12 May, 2022 | Website Design Company

9 Noteworthy designing tips from top web designers

Website designing is purely knowledge mixed with art and creativity. When web development solely works on logics, web designing lets you bring traction of people towards your business. As soon as the visitors lend to your site, you have to offer them something pleasing that can make them stay for longer than usual. Further, you can share information about your brand and the change that your products and services can bring to their life. Due to the reduced attention span of customers, you have a massive responsibility on your shoulders. If you are building your website on your own, you have double roles to handle viz: web developer and website designer. The layout of each of your web page designs can make or break the deal. If you aren’t able to gain the business from your website, there’s nothing wrong with your idea or product, but it’s the designing issues. Every business is unique in its way, and you have to sell that USP precisely. There can be several reasons for failure, but there is always scope to improve. In this blog, we will be talking about the design-related failures that you can audit with your site. Here, we are sharing noteworthy tips from top web designers that can be a lot helpful for you in optimizing your web page design.

Understand the utility of visual hierarchy

The concept of visual hierarchy talks about the pattern in which our mind reads or scans the content. It includes everything about the typography, media elements, graphics, white space. For updating the content of the web page design, you can follow ‘F pattern’, ‘Z pattern’, zigzag as well as Gutenberg diagram. You may be unaware of the importance of colour psychology for building a brand. The understanding of all these details will not help you improve the layout of your website, but it will guide you in creating complementing graphics for your website. Leveraging your knowledge, you will know the sections, where you must add CTAs on your website to improve user- interaction.

Visual Cues

Even if you are sharing quality content and have the sellable copy, you need to bring the attention of the customer to read it. Visual cues are capable of redirecting the attention of customers toward the action that you want to be taken. To make your content visually appealing, you can use:

Human faces: The human faces are known to connect the customers on a personal level. We likely gaze at human faces more than content, because it creates the perception in the mind that product is exclusively made for you. You can add the actionable human faces like ones indicating somewhere or thinking about something for bringing the visitor’s line of sight.

When you are adding testimonials, images are known to build the trust of visitors. Like Espresso, you can add the emotions of your product with alluring and relatable visuals. This is undoubtedly one of the best ways of delivering the message of your brand.

Arrows: Unlike images, arrows give the direct signal towards the action. Mostly, you can use them for form filling pages or checkout pages. The directional arrows help you manage the flow of the content and that of the steps that users must take on your site to turn to the customer.

Make wise use of “above the fold” section:

Let me tell you that the “above the fold” section is the primary section of your website’s landing page before they scroll. Upto the first scroll, you must be very cautious about the content that you are putting on your site. It will create the first impression of your business in the eyes of your visitor. If it’s appealing enough to excite users to know more, they will scroll through the page; else they will simply leave your site. That’s why you need to be very cautious about what you put in this section of your website. Most of the businesses opt for a slider in the first half, but that’s not compulsory. The content and look of the section typically depend upon your business niche. You can add catchy keyword-rich headlines and subheading with an appropriate CTA. For ecommerce sites, mentioning the category pages will be much more beneficial. It’s good to follow the trend, but keep the industry standards in your mind as well. With better understanding about your target audience, you can use your “above the fold” section more righteously.

Don’t worry about the white space

The white space on your site is like oxygen for the design layout. It’s a common misconception that more stuff you will add on your site, more options you will offer to your customers. On average, your website must have 65-70% of white space on your website. Try to keep the layout, simple, sober, yet catchy. White space improves the visibility of the important content on your site and lets you bring attention to your visitors on CTAs. The complex designs can be beautiful, but simpler ones are easier to understand. Your goal is not to test the understanding of the experts, but to make things acceptable for users. Don’t play with the vision of the user, rather try to imbibe the vision of your business in your designs.

Ease user navigation

Navigation starts with the menu display pattern of your site. You can seek for the different options depending upon the theme you are using. Keep your navigations straightforward. You must follow the standard patterns or something that’s often known to improve the functionality. Horizontal navigation section in the header is often used. You can use the hamburger style option, as it comes in the mobile site. You can keep your header static to let your visitors easily navigate through the site. By including the breadcrumbs above the page and post title, you can improve the understanding of the visitors about the path they chose. Leveraging this feature, people can interact with other content of that category on your site.

