Enhancing Sales with Responsive Web Design

Let’s find out how responsive web design can help businesses convert more leads and boost sales.

Enhanced User Experience

Responsive web design plays a pivotal role in providing users with an exceptional browsing experience, regardless of the device they use. When a website is responsive, it automatically adjusts its layout, content, and navigation to fit the specific screen size. This adaptability eliminates the need for users to zoom, scroll excessively, or struggle to find the desired information. This means that visitors are more likely to stay longer, engage with the content, and explore the products or services offered.

More importantly, a positive user experience fosters trust and credibility. Research shows that users are more inclined to interact with a brand that offers a seamless and user-friendly website. By considering responsive design principles, businesses can create a positive first impression, which increases the chances of converting visitors into leads and, ultimately, customers.

Search Engine Optimization

Responsive web design also impacts search engine optimization (SEO), because it enables businesses to maintain a single website with consistent content and URLs. Search engines, such as Google, prioritize responsive websites in their rankings because they provide a better user experience. When a website is responsive, it reduces bounce rates, improves dwell time, and enhances engagement metrics, all of which are essential factors for search engine algorithms.

Responsive design also eliminates the need for multiple versions of a website, such as separate mobile and desktop versions. This streamlines SEO efforts by consolidating link building, social sharing, and content development into a unified strategy. A responsive website also avoids the risk of duplicate content, which can negatively impact search rankings.

Improved Customer Engagement

Responsive web design promotes better customer engagement by catering to the diverse needs and preferences of users. When a website adapts to different devices, it ensures that visitors can easily access and interact with the content, regardless of whether they are using a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. This seamless experience encourages users to explore the website further, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

Responsive design enables businesses to implement effective call-to-action (CTA) strategies. By strategically placing CTAs that are easy to spot and interact with, businesses can guide users through the conversion funnel and boost sales. Whether it’s a subscription form, a purchase button, or a contact form, responsive design ensures that these elements are accessible and optimized for conversion on any device.

Adaptability to Evolving Technology

Responsive web design is not only beneficial for current devices and screen sizes but also ensures adaptability to emerging technologies. As technology continues to advance, new devices with varying screen sizes and resolutions are introduced to the market. By employing responsive design principles, businesses future-proof their websites, ensuring they remain functional and visually appealing on upcoming devices.

For example, the rise of wearable technology, such as smartwatches and augmented reality (AR) glasses, presents new opportunities for businesses to engage with their target audience. Responsive web design allows websites to seamlessly adapt to these devices, enabling users to access relevant information and make purchases conveniently. By staying ahead of the curve and embracing responsive design, businesses can establish themselves as forward-thinking and customer-centric, further enhancing their chances of capturing leads and driving sales.

Increased Mobile Usage and Sales

With the increasing dominance of mobile devices in the digital world, responsive web design has become even more critical for businesses. Mobile usage has surpassed desktop usage, and consumers are increasingly relying on their smartphones and tablets to research products, make purchases, and interact with brands.

A responsive website ensures that businesses can cater to this growing mobile audience effectively. By providing a seamless and optimized mobile experience, businesses can capture the attention of on-the-go users and provide them with a frictionless browsing and purchasing process. This mobile responsiveness not only enhances the user experience but also increases the chances of generating leads and driving sales.

Furthermore, responsive design allows for the implementation of mobile-specific features such as location-based services and click-to-call functionality. These features enable businesses to leverage mobile technology to their advantage, targeting users based on their geographical location and facilitating immediate communication. By capitalizing on the mobile-first approach facilitated by responsive web design, businesses can tap into the immense potential of the mobile market and achieve higher conversion rates.

Wrap-up

Responsive web design is an important factor when it comes to converting leads and boosting sales for businesses in the internet. By providing an enhanced user experience, responsive websites create positive impressions and establish credibility, leading to increased conversions.

Responsive design also positively impacts search engine optimization, as it improves engagement metrics and streamlines SEO efforts. The ability to engage customers effectively across various devices and provide seamless interactions allows businesses to drive sales and maximize their online potential.

In today’s competitive market, businesses cannot afford to overlook the importance of responsive web design. Embracing this design philosophy empowers businesses to cater to their audience’s needs, increase visibility on search engines, and ultimately convert more leads into paying customers.

The post How Responsive Web Design Can Help You Convert More Leads and Boost Sales appeared first on Creativ Digital.

However, as web designers, it’s easy to get caught up in the digital realm and forget the wealth of inspiration that lies beyond our screens.

If you’re a designer that’s struggling to find inspiration, read on because we have some tips on how we can find inspiration in the physical world to enhance our digital creations.

The Beauty of Nature

Nature has been a source of inspiration for artists throughout history, and web designers can tap into this abundant resource as well. The colors, textures, and patterns found in the natural world can spark creativity and bring a fresh perspective to our digital designs.

