, and even details like presentation and good grammar and spelling all promote the feeling of, “Yeah, I feel good about buying from this company.”
Creates Conversions With CTAs
Another part of the importance of content in the context of design is the call to action, the design aspect most likely to directly influence conversions.
CTAs can be included within the site content, on landing pages, in headlines, and as dedicated buttons alongside content, and they absolutely have a place in good web design.
Facilitates Communication
A final reason why good web design will always be in demand is how effective it is at facilitating communication between the brand that owns the site and the visitor.
Web design makes the important information easy to find. That could be the contact info, product details, or ways to engage. Whatever the goal of your company in interacting with clients and customers, great web design puts you closer to it.
Good communication, great UX, and the best possible first impression — it’s no wonder that web design is highly in demand now, and it’s easy to see that it will be sought after forever.
Author Bio
Jacob Davis lives in Rocky Mountains with his dog Malibu. He writes, makes music, and paints for a living. He has ghost written many projects for clients.
