Your website’s design is integral to your business’s success. The perfect design will be modern and easy to navigate, and will avoid overloading potential customers with walls of text or a garish layout. Taking on board the following five points can help turn a mediocre website into something truly special.

screenshot - 5 essential web design tips
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Choose the Platform That Suits Your Skills

There are many options and web design trends to consider when determining the right platform for your website. If you are confident you can build the site yourself, understanding the differences between platforms and choosing the ideal one will be among your first tasks.

WordPress is a classic choice for people who are looking for a simple means of creating a website. It is extremely powerful, and is compatible with an impressive range of sites. Many of the busiest websites in the world run on WordPress, as it is capable of handling almost anything you can imagine throwing at it.

Similar to WordPress, Weebly is a user-friendly platform that makes light work of creating your website. It’s simple to use, drag-and-drop editing tools enable you to create a fantastic website without needing to know any HTML at all.

And then we have Squarespace, which provides a fantastic range of options to help you build your website. There is a learning curve due to rigid templates, so be prepared to invest a bit more time at the front end.

choose a photographer
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Invest in a Professional Photographer

Some people argue that not having photos as a part of your design is better than trying to work with bad photos. Hiring a professional photographer to take the photos you’ll be displaying on your website is an excellent idea. Even if what you’re selling isn’t tangible, you can use symbolism to display your brand’s ethos.

Having your products or services framed in the best possible light not only helps you stand out from your competition, it really gives your website a professional feel.

Sure, smartphone cameras are capable of producing some pretty impressive photos, but nothing compares to professionally taken images in a studio or with equipment on-site.

Don’t even think about “borrowing” photos online, as you can become embroiled in a range of problems sure to take your mind off your business.

However, if you do need to buy stock photos, make sure you purchase them from reliable sources. These will not only be high quality but also free from any legal restrictions.

Clear call to actions
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Keep Your CTAs Visible and Clear

CTA (call to action) buttons are arguably the most important aspect of your website. They convert leads, drive sales, and generate that all-important revenue that keeps your business trading. Having clear and visible CTA buttons helps your website maintain a high rate of conversion.

CTA buttons should never be in competition with the less important elements on your page. Always ensure that they stand out and are easily spotted. Ask a friend to view your website for a second opinion on the CTA’s prominence.

use social media
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Inject Your Brand Everywhere

Though it’s never been easier to make a logo online, there’s so much more to successful branding than just a memorable logo.

Your website is your means of ensuring that people view your brand exactly how you want it to be perceived. Injecting your brand everywhere can help to increase the value of your company.

Consistent visual elements are a must. This means everything from logos and colors to fonts and graphics. Consistency with your branding efforts helps you stand out from your competitors. Taking the time to create a solid brand identity boosts consumer perception and credibility.

mobile optimised
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Make Sure it’s Mobile-Optimized

These days, it’s estimated that most people browsing the internet are doing so on a mobile phone or tablet – after all, around 5 billion people around the world own cell phones.

Because of these stats, it could be beneficial to design your site for mobiles first.

Since phones aren’t as powerful as a desktop browser, make sure your site is optimized to load quickly, and that your web host handles all the traffic that visits.

View your website on a desktop computer, your cell phone, your friend’s cell phone, etc. to ensure it looks appropriate and your CTAs work as intended.