Whether it’s the vibrant hues of a sunset or the intricate details of a flower petal, nature offers endless possibilities for creating visually stunning websites.

Architectural Wonders

Architecture is another realm that holds immense inspiration for web designers. The fusion of form and function in architectural designs can inspire innovative layouts, typography choices, and overall aesthetics in web design.

From the clean lines of modern skyscrapers to the intricate details of historical monuments, architecture provides a vast array of ideas that can be adapted and translated into compelling digital experiences.

Art and Design Movements

Art and design movements from the past and present offer a rich tapestry of ideas that can be applied to web design. The minimalism of the Bauhaus movement, the bold colors of Pop Art, or the organic forms of Art Nouveau can all serve as starting points for designing websites that evoke specific moods or convey particular messages.

Exploring the works of influential artists and designers can unlock new possibilities and help us break free from conventional design patterns.

Cultural Heritage

Every culture has its unique traditions, symbols, and aesthetics. Drawing inspiration from different cultures can add depth and diversity to our web designs. By immersing ourselves in the art, architecture, and customs of various cultures, we can infuse our websites with a sense of authenticity and create experiences that resonate with a global audience.

Everyday Life and Experiences

The ordinary moments of everyday life can often hold unexpected inspiration. Paying attention to the world around us, observing the interactions between people, and capturing the essence of daily experiences can bring a touch of humanity to our web designs.

The joy of a child playing, the hustle and bustle of a busy marketplace, or the serenity of a quiet park, are moments that can inspire unique design elements that connect with users on a deeper level.

Typography and Calligraphy

Typography and calligraphy are powerful tools that can elevate the visual impact of a website. Exploring different typefaces, letterforms, and script styles can provide inspiration for creating unique and memorable typography designs. From elegant and ornate scripts to bold and modern sans-serif fonts, the world of typography offers endless possibilities for expressing the tone and personality of a website.

Look to traditional calligraphy, contemporary lettering artists, or even street signage for inspiration that can help shape your typography choices and arrangements.

Fashion and Textiles

The fashion industry is known for its creativity and ability to set trends. Drawing inspiration from fashion and textiles can inject a sense of style and flair into web design. Explore fashion magazines, runway shows, and textile patterns to discover color palettes, textures, and visual elements that can be translated into digital design.

From vibrant prints to elegant drapes, the world of fashion offers a wealth of inspiration for creating visually striking websites that are on-trend and visually appealing.

Music and Sound

Music and sound have a profound impact on our emotions and can inspire unique design approaches. By exploring different genres, musical instruments, and audio techniques, web designers can infuse their creations with a sense of rhythm, harmony, and mood.

Consider how musical rhythms can influence the flow of a website, or how the use of sound effects can enhance user interactions. Experimenting with audio-inspired visuals and incorporating audio elements into web design can create immersive and engaging experiences for users.

Final Thoughts

By venturing beyond the traditional boundaries of web design and exploring various artistic disciplines, we can unlock new possibilities and push the boundaries of our creativity. So, let’s continue to seek inspiration from the world around us and weave it into our digital designs, making the online landscape a more visually engaging and inspiring place for users to explore.

The post Web Design Unplugged: Finding Inspiration in the Digital Landscape appeared first on Creativ Digital.

Creating an Effective Landing Page

Read below to find the best practices for web designers to create highly effective landing pages that convert.

Define Your Goals and Objectives

Start by considering the purpose of your landing page. Are you trying to generate leads, promote a new product or service, or encourage visitors to sign up for a newsletter? Understanding this will help you create a design that is optimized for your specific goals.

Next, think about the specific action you want visitors to take when they arrive on your landing page. Do you want them to fill out a form, make a purchase, or download a free resource? Defining the desired action will help you create a clear and focused call-to-action (CTA) that encourages visitors to make the desired action.

It’s also important to consider the target audience for your landing page. Who are you trying to reach, and what are their needs and interests? Understanding your target audience will help you create a landing page design that resonates with them and encourages them to take action.

Once you have a clear understanding of your goals and objectives, you can begin to design your landing page with these objectives in mind. From the layout and color scheme to the copy and visuals, every element of your landing page should be designed to support your goals and objectives and provide a seamless user experience for your visitors.

Keep it Simple

Keeping your landing page design simple and focused is crucial to its success. When visitors arrive on your landing page, they should immediately understand what your offer is and what action they should take. A cluttered or confusing landing page can quickly turn visitors off and result in high bounce rates.

To create a simple and effective landing page, start by choosing a clean and uncluttered layout. Use plenty of white space to give your design room to breathe and make it easy for visitors to focus on your main message. Avoid using too many different fonts or colors, which can be distracting and confusing.

It’s also important to use clear and concise headlines, subheadings, and bullet points to break up your content and make it easy to read. Your copy should be focused on the main message you want to convey and should use simple language that is easy to understand.

