TOP 12 ELEMENTS THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR WEBSITE
When it comes to building a website, every web designer will have their own ideas. However, they all use a similar checklist.
Whenever you are designing a website these days, certain elements need to be considered, no matter how much you may want to avoid them.
Elements that should be included in your web design
WEBSITE SPACING AND READABILITY
Space is an important design tool given that it dictates the way that your written content is interacted with by users. Designers are starting to use space in various ways that were not employed decades ago. Some of the trends being used by more website designs these days include using more space, vast space, and increased spaces in between lines of text on a website.
One of the keys to spatial relationships is consistency in the text spacing. Similar spacing needs to be used for similar elements. There should be equal amounts of space between the lines in a paragraph. Space is also critical when focal points are created for users. An image or piece of text surround by white space appears more significant and larger compared to one that is crammed into a tighter or smaller location within the website design.
SIMPLE NAVIGATION DESIGN
Navigation must be easy to use and identify. It is also very important for navigation menus to be kept to a minimum so that users are not overwhelmed.
Your menu items should be located on the top part of the website and be easy to navigate and intuitive. For example, usually web pages that have parallel have directional arrows so that the website is more user-friendly. Users are much more likely to interact longer with a website that is easier to navigate through and use.
ABOUT US
Your About Us page should detail what you do and inform users are. The page can also discuss how the website came to be or outline company philosophies or goals. It can also include success stories or customer testimonials. The page can also act as a gateway to related pages or social media profiles. However, one of the most common problems that can occur with About Us pages is they have a tendency to get too wordy and long. You should instead keep your page simple and brief and provide information that users need instead of long essays that will just bore them Also ensure that your website design is interesting.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Usually, contact information is on the Contact Us page with additional information or in the header. Depending on your specific website design, various options can work. The key is to make your contact information visible on your website. Having information like a phone number and physical address to contact the website owner adds legitimacy to both the business and website. If this information is not provided introduces frustration and you can end up losing customers as a result.
CALL TO ACTION
A majority of websites that are designed these days are created to convert traffic into leads. To ensure that your website is performing well in this respect, it is essential for your website to have a strong call to action to steer users in the direction of certain activities. In order to help you better understand how to design your call to action, first determine what your website’s purpose is. Then get your website designed and the call to action so that it is obvious and motivates users to read even more. Certain techniques such as contrast and color can help to guide visitors in the direction of the right buttons. The sign-up form is one of the common calls to action. If it meets your purpose, place your sign-form in a place that is easy to see and make it prominent in size. Also, be sure that your sign-up form is easy and simple to fill out.
WEBSITE SEARCH FUNCTIONALITY
Have you ever attempted to find old content or information that you saw on a website? That is where a search feature comes into play. The tool is critical if your website contains a lot of information. Be sure your search box is created in an easy-to-use and unobtrusive way. Your search box needs to be large enough so that terms can be typed in on the website without being so intrusive that it takes away from the aesthetics of your website. If you decide that you want your search box to include an icon, usually a magnifying glass is sufficient to tell users what the intent of the search box is.
INFORMATIONAL FOOTER
The footer on your website is the way your audience is connected with a great deal of information that does not get in the way of your design. Give that a footer is located on the bottom of web pages, it is a logical place for context and links on your website, contact and company information, and small sitemaps. Kee your footer simple so that it is useful. If you decide o use a few buttons or a link-style design, your footer needs to be designed so that it matches your website but with a more minimalistic feeling. Always be sure that your footer is easy to use and clear.
STYLE OF BUTTONS
Your website’s buttons must be recognizable. No matter what their purpose or location is, they need to have the same shape and design effects. It can an overwhelming task to create different sets of buttons for websites that have many clickable items. In order to create elements that are consistent, consider using a design kit.
EXCELLENT WEBSITE PHOTOGRAPHY
Websites that have professional-looking images demonstrating their services or showing their product will frequently outperform websites that lack this element. When you are designing your website, be sure that stunning images are included that will draw visitors into your website deeper. Well-planned website photography and imagery can mean the difference between losing a prospect to a competitor or closing them.
WEB FONTS
There are two main reasons why web fonts are so important, licensing and compatibility. When you are ready to use web fonts, begin with Google Web Font. This service is free to element and offers a set of interesting and stunning typefaces that can be placed on your website without having to worry about any compatibility issues or spend a ton of money on licensing.
Final Thoughts
Effective website design involves many essential components, including the website design practices discussed above to ensure that your website is a more effective tool to engage and convert visitors into customers for your business.
