As an entrepreneur, you know it’s essential to have a great website. In most cases, your website is the customer’s first impression of your company.
That means creating a site that is responsive, stylish and reflects your brand. Get that right, and you’re well on your way to a thriving business.
We understand the power of great website design. That’s why we’re providing you with the top five tips for building a great website.
1. You must buy a domain name.
While this should be a given, we don’t want to overlook the obvious. Every major brand owns its domain, and your business should be no different.
Since this is simple, let’s move on to more pressing matters.
2. It must be responsive.
Customers expect a website that loads fast and is responsive to mobile devices. It’s not enough to have a fancy website for desktop users. It must be responsive to mobile users as well.
Current statistics show that mobile users have surpassed desktop users for internet access. If your site isn’t responsive to mobile, you’ve already lost half of your market.
Your brand must come across to all visitors. And that means your website must be set up for mobile devices.
Luckily, most website builders now come with responsive design, built-in. Although, some are better than others.
Here are a few great responsive web builders:
- Squarespace
- WordPress
- Ukit
- Wix
Some of these names you know, some you may not. See what works best for you.
3. Your site must load fast.
Did you know that after three seconds, conversions go down by 10% for each second? If your site loads in five seconds, you’ve already lost 20% of your conversions.
No business wants that. So make sure that you design a site that loads fast. Here are some ways you can keep your site free of lag:
- Use smaller pictures
- Reduce the clutter (less is more)
- Consider your hosting plan (shared host versus VPS)
The major difference between shared hosting and VPS is that a shared hosting plan shares a server. While this is fine for a low-traffic site, it may not work for bigger brands.
It’s something to consider for the future of your business when choosing a hosting plan.
4. Minimal designs with a great color palette can pop.
People (and businesses) tend to overcomplicate things. Keep it simple! Some major brands have simple, minimalistic designs. If it works for big brands, it can work for you.
Great ways to go minimal include:
- Taking time on your copy. Make it short, clear, and punchy.
- Consider building a wireframe first. Would you build a house without blueprints?
- Use pictures to tell the story (remember, not too big).
- Browse around some of your favorite brands and incorporate what you see.
Minimalistic doesn’t mean bare. It means that every piece of copy has a purpose. Here are some great examples:
These website uses very little text to explain its brand. Instead, the images do the talking. The result is a well-represented brand.
If you need help with designing a minimalistic site, talk to a web design company.
5. Communicate your brand’s message and speak to your customers.
People have started to follow brands like they follow celebrities. That’s good news for entrepreneurs—provided you have the right messaging.
Many websites fall into the trap of stating who they are, not what they do. Consumers want to identify with a brand, whether it’s a marketing company or an e-commerce store. That means you need to have a compelling brand story that communicates your values.
The rest of your website should talk to the customer as if they were right in front of you. After all, websites are a virtual storefront. Speak to your customer’s wants and needs, and your brand will become binge-worthy.
All Great Sites Have Something in Common
While all sites are different, the good ones incorporate most of these elements. Considering design ideas for your startup, small business, or e-commerce store? CrucianPoint is ready to partner with you to build your website.