Another key element of a simple and effective landing page design is fast loading times. Visitors are unlikely to wait for a slow-loading page, so make sure your landing page is optimized for speed. This can include compressing images, minimizing code, and using a fast hosting provider.

Use Attention-Grabbing Headlines

Crafting a compelling call-to-action (CTA) is one of the most important elements of an effective landing page. Your CTA is the specific action you want visitors to take, whether it’s filling out a form, making a purchase, or signing up for a newsletter. A well-designed CTA can make all the difference in whether or

Start by choosing clear and concise wording that clearly communicates the benefit of taking the desired action. Use action-oriented language, such as “Get started now” or “Join our community,” to create a sense of urgency and encourage visitors to take immediate action.

It’s also important to make your CTA stand out visually on the page. Use contrasting colors, bold fonts, and plenty of white space to draw the visitor’s eye to the CTA and make it easy to find. Consider placing the CTA above the fold, so visitors don’t have to scroll down to see it.

You should also consider the placement and frequency of CTAs on your landing page. While it’s important to have a clear and prominent CTA, you also don’t want to overwhelm visitors with too many CTAs that can be confusing and lead to decision fatigue. Consider placing the CTA in a prominent location on the page and including it multiple times throughout the content in strategic places, such as after a compelling benefit or testimonial.

Include Compelling Images

The images on your landing page are an important element in creating an effective design that captures the attention of your target audience. Images and videos can help convey your message and engage visitors, but they must be carefully chosen and used strategically to avoid overwhelming or distracting the visitor.

When selecting visuals for your landing page, it’s important to choose high-quality images and videos that are relevant to your offer and target audience. Avoid using generic or stock photos that don’t relate to your message or come across as inauthentic. Instead, use original images and videos that capture the essence of your brand and offer.

It is also important to consider the placement and size of your images and videos. Visuals that are too large or placed in distracting areas can detract from the message of your landing page. Use visuals to enhance the overall design and message of your page, drawing the visitor’s attention to your offer and encouraging them to take action.

Keep the Call-to-Action (CTA) Above the Fold

Mobile responsiveness is a critical factor in the success of any landing page. With the growing number of people accessing the internet on mobile devices, it’s essential to ensure that your landing page is optimized for all screen sizes, from desktop to mobile.

To create a mobile-responsive landing page, it’s important to use a responsive design that automatically adjusts the layout and content of your page to fit the screen size of the device being used. This can include using flexible images and text, using a simplified navigation menu, and optimizing the page loading time for mobile devices.

It’s also important to consider the placement and visibility of your call-to-action (CTA) on mobile devices. Ensure that the CTA is prominently displayed and easy to find, without requiring the user to scroll or zoom in to see it. Consider using a fixed CTA button that stays visible as the user scrolls down the page.

Use Social Proof

Social proof is a powerful tool for building trust and credibility with visitors to your landing page. By showcasing positive feedback from previous customers, you can demonstrate the value and quality of your product or service, and increase the likelihood of conversion.

One effective way to use social proof on your landing page is to include customer testimonials or reviews. These can be displayed in various formats, such as a carousel, a grid, or a single prominent quote. Ensure that the testimonials are genuine and relate to the specific offer on your landing page.

It’s important to note that not all social proof is created equal. To maximize the impact of social proof on your landing page, choose testimonials or endorsements that are relevant to your target audience and provide specific details about the benefits and results they have experienced. Generic or vague statements, such as “great product” or “amazing service,” are not as effective as testimonials that provide specific examples or metrics.

Test and Optimize

Testing and optimization are critical elements in creating a highly effective landing page. By continuously testing and optimizing different elements of your landing page, you can improve its performance, increase conversions, and maximize your return on investment.

One of the key areas to test and optimize is your call-to-action (CTA). Experiment with different text, colors, and placement of your CTA to determine what works best for your target audience. A/B testing, which involves testing two versions of the same landing page with one variable changed, can help you identify the most effective CTA.

You can also test and optimize the visual elements on your landing page, such as images and videos. Experiment with different sizes, formats, and placements of visuals to determine what works best for your target audience. It’s important to ensure that your visuals are high-quality and relevant to your offer.

Bottom Line

Creating highly effective landing pages requires a combination of design, copywriting, and marketing skills. By following these best practices for web designers, you can create landing pages that convert visitors into leads and customers.

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Additionally, it shortens development cycles, lowers costs, and enhances user experience in general. Automated tools that evaluate the code in accordance with predetermined quality standards and produce a report with numerical scores are one popular method for assessing code quality.

Reasons why code quality is important

The experience of the end user is ultimately improved by creating high-quality code. Consumers can better understand the security and dependability of the software or program they are using by concentrating on writing high-quality code.

It is essential to write high-quality code that works properly because poor quality code can have an impact on user experience and satisfaction. Low-quality code can lead to vulnerabilities that expose software to cybersecurity threats, leading to bugs, functionality problems, and a reduction in the software’s dependability.