Don’t trick with the core code:

When you start tweaking the design and layout of your website, you will get an understanding of basic HTML and CSS. You can try finding some of the tricks that are available online, to experiment something, but don’t forget to take a backup beforehand. We understand that you are excited to try something new and improve the usability of different options, but don’t play with the core code of your theme unless you know it well. With variations in the core code, you will make all significant changes on the website if that goes wrong, you will not be able to revert.

Responsiveness over mobile-friendliness

The theme that you have used to build your site may or may not be responsive, but you have to convert it to one. Earlier, mobile-friendliness of the theme was the only concern, as people used to surf via desktop devices or smartphones. But, now there is a huge variety of devices with different screen sizes; that’s why you are compelled to make your website responsive. Mobile-friendliness of the theme can help your site rank well on mobile devices, but responsive designs will enhance user experience across all the devices. Care to optimize the graphics and other media elements of your site.

Don’t forget social shares and follow buttons

Websites help you increase the interaction with users as well as among them. To improve the network and build the community around your business, you must add social sharing and follow buttons on your site. By doing so, you are opening a channel to connect with your customers other than your website. When people follow you on different channels, you can keep them updated about your new launches. In this way, you can keep the interaction going without waiting for people to come to your site. By the promotion of your products and services across the channels, you will gain more traction for your business. Let’s say, your static website; then you can add social sharing on the blog section. People won’t mind sharing your content if they find it usable for others.

Remove the clutter

Too much content and even the media elements can distract your visitors. Remove the unwanted stuff not only from the website but also from the backend of your site. It will unnecessarily increase the load on the server and slow down the performance of your site. You need to look for prototypes to reduce visual complexity. Along with the clutter elimination, you need to optimize media elements of your website. In this way, you will add space to your database. Further, it will improve the loading speed of your site. The design of your web page must be appealing, but it should own the power of bringing leads and converting it to sales. With all these tips and tricks, you can improve the overall performance of your website. If you want to add advanced functionalities to your business, we recommend to connect with professional web designers to help you through this.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What design elements find most effective in creating a user-friendly website?

When it comes to creating a user-friendly website, there are a number of design elements that are most effective. These include clear and easy-to-read typography, a simple and intuitive navigation structure, fast loading times, consistent branding and messaging, high-quality imagery and video, responsive design for mobile devices, easy-to-use forms and CTAs, and plenty of whitespace to give the user's eye a break. In addition, utilizing user-centered design principles, such as conducting user research and A/B testing, can help ensure that your website is truly optimized for the user's needs and preferences.

2. What is the design process when starting a new website project?

The design process for a new website project usually involves several key stages. These may include research and planning, wireframing and mockups, graphic design, and development. During the research and planning phase, it's important to identify the needs of the target audience and define the objectives of the website. Wireframing and mockups can help to visualize how the website will look and function. Graphic design involves creating visuals and the overall look and feel of the site. Finally, development involves coding and building the site itself. Throughout the entire process, it's important to test and iterate to ensure that the website meets the client's requirements and functions correctly.

3. What are the most important design trends to stay on top of in the UK market?

One of the most important design trends to stay on top of in the UK market is minimalism. Clean, simple designs with ample whitespace are very popular in the UK. Another important trend is responsive design since most users browse the internet on their phones. Lastly, eco-friendliness is gaining traction in the UK, so sustainable designs and products are becoming more and more popular. Make sure to incorporate these design trends into your work to stay relevant in the UK market.

4. What role does accessibility play in the design process for UK web designers?

Accessibility is a crucial factor in the design process for UK web designers. In fact, it's a legal requirement under the Equality Act of 2010 that websites should be accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. Therefore, UK web designers must consider factors like color contrast, screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and text resizing options when designing websites. By creating accessible designs, designers can help ensure that all users can access and interact with websites, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. This not only makes the web more inclusive but can also have positive impacts on user experience and search engine optimization.

5. what sets a truly exceptional web design apart from a mediocre one?

A truly exceptional web design should have a clear and compelling message or purpose that is immediately apparent to the viewer. It should also have a user-friendly layout and navigation that allows for easy access to content. Additionally, a great web design should incorporate visually appealing graphics and typography that are in line with the brand's aesthetic. Functionality and responsiveness across all devices, as well as the use of modern technologies, are also key factors in setting a web design apart from a mediocre one. Finally, a great web design should be able to effectively communicate the brand's message and values to its target audience.

Written by Mike

Mike is a Graphic Designer at WEDOWEBAPPS. Having demonstrated experience in UI/UX graphic designs, his work is well appreciated by clients. He enjoys exploring different design trends and designing research for different projects.