Like most things in life, website design is something that people think they
inherently understand and know how to do. And, just like the out of shape kid
who walks overly confidently onto a soccer field during freshman orientation,
business owners who attempt to design their own websites often do more harm to
themselves than good.
It’s understandable that you would think you know not only what good design
is, but how to build it yourself. You spend most of your day on the internet,
looking at different websites and dealing with different web-based tools! You
know what attracts you, therefore, you know how to build a site that attracts
others, right? Wrong.
Today’s professional site should walk the line between cookie cutter
corporate and super indie bootstrap
blog
from the first decade of the millennium. In other words, simply tossing up a
free WordPress template and inserting some stock photography into your content
isn’t going to get the job done anymore.
There are many--often incredibly subtle--elements to designing and styling a
website that only professionals and those well versed in marketing and design
know how to do. For example, you might see icons as simple graphics used to
“dress up” a page or infographic. In the world of design, says the
Avalaunch Media blog, when used properly,
icons tell a story.
Another good example is with fonts. You’ve probably heard plenty of jokes about
Comic Sans from your friends, but the truth is that choosing a font properly is
important. Font choice is not simply a matter of whether or not you like the
aesthetics of a font. Everything from the font’s width and size to whether or
not you use serifs conveys something about your company to the site reader.
There is a great video about the
history
of typography that explains how this came to be.
Even the colors you use are important. The influence of color on moods and
sales conversion has been proven. For example, in theater, experts warn against
using too much red in a set or lighting design. This is because the longer
people look at the color red, the more likely they are to become angry. With
marketing, the opposite is true: red calls attention to specific words or
spaces (but it is still a good idea to use the color sparingly). If you want to
increase your conversion rates, you need to cater your color choices to your
audience demographics. The only universal truth out there seems to be that
nobody
likes orange. The use of blues helps build trust.
It can take years to learn how to design for someone else’s tastes besides
your own. And remember, that is exactly what your company’s website is supposed
to be doing. Your professional site is not a means to convey your own personal
leanings or ideas. Your professional site is supposed to draw in other people.
This is why it is always a good idea to hire a professional to handle your
site’s design and web presence. Professionals have put in the time and effort
to learn how to convey your messages graphically so that they will be appealing
to your audience.
Of course, before you sign any contracts it is vitally important to “vet”
your potential designers. Remember, with today’s employment market consisting
more and more of freelancers, anybody can claim to be a site designer. Don’t
just look at the pretty screen caps on a designer’s portfolio site. Actually
contact those companies and see what they thought of your potential new hire.
Ask for mockups and ideas. And be prepared to pay for these services. The good
designers do not do business on fiverr.
In addition to what others have thought about your potential site designer,
how do you feel about this person? It’s important to hire someone with whom you
have a good rapport. This is important everywhere, but it is particularly
important with designers. You need to work with someone who can translate your
own personal language into their professional lingo so that your ideas and
needs are properly conveyed in all of those ones and zeroes.
It
might take time to find the right person or firm, but once you do, we promise:
your site will be all the better for that effort. Your conversion rates and
profit margins will thank you.