Here are some of the reasons why you should take code quality seriously.

• Increases code readability: Readability is crucial because it increases other developers’ understanding rates. Easy to read code is also simple to make better.
• High-quality code is more sustainable because it can last for years.
• Developers can transfer high-quality code much more easily because they only need to make minor adjustments.
• The business can rely on the original, high-quality source code rather than incurring additional costs to rewrite subpar code.

Here are the lesser-known ways you can improve code

Here are a few suggestions for enhancing code quality and end-user satisfaction that you may not have considered.

Bug Bounty

An organization may reward independent security researchers or ethical hackers for finding and reporting security flaws in their software or systems through a bug bounty program, which is an example of crowdsourced security testing. Organizations can encourage security researchers to identify and report security flaws before they are exploited by attackers by rewarding them for vulnerabilities.

Programs that offer bug bounty can enhance code quality in a number of ways:

• Bug bounty programs encourage security researchers to look for vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems or software. A more secure product may result from more security testing being conducted and of higher quality.
• Encourage responsible disclosure: Bug bounty programs encourage security researchers to notify organizations of vulnerabilities rather than making them public or selling them illegally. Organizations can do this to address vulnerabilities before attackers take advantage of them.
• Give organizations feedback on the quality of the code: Security researchers who take part in bug bounty programs can give organizations advice on how to develop more secure code in the future.

Auto Generated Documentation

As part of an automated development pipeline, code comments and metadata are used to generate automatic documentation. Typically, HTML, PDF, or other formats of documentation are produced using tools like Javadoc, Doxygen, and Sphinx that parse code comments and metadata.

There are several ways that auto-generated documentation can enhance code quality:

• Auto-generated documentation can give developers clear, concise descriptions of code functionality, which makes it simpler for them to comprehend the code and its intended use.
• Better code organization: Auto-generated documentation makes it simpler for developers to navigate and maintain the codebase by offering a clear hierarchy of classes, methods, and functions.
• Consistency: Automated documentation can guarantee consistency throughout the codebase, lowering the possibility of mistakes and misunderstandings.
• Auto-generated documentation can be used as a quality control tool, assisting programmers in identifying mistakes and omissions in their metadata and code comments.

Coding Conventions

To encourage consistency and readability, code should be written and formatted according to coding conventions, which are a set of rules and standards. They frequently deal with things like documentation, formatting, code structure, and naming conventions.

Developers can enhance code quality and make their code simpler to read and understand by adhering to coding conventions, which makes maintenance and modification simpler. Additionally, they aid in ensuring code consistency throughout a project or organization, which facilitates code segment integration and collaboration.

Coding conventions typically require the following components:

• Variables, functions, and classes have naming conventions.
• Code block indentation and formatting.
• Whitespace and comments are used to increase readability.
• Handling exceptions, mistakes, and input/ output guidelines.

Quality Gates

Software must adhere to a set of checkpoints or requirements known as quality gates in order to advance to the next stage of development. They are frequently employed in software development procedures to guarantee the software’s quality and readiness for release.

Quality gates can be automated or manually implemented, and they are frequently used after acceptance testing, integration testing for units, or unit testing during the development process. Metrics like code coverage, code quality, functionality, performance, and security may be included.

Quality gates allow development teams to identify problems earlier in the development process, reducing rework, saving time, and guaranteeing that the finished software product complies with the necessary quality standards.

Smart Code Snippets

Pre-written code fragments known as “smart code snippets” or “live templates” can be added to a code file with placeholders for variables or user-defined inputs. By reducing the amount of repetitive or boilerplate code developers must write and by offering contextual awareness and intelligence, they are intended to assist developers in writing code more effectively and efficiently.

Regular code snippets are static files that can be added whenever necessary. They frequently include pre-written templates or code blocks that can be altered to fit a particular use case.

Smart code snippets, on the other hand, are dynamic and can change to fit the written code’s context. A smart code snippet, for instance, might automatically fill in common code constructs based on the context of the code or include placeholders for variables that must be defined.

Wrap Up

Teams looking to adopt a new viewpoint on their development process can start with the five lesser-known methods to enhance code quality discussed in this article. Any software development project must succeed in order to achieve high code quality.

There are many tried-and-true techniques and best practices for enhancing code quality, but there are also some unconventional ones that can be surprisingly successful. Teams can discover new ways to enhance code quality and create more dependable, effective, and secure software by taking a creative and open-minded approach to software development.

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When you want to set up your own website, Shopify is here to ease your website development project. This e-commerce platform allows business owners to create a personalised website that will match their company’s branding, voice, and position in the market. As of 2022, there are 121,802 Australian online stores using Shopify to conduct business. 

If you are considering being one of them, here are five web design tips to get more sales on Shopify: 

Choose the right theme

Choose the suitable theme for your brand when you want to make an impression. This is considered your Shopify store’s backbone, as it will be the first thing to be noticed when a user visits your page. Selecting a web design aligned with your brand will keep visitors engaged, increase traffic, and explore more on your store. 

