The Importance of an Appealing Website
1. Website Design plays a massive role in user’s attention.
Proving what we all suspected, the layout and design of a website is an essential factor to the success of a business.
If you didn’t know, now you do – 94% of potential clients/customers base their trust of a business on the design of the website.
If a visitor cannot scan and identify significant information promptly, the likeliness of them exiting your page to access someone else’s increases dramatically. As per research undertaken by Neilson Norman Group on ‘how users read the web’, it is evident that successful websites which have a scannable layout, increases reader usability and improves website browsing by 47%.
2. Annual update – A two year old website is too old
The fact is an outdated website is lowering a company’s chances for potential business.
With the constant tech improvements and the forever-changing web design, an updated website is becoming more and more essential for any business. As mentioned above visitors base their trust on the layout and design of a website.
To stay relevant your website needs to be up to date with coding changes, browser updates and SEO algorithms to ensure it is maximises its potential.
There is nothing worse than accessing a website which has a poor layout and no design elements to it.
3. SEO/SEM
For those who do not know SEO stands for search engine optimisation and it is one of the most prominent ways to expose a business’s website.
Each different search engine like, Google has their own algorithms which are constantly rating and ranking your website in the search. Not to mention constantly shifting.
Essentially, it is deciding which websites show on what Page – 1, 2, 3 and so on.
With 75% of users never scrolling past the first page of a search result, it is obvious that the aim of the game is to make page one, therefore your SEO has to be the best it can be.
If the search engine struggles to find your website then we can assure you, your potential clients/customers will too.
It is all about key words
From the title of the page to the meta description that is displayed under the hyper link. It is all these things that are being ranked by the search engine algorithms.
Programs such as Yoast allow you to edit your websites SEO.
4. Templates and there restrictions.
Website templates are often referred to as ‘An easy way out’. But have you actually spoken to someone who has created their own website?
Pre prepared templates now allow anyone to create a website with practically no coding knowledge creating a hard decision, to choose create your own or to hire a professional.
You must be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of both options.
Creating your own website
Advantages
Cheaper, not free. Most sites say for free but after a while they start to charge you a monthly rate which does increase.
It is easy to access and change things on the website as you please without having to charge someone at an hourly rate to do so.
Disadvantage
Coding helps appeal to SEO.
It’s not custom made or designed to your industry or business.
Perceived as easy – to use a template doesn’t eliminate the design factors that go into creating your own website.
Using a template can hinder the effect of your website as it no longer looks unique. It is not custom to your business or industry.
Most do it yourself website makers don’t allow;
- RRS feeds,
- videos or
- Links on your website.
Obviously obstructing the effect of your website and therefore the effect it has on your potential customers.
