What do Consumers Look for in Web Design?

The way your website looks and functions is the single biggest contributing factor to your website's effectiveness as an Internet marketing tool. There is a lot of buzz right now about Internet marketing strategies. These strategies do have merit, but they can't compete with the benefits of a high quality website. Social media marketing strategies are effective because they help businesses engage with consumers and drive them to the company website. Advertisement campaigns through Google or Facebook, for example, can also be effective at driving traffic to the company website. However, if that website is poorly designed, consumers will simply click out of the site and start their search again.

The idea of Internet marketing is to get consumers to a company website. The website's responsibility, then, is to take the consumers that have landed on the home page and guide them through the content included on the various web pages. If your site is poorly designed, consumers will simply leave. The consumer, therefore, should be the main focus of all web design projects. When you create a website with the consumer in mind, you are more likely to create a functional and effective website.

Usability

The first thing consumers are interested in is the usability of your site. The pages contained within your website must communicate everything that a consumer needs to know about your company. Some businesses think that presenting consumers with "teaser" content is the best way to encourage consumers to contact the business directly. This is a misconception. Businesses that keep information hidden from consumers are perceived as untrustworthy. Instead, provide as much information to consumers as you can.

Professionalism

The professionalism of your website is also something that interests consumers. The average customer can tell immediately if he or she has stumbled upon a poorly designed and executed website. If your site is perceived to be the least bit unprofessional, consumers will assume that your company is likewise unprofessional.

Aesthetic Quality

It's also important to consider the aesthetic qualities of your site. Consumers are constantly bombarded with information on all sides. With an information overload, a consumer may begin making purchase decisions based on other senses such as sight. By using colors, design elements, lines, shapes, and fonts that appeal to a consumer's aesthetic sense, you will maximize the potential of your site.

The Unique Factor

There are billions of web pages on the Internet. These web pages are competing for the attention of the consumers that you need to turn into paying customers. Consumers like to see sites that are unique and different from the average website that is prevalent on the World Wide Web. Include an element that helps you stand apart from the crowd.

Additional Media

Finally, consumers like websites that have more than just words on a page. Content is important for search engine optimization, but the videos, images, and other media that you post to your website is what will encourage consumers to stick around and learn more about your company, products, and services.