Shopify offers free and paid themes, ranging from $100 to $180. Most of the elements–typography, colour palette, text sizes–packaged with these are customisable.

Include visual elements

What’s a website without visuals? Since it is an online store, customers cannot personally inspect the items they browse. An intelligent web design move is to include photos and videos to showcase your products online. Users can find these visuals helpful in checking what you offer. 

When including photos and videos, ensure only to upload high-quality ones. Display your items in the most fun and creative way, and show all angles for that “in-person” feel for your potential customers. 

Link your other platforms 

Another smart way to further increase your digital presence is to include your social media accounts in your Shopify web design. With this move, it leaves an impression that you want to connect more with your market. Simply do this by adding clickable logos into your layout that will redirect them to your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok pages. 

Improve load times

A user stays on a website for an average of 15 seconds. Make it count, and do not waste the chance by slow-loading times. In that 15 seconds, you should ensure that your website can showcase what your company offers. 

Improve your brand’s Shopify website by revamping the design or layout: compress image file sizes, avoid third-party themes, or manage widgets linked to your catalog. 

End with a striking CTA

A customer can be interested in a product or exploring your website, and you want to persuade him, even more, to stay longer and eventually place an order. This is where call-to-action plays its part; a simple yet striking finisher will send a sense of urgency or emotion to your visitors, making them click that “Checkout” button. Some may argue this does not do much, but it builds an impact on your website. 

CTAs differ depending on your product or service offerings. But generally, in online stores, CTAs include “Checkout Now”, “Follow for more”, or “Subscribe now!” at the end of a product description or blog post. These simple phrases usually convert visitors to customers due to their persuading tones and voice. 

Conclusion

To summarise, Shopify store owners must pay close attention to the layout of their websites, especially those who are just starting out. Building a store and hoping for the best is not enough. Having a website is only the first step toward success.

There are various strategies for different Shopify stores, depending on your business needs and market demand. It is important to make an informed decision as there are several e-commerce website development platforms and website developers to chooose from. At Creativ Digital, we make sure that our clients choose an effective open-source technology created specifically for e-commerce rather than just any old online shop. We understand how to use all of the Shopify store design best practises, and we can assist you with them.

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A well-designed website will allow its users to navigate efficiently, keep their users’ attention with appealing visuals, be speedy and responsive for a great experience.

Let’s quickly discuss the important role website design plays in your business.

The Role Of Web Design In A Digital Business

If you want to entice your target audience, make sure to invest in a powerful website design. You need it to attract potential customers and increase web marketing results.

To appeal to users, create a website with attractive graphics and content. In order to reduce 94% of user distrust, your site should have good design.

Web Design Mistakes To Avoid

It is important to plan out your website overhaul. If you make a mistake while doing it, then the results may be worse than before, and solving the problem will take even more time and expense.

To help you avoid mistakes in redesigning your site, I have come up with a list of major mistakes to avoid

Prioritizing Looks Over Functionality

Designing your site in a way that’s easy to navigate and has smart layouts is essential. Whether you want your site to appear as aesthetically pleasing or not is up to you; however, it is important that aesthetics and easy navigability intersect.

Your website’s functionality should be more important than anything else. It should have a good search feature and also be designed so that visitors can quickly find what they’re looking for.

Slow Page Loading Time

If your site is slow, you might lose visitors. Google reports that 53% of mobile website visitors leave a web page if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.

This mistake can impact your search engine rankings and create a tech problem if your page takes a long time to load. When designing a new website, make sure to include your developer in the optimization process.

The next step is to assess what technology to use if you want higher outputs in the shortest amount of time. Choosing your target audiences and dividing tasks among individual teams will help you decide which technologies to use.

Not Assessing Which Technology To Use

In some cases, the best choice for web development is a specific technology. If speed is a priority, React.js may be your best option; Django, on the other hand, may be best suited to help programmers use Python to create a website. In general, developers have more options since the creation of web technologies.

No Clear Targets

One common mistake is not knowing what your site needs or what you can do with a design upgrade. To succeed, you need to go through a website analysis.

You will get a clear picture of what your website needs to look like in the redesign with the Assessment, and can identify which areas need more attention.

When you hire a website design agency, they should have a rough strategy in place for your site before coming up with the design. The designs are always based on the ideas or requests of the client.

You may want to find a website that you can use as reference for your own site. This will describe what you would like the web designer to create for you.

Poor Mobile Experience

This is a big issue in the world of website design. The way that the client views your site from their mobile device makes a big difference in the impression they have of the design. People are now constantly connected.

Out of every two people, one is more likely to use their mobile browser than their desktop browser. The other 60%, or 3 people, is usually on a computer. Mobile-friendly sites are important because 40% of people have already left the webpage, searching for the best experience elsewhere.

