Websites are indispensible these days. Companies rely on the Internet to explain and promote their businesses. Informed and persuaded web visitors become customers, and the best way to convert them is good web design.
Functionality trumps beauty, but why not have both? Use these suggestions in your online strategic marketing to improve your company’s online presence.
Be Clear and Concise. When there are too many kinds of jam at a roadside stand, people will more often stop, peruse, and buy nothing rather than decide between twenty options. The choice is easier, however, when there are only three options. The same principle applies to web design. Minimize content on the landing page to the essentials, and make sure it’s above the fold (so visitors don’t have to scroll down to get the goods). The layout should be intuitive—forget convoluted dropdowns and labyrinthine navigation. Include what you do, how to contact you, and a call to action (“work with us,” “buy now”) at the top. Then, add details below.
Look Good. Use color strategically. Start in grayscale, decide what needs to be emphasized, and add a few splashes. This will give your site a modern design without overwhelming visitors. Fonts should be consistent too. Decide which fonts best represent your company, add them to your style guide, and don’t use any others (especially Comic Sans). And make sure it’s big enough to easily read. If you have a lot of text, break it up and use white space to give readers’ eyes a break.
Make Them Pay Attention. The five-second rule isn’t just for dropped food; website visitors will judge your site within five seconds and decide whether or not to hang around. Grab their attention immediately. Include photos of happy people looking directly into the camera. Make images larger than life. And include your company’s logo in a prominent spot.
User experience is largely determined by how easily visitors can find the information they seek. Give them good content, and then worry about how it looks. If done right, your site will convert visitors into customers.
Via:
http://www.business2community.com/online-marketing/3-web-design-best-practices-to-improve-conversion-rates-01346959#v1QBvH4YWyC6zopB.97
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/web-design-tips