A LITTLE BIT OF WEB DESIGN MAGIC

A great website is generally recognised as an essential part of any business and one that should get the attention it deserves. At i-webdesigner, we consistently see how good web design delivers excellent results for businesses. By consistently applying marketing and design essentials, we can work magic on our clients' websites.

Now you too can share in that magic and stop wasting money on ineffective marketing.

  WHERE DOES THE MAGIC COME FROM?

Our experience with many customers over several years shows us that, if you are looking for that little bit of magic, there are a few essential things you should be looking for. We have identified the ten most important.

  Stunning Looks

The emotional value of "good-looking" and visually appealing web design has been demonstrated again and again. If you don't believe us, just check out your favourite sites and the reasons you enjoy them. Visitors who are impressed with your visual content will be more likely to stay on the site and will give it higher marks for integrity and the quality of the messages you display. They are also more likely to share it with their friends.

  Customer Driven

If your website is built with your customer's experience in mind and asks the question "why are they here to begin with?", "what questions do you hope to answer?", "how do you find them?", then you have taken the important step of recognising that it is their perspective that matters. The more you can anticipate their needs and deliver the right answers, the more successful you will be. Done correctly, you can provide them with the right information almost before they realise they need it.

High Quality Content

Visitors love an easy to read, well-told story and so do the Search Engines. Quality content is vital to your marketing efforts as it attracts the right target market and shows what problems your business solves and how you solve them. High-quality content demonstrates authority and integrity. Visitors are more likely to purchase from businesses that invest the time and effort into sharing their message in an intelligent and appealing way.

Mobile First

With more than 50% of first time searches now being conducted on smart phones and tablets, you need to be sure that your visitor has a great experience on these devices too. Responsive designs or even separate mobile sites ensure your visitor gets the right impression once they find you.

  Clear Calls to Action

We often speak to businesses who complain that their websites don't provide leads or conversions. A common reason for this is the lack of clear calls to action. And we don't just mean the inclusion of a telephone number or "Buy Now" buttons. Calls to action engage your customer and guide them down the path to conversion. Smart websites feed your visitor with the information they need to take the choices you want them to make and they encourage them to take the next step. On your mobile website, this effort should be even more concentrated as your client will be looking for this basic information even quicker and more succinctly.

  Easy to Use and Update

Underlying each great web site is great structure. Good designers will give you a content management system that allows you to add content, correct errors and update content to keep your users experience fresh and interesting. Look for a CMS that allows you to simply edit content, gives you quick load times, is SEO-ready, used by a large community of users and which is actively supported by your web developers.

  Impress in Seconds

Studies show you only have a precious few moments to wow the visitor to your website and to convey who you are, what you do, who you do it for, and why. The average website visitor spends seven seconds or less on the great majority of the websites he or she visits. This is why you need your images, video, logo-design, tagline and the initial sentences of your content to grab your visitor and to be clear and full of impact. Your headline message needs to be a compelling version of you core marketing message to let your visitor know exactly what you stand for.

Creates Results

It's vital to know who your visitors are, where they come from and what they do on your site. Knowing this allows you to track changes and work out which items work for you and which ones don't. It also allows you to accurately measure your marketing spend, evaluate the success of any improvements or modifications in your web design or online marketing and, ultimately, to measure the underlying success of your website. Any good website designer will be able to assist you with tracking your conversions.

  A Clear Strategy

Businesses often don't understand that their websites are just one part of their marketing strategy online. Just having a presence will not guarantee you sales. For best results, your site should sit at the centre of your efforts to broadcast your content, attract search traffic and turn visitors into customers.

  Your Web Designer

A great web design company will be your partner in success. You don't have to know how to write, install and manage everything for yourself, but a good designer will. They will save you time, effort and money in the long term. Ask them how they will work with you to develop and implement your ideas and how they will support you in the long-term.