57% of users will not recommend a business if they have a poorly designed mobile website. To make an impression that lasts, make your website responsive.

With more than 50% of your site’s traffic coming from mobile, a business needs to have a mobile-friendly presence. 67% of consumers prefer to purchase items from a website that has easy to navigate features, and is user-friendly on all devices.

Not Having an Accurate Budget

Trying to upgrade your website for free is a big mistake. You always have to pay for something. When businesses contact a web design company years ago, they don’t expect to pay the same amount of money as they do now.

It’s important to establish a realistic budget, because website redesign is all about integrating different features on the site, like animations and social media integrations. Websites can also help convert leads into customer sales.

Not Analyzing Your Site

If you have just taken your site up, you cannot just follow the good design practices but also need to analyze site for data analytics and KPIs. This way, you will know all your issues, things which are working as expected and missing scope of work on the site.

It is crucial to measure the data related to your website so that you can identify what has changed since the redesign. This will also help you compare data from before the change occurred.

Not Giving Designers Enough Time

Setting a deadline on new website design work will help ensure the process is not completed for a long period of time. However, you should avoid setting unrealistic deadlines as this will make it impossible to provide quality work.

There are many things to consider when redesigning your website. Approaching custom design might not be the best option if you don’t have ample time, because it will take just as long as a website with predefined templates.

Not Providing Contact Information

The business owner should place a clear contact button in their header with their official phone number.

Add a ‘Contact Us’ link to increase your scope by reducing clicks needed to find contact information and make it easy for customers to reach you online.

Provide options for getting in touch with you, such as submissions, email and phone contact. Responding quickly when people get in contact with you will maintain a strong relationship with your clients.

Unclear Brand Messaging 

Did you know that users form an opinion within .05 seconds of website loading? If they find that they cannot decide whether to visit your website or not, they will click the back button and leave.

This is why it is important to add your products or services together with some confidence-creating elements like industry affiliates, awards and testimonials in clear view.

Wrap Up

These are some of the most important mistakes you have to avoid during a website redesign. Escaping them will help you accomplish what you have strategized for the redesign.

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Websites that are not designed properly tend to perform poorly and experience sub-optimal Google Analytics metrics. This means they have high bounce-rates, low page visits and low conversion.

Basic Principles Of Effective Web Design

So what is good website design? Here are some of the principles that make a website aesthetically pleasing, easy to use, functional and engaging.

Purpose

Good web design caters to the need of the user. Are your guests looking for information, entertainment, interaction, or to transact business? Each of your web pages needs to have a clear purpose and to fulfill a specific need of your visitor in the most effective way possible.

Communication

Users of a website tend to want information quickly. They want to know what your website is all about and you need to be able to communicate this early from the get go.

Your information needs to be easy to read and digest. Some good practices include using a headline and sub-headline to make it easier for users to skim through relevant content and bullet points to help cut through the waffle.

Typography

Fonts like Sans Serif, Arial and Verdana are easier to read online. A good font size for easy online reading is 6px and stick to a maximum of 3 typefaces in a maximum of 3 point sizes to keep your design streamlined.

Colours

A well conceptualized colour pallet can go a long way. Complementing colours can create balance and harmony and contrasting colours makes it reading easier on the eye. Vibrant colours can create emotion and should be used sparingly such as call-to-action buttons. Lastly, white/negative space is an effective way to give your website an uncluttered and modern look.

Images

We all know that a picture can paint a thousand words so the right image can help with brand positioning and connecting with your target audience.

If you don’t have high quality photos, consider buying quality stock photos to make your website look professional. You can also use infographics, video and graphics to effectively communicate your message.

Navigation

Navigation is about how easy it is for users to take action when in your website. Some strategies include simple page hierarchy, bread crumbs, designing clickable buttons and following the 3-click rule which means users can find what they need within 3 clicks.

Grid-Based Layouts

Placing content anywhere in your website will give it a haphazard or cluttered look. Instead of a messy look, go for a grid-based layout where you arrange content into sections, columns and boxes that line up in a grid for a neater and balanced look.

F-Pattern Design

According to eye-tracking studies, users read websites using a “F” pattern. This means that what we see is the top and left side of the screen with the right side rarely seen.  Rather than force an unnatural flow, web designers need to design websites that work with the reader’s natural behavior and display information in order of importance.

Load Time

Websites that are slow to load slowly have high bounce rate. To make websites load faster include optimizing image sizes (size and scale), combining code into a central CSS or JavaScript file (this reduces HTTP requests) and minify HTML, CSS, JavaScript (compressed to speed up their load time).

Mobile Friendly

Websites aren’t just viewed on laptops and desktops. They are also viewed in mobile devices. More and more people are accessing websites through their smartphones and tablets. This means that web design has to be responsive so that they can be viewed by mobile devices.

