Design plays an essential part in the success of a website. It should look professional along with making it easy for visitors to find what they need within one to three clicks. The impact of a well-designed website is significant in terms of building trust and ultimately helps with generating leads and converting customers.
How can design help with converting visitors into paying customers? Here are 5 critical tips to get you started.
1. Know your Customers
Understanding your customer is the first right step in the design process. Look through the lens of your ideal customer, in other words, design from their point of view. For instance, the design should cater to their needs and enable them to find what they are looking for within a short amount of time. Let’s consider you are a shoe e-commerce store; it is vital to make a great impression with your product page. “The first impression is the last impression.” This phrase is 100% true in all ways. Statistics suggest that more than 66% of the traffic will leave the website without looking at its content if its design is dull and unattractive.
The product page should have all the essential components necessary to educate the visitor, such as access to the shipping and return policy and summary of the products along with having an accessible navigation system to allow them to explore the entire site. A clear-cut design can persuade the visitor to become an actual paying customer by creating a memorable experience.
2. Build Trust
Not only should the site be visually appealing, but the content should be relevant to the services or products being offered by the business. Typically, the visitor will allow at least 3- 5 seconds on whether they want to do business with the company. If they feel they have landed in the wrong place, then they will leave. Also, the content should be organized in a manner that flows with the design concepts enabling a good workflow for the end user. Eliminate unnecessary steps in finding answers and point them to what they are looking to obtain while visiting the site.
Another contributing factor, an SSL which is not isolated from designing but it is for security purpose. It is crucial as it alerts the visitor the site is trusted to conduct a momentary exchange. When a website does not have an SSL, most web browsers will display “not secure” frightening the user into leaving. Google uses SSL as a factor for site rankings, and safe sites will outrank those who do not have one. Simply, SSL gives your customer more than just a piece of mind; it protects them from fraudulent activity along with protecting the business reputation and integrity.
3. Mobile friendly formatting
Mobile-first design is a critical element of the modern website because most people use these devices for internet use. “Up to 70% of web traffic happens on a mobile device” (CIODive, 2018). Mobile friendly web design is not only a convenience feature; it is a primary one to increase the customer experience. A compatible, fast loading, and mobile-friendly website increase leads and will help you gain your target audience. “53% of mobile website visits are abandon if a mobile site takes longer than three seconds to load. For every one second delay in site load time, conversions fall by 12% (Google, 2018).
4. Addition of CATs
Call to action (CATs) are usually concise statements for what the visitor should do next. They play a vital role in grabbing the attention of the customers. Call to action (CAT) will guide your customer through your sales funnel or opt-in process. For example, subscribing to the newsletter or buying a product. A short yet persuasive CTA will nudge your customer to take the final step that the website is suggesting, thus increasing the conversion rate and converting them to paying customers. Including a CTA on your website should not just be added but well thought and strategically planned.
5. Consider Hiring a Web Design Expert
There are numerous DIY resources on building a website along with various templates. Designing a website can take time, which in most instances can take the focus away from running company. Unintentionally business neglect may be the outcome while building the site and getting it wrong in terms of building lead generations and converting more customers. There is a misconception related to the cost of hiring an expert, website design is affordable and should be seen as an investment in your business. Therefore, it is vital to understand the return on investment (ROI) when it comes to your site. Outsourcing your website design to a professional can yield favorable returns in terms of financials and gaining a competitive advantage.
A professional designer has all of the necessary tools under their belt to build an engaging site, especially for small businesses which level the playing field to compete with larger companies. As a result, it gives you as much creditability as larger entities. The goal of any website is to provide confidence in the services and products offered to the visitor. Understanding the philosophy behind colors, copy, and fonts can make a difference in creating an emotional connection with the end user. There is a significant difference between using website builders’ templates and custom designed website. A website builder template has its limitations in the types of media, documents, and images that can be uploaded. These limitations can increase your overall expenses. For example, not being able to scale your website as the company expands.
Remember, business is about people and impression matter; often your website may be the only interaction with the visitor, and if your site does not stand out then you may never get another chance to obtain them as a customer and lose them to another vendor. Over 90% of the customer’s first impression is designed related, and they form an opinion less than three seconds of landing on your site.
Lastly, the internet is ever changing. New technology and code emerge quite frequently; therefore, web design experts will assure you that your website performs with optimal success. They are knowledgeable about maintaining; offer updates to keep the site current and relevant to your industry, enabling you to stay ahead of the competition. Avoid gambling with potential customers by hiring a professional website designer, especially when creation is cost-effective.