Design Concepts
Marketing Part 4: Website Design Concepts
There are a number of aspects of website design that should be addressed before making any firm decisions about how it will look, function and feel to the visitor. Although separate in focus, you need to integrate these aspects into the design and they should all complement rather than interfere with each other. This can apply to several of the design basics and a carefully planned design concept will consider this.
Load Speed
Online visitors do not like to have to wait for anything. The only thing that they have to do while they are waiting is to go somewhere else, or find something else to do. When trying to attract potential buyers to a product, the last thing you want to do is allow their attention to be diverted. A fast loading page is much more useful than a pretty-to-look-at but slow-to-load page from which impatient visitors will typically flee.
Aesthetic Appeal
Reaching that balance between exciting content and load speed is a delicate operation and may take some trial and error. Good-looking graphics are great to have, but if they interfere with the load speed of the page then they are having a negative effect overall. This is easily worked around however; many Flash design platforms provide free website design, offering spectacular visual content without costing an arm and a leg in bandwidth.
Functionality
It is of primary importance that a visitor can achieve what they expect to be able to whilst visiting your web page. Well-designed web pages should provide more than the visitor is expecting; this adds uniqueness to your site and offers the visitor an opportunity to tell others of the added functionality that they enjoyed at your site. Above all, if the visitor came to buy something, it is up to the website designer to ensure that this is extremely easy for them to do. This means including features such as automatic shipping cost calculators and shopping carts that allow the visitor plenty of options such as the ability to save a shopping cart and return (a good way to harvest an email address at this point). Website functionality needs to serve both the visitor and the website owner.
Ergonomics
If you ask an old-fashioned shopkeeper for good advice about the ergonomics of selling to customers, they might well say; “Don’t put your goods on a shelf that the customer can’t reach!” This advice is particularly relevant when considering the ergonomic design aspects of your web page. If you want the customer to buy something, the end of a long sales page must contain the button or link that allows them to buy the product right there and then. Requiring them to scroll back up the screen to find the “buy” button is a poor ergonomic design decision. Everything needs to be easy: Easy to find, easy to navigate to and from, easy to read or watch, and easy to buy.
Content
The written word, video media, and all other types of visual stimulation are what make a design coherent to the site visitor. When they arrive at your site, they expect a balanced approach, which allows them to enjoy media content, take in your branding or sales message, and be reliably informed of whatever it is they need to know about, hear or see. This is the only communication you have with the site visitor, so when you make a website, you should pay careful attention to the language and vocabulary used if you want to ensure that visitors get your message. Your message has to be effective because usually you only get one chance.
Make it possible and make it easy
Careful website construction, a little ingenuity and some originality is where the money is. It will be too late if the visitor is stranded like a castaway after viewing that last fun item on your landing page. Now is the time to call for action. Give them the means to navigate their way toward either a sale, or further contact. Building a website needs to include design concepts that include functionality, ergonomics and killer content. Make it possible and make it easy because there is nothing in between your website and the horizon – once a visitor leaves, they are no longer visible and, worse still, they cannot hear you call them back!
About the Author
Maria Free Website Builder I have been in the online marketing industry for over two years and love all things related to e-marketing,
writing for the web, SEO and SEM. I’ve been working for a large company that specializes in web design,
and love how dynamic this field is – I am constantly learning new strategies and concepts as the world of online marketing evolves.
I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others and hope to contribute valuable content to this community!
Architecture design Concept