Sydney Web Designers can give you a website that embraces these principles. Avail of our custom web development for your new website.  

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Design matters because it only takes 0.05 seconds for people to form an opinion about your website. Most of this opinion is influenced by the design. This means your design has a big impact on conversion and credibility. In short, design makes or breaks the success of your website.

No design is perfect and there are a lot of factors that go into designing a website. However, here are elements that you should prioritize today.

Minimize Text

A large block of text is intimidating to readers. Bloggers usually write long posts so there will be lots of content on a page. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about the number of words on your homepage. There should be a minimum number of text on your homepage.

Yes, you have a lot to say. You want to tell guests what your product does or how it benefits them. You just have to learn how to tell them in a brief and concise manner. The fewer sentences the better.

Show Them

Visuals don’t only help break-up text into readable pieces they also provide a deeper explanation of the text. Instead of telling visitors, show them. Images can help them understand more quickly.

Use Short Sentences

Short sentences are easy to read. They are also easier to understand.

Bombarding guests with text everywhere can make information seem intimidating. It also makes it harder to digest content. If you can’t help it, mix long sentences with shorter ones. Variety is good.

Use Short Paragraphs

If long sentences are harder to read and understand, the same is true for long paragraphs.

As a rule of thumb, a paragraph should only have 3-4 paragraphs. It’s okay to have longer paragraphs for other pages but always have short paragraphs for the homepage. With each paragraph write new information so that somebody who’s scrolling can get the gist immediately.

Make  CTA Obvious

CTAs should not be buried at the end of the post or website. They should be big, bold and powerful. According to TruConversion.com, only 47% of websites have a CTA button that can be found in 3 seconds. This is bad because you can’t drive conversions without an easy-to-spot CTA button.

Here’s another alarming statistic, 72% of websites don’t have a CTA on their interior pages. This means users have to go back to the homepage to click a CTA.

Simplify Navigation

It should be easy for visitors to find everything in your website. Poor navigation is one of the causes of high bounce rates. If people can’t find what they need immediately, they will go to a site that will give them what they need immediately.

There is simply too much competition out there. This is why users have no reason to put up complex website navigation. All they have to do is to find a site that gives them what they want.

When it comes to web design, don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Stick to the standard design. For instance, over 88% of websites have the menu placed on top of every page. If your menu is somewhere else, it can confuse your visitors.

Optimize For Mobile Devices

According to Alexa, over 80% of the top websites are optimized for mobile devices. This is because mobile browsing is the new normal. Mobile internet traffic has surpassed desktop traffic and the trend continues to rise.

Google also prioritizes websites that are mobile ready. This means better ranking for your website.

Prioritize SEO

93% of internet experiences start with the search engine. This means your SEO strategy should be more than just incorporating your keywords to your blog post. Failure to have a sound SEO strategy will put you at a disadvantage against your competitors.

A good SEO strategy should be part of your web design.

Not thinking about web design can be disastrous for your website. Your web design choice has a big impact on the success or failure of your website. Call a  Sydney Website Designer for an innovative and effective web design.

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However, a beautifully made website is useless if it can’t be found on Google. This is why SEO is important. It increases your SERPs which drives user traffic and gives you the opportunity of delighting your visitors with amazing web design and quality content.

This is why UX design and a solid SEO strategy go hand in hand. Both are indicators of your professionalism and credibility.

Here are some tips on how you can combine them for a better user experience online.

Implementing Web Design & SEO

Digital marketers know that a good online presence is needed if you want a strong marketing foundation. If the basic aspects of your site are poorly managed, you can’t expect web design or SEO to deliver amazing results.

Here are some key elements of web design:

• The old practice of stuffing domain names with a bunch of keywords doesn’t work anymore. It’s spammy and hurts the user experience.

Your goal is to make your domain name catchy and memorable. It should be relevant to your business, and easy to spell and pronounce. Make your brand a part of your domain too to ensure that it is easy to find.

• The right hosting provider is important because it impacts your speed, server performance, uptime, and downtime. These are important factors that Google uses to rank your site.
• You should also choose a CMS that is easy to use and manage. It should allow you to design your site however you want without the need for extra courses. Popular CMS options like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal can make your site user-friendly, integrate with social media easily, and have plenty of management tools available.

How Web Design Is Linked With Indexability

Do you know that Google crawls every page on your site before indexing it? This is why internal links are needed to make pages findable by search engines. Most importantly, you need to ensure that all internal links work.

Start by doing a simple Google search. For instance, the site: operator will help you see pages that are indexed. You can also check the robots.txt file (https//www.yourdomainname.com/robots.txt) to see what your site disallows.

You can speed up the process by using Screaming Frog or Google Search Console’s Index Status web crawlers.

Keywords & Meta tags

On-page SEO means optimizing individual pages of your website to rank higher. This means you need to do detailed keyword research and optimize your key page elements for said keywords.

• The title is the first thing searchers see in the SERPs. It should be catchy, creative, intriguing, and authentic. Watch your title length. It should not exceed 60 characters and should include keywords naturally.
• The meta description tells users what your site is all about. It’s limited to 160 characters so use it to entice searchers’ attention to get them to click.
• Headings boost the readability of your textual content to make it user-friendly. Use them to separate content into smaller chunks so that visitors will find it easier to access the information they need.
• Google cannot understand visual content. When indexing your images and infographics for visibility make sure that your alt text is clear in describing what your image is about.

Information Architecture & URL

1. www.yoursitename.com/services/content-marketing/audits    
2. www.yoursitename/s456/s2/80

We hope you use the first format.

A well-optimized URL tells the user what the page is all about and helps them find relevant information faster. Just like your tags and description, they provide a clearer context not only for users but for search engines as well.

Simplify Web Navigation

Navigation is not just about your menu bar. When used properly, it invites users to explore your website.

Web designers need to understand that creating a website means understanding the needs and expectations of customers and visitors. Just like in a physical store, good navigation should help users find what they’re looking for quickly. If it is an e-commerce store, good navigation should also make the buying process easier. If customers and guests need time to think about where to click, you need to improve navigation.

Impact Of Loading Speeds

Speed is a very important ranking factor not only for websites but for mobile devices too.

Loading time is important simply because it impacts user experience which can result in conversion or bounce rates. According to experts, users expect your website to load in 2 seconds. If it fails, they leave to go to your competitors. Therefore, high bounce rates result in lower leads and impact your SERPs ranking in the long run.

There are some things you can do to boost loading speeds such as: choosing the right hosting plan, removing auto-play content, reducing the number of plugins and popups, and investing in a reliable content delivery network (CDN).

Mobile-First

This is not only the era of the internet but of mobile devices as well. According to statistics up to 68% of Australians access the internet through their mobile phones. This figure is expected to go as high as 73% in 2021.

This means that your guest’s experience will determine if they will buy from you. Studies also suggest that up to 52% of mobile users will not make a purchase after a negative experience. Given this data, it is not surprising that Google is also making strides in helping to improve user satisfaction by providing users with relevant results. They have a Mobile-First index that crawls the mobile version of your website.

Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to find out if your website is mobile-friendly.

Wrap Up

Website design impacts your visitor’s impression of your brand and makes it feel professional and credible. Most of all it affects user experience and influences their engagement and purchasing decisions. Always remember that Google keeps this in mind when ranking you.

The post Everything Designers Should Know About Web Design & SEO appeared first on Creativ Digital.

5 Free WordPress Plugins For Developers

Check out our top 5 free WordPress plugins that can help improve your development process.

Developer

Developer is meant for developers to do better. However, Developer is not an end plugin but rather a master plugin that helps to optimize and setup your development environment.

After it is set-up, it asks users about what you’re developing – plugins, themes, etc. Depending on your selection, Developer will offer a list of useful plugins that you can activate in one click and help you work more efficiently.

For instance, WordPress developers will most likely be suggested with Theme Check Plugin.

You should use this plugin if you want to have a master page where you can activate/deactivate developer related plugins or if you’re a WordPress developer that needs and WordPress developer plugin. This will help to ensure that your environment and variables are correctly configured.

Debug Bar

Debug Bar adds a debugging menu to the admin bar. It shows helpful debugging info like those pertaining to query and cache. It also keeps track of MySQL queries as well as PHP error notices.

Use Debug Bar if you want a solution that makes it easier to find PHP notices, warnings and other queries.

Query Monitor

Query Monitor is also a debugging plugin for WordPress coders. However, it has more features compared to Debug Bar.

For instance, it lets you monitor all ongoing database queries as well as the rows affected. It also allows users to view rewrite rules, hooks fired on the current request, and PHP errors and warnings. Most of all, it is one of the few WordPress plugins that allow users to keep track of AJAX calls, REST API requests and redirects. Therefore if you’re working with WP REST API plugin, Query Monitor is very useful.

However, this plugin is overkill if you just need basic details about PHP errors and warnings.

StyleGuide

Customize fonts and colours in WordPress themes directly using StyleGuide. This is a good plugin if you want to change something appearance related but don’t want to dig too deeply into code.

StyleGuide can help you choose using Google Fonts and different character sets for customizing your website. You can also add support for additional themes.

Use this plugin if you need a simple solution for your site’s appearance.

Theme Check

Theme Check is probably a developer’s best friend. It is a popular plugin because it enables you to test WordPress themes according to the latest standards and practices.

Theme Check lets you review and verify that your WordPress theme meets guidelines before you submit it to the repository. This way you have a smaller chance of being rejected; while helping you to adhere to the highest coding practices.

Use this if you are a WordPress theme developer.

Have you tried any of these developer plugins? Do you have plugin suggestions? Tell us by leaving your comments below.

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