Marketing and business web design are certainly related, but they aren’t the same thing. It’s probably no surprise, then, that a lot of the business owners and executives that come to us have strong feelings about layouts and web technology, but aren’t sure what they need in terms of specifics on their pages.
Luckily, web design is part art and part science. If you know what you’re trying to accomplish, it’s largely a matter of choosing a visual scheme that works and then building everything to coincide with your online sales and marketing efforts.
To give you a sense of what we mean – and make it easier for you to get the website you need in 2015 – here are a few things marketing managers need to know about business web design:
Good Design = Visuals + Usability
You’re never going to have a great business website, or even a strong web design, without eye-catching visuals. Your site has to look good if you want it to impress visitors, and especially potential customers.
It’s not enough for your website to look great, however. That’s where usability comes into play. In addition to having a strong layout, your website should be easy to navigate, have lots of information that’s relevant to your most important prospects, and have features that are useful to those who might be thinking about doing business with you.
A powerful but poor-looking website will be ignored, and an online presence with fantastic design and low functionality is a waste of everyone’s time. Aim for the right combination of visuals and usability if you want to be profitable.
Functionality and Responsiveness Matter, Too
Did you know that roughly half of all Internet users access the web via mobile devices like smartphones and tablets? In spite of that fact, a lot of companies are ignoring the trend toward responsive designs, which display correctly on any screen or platform.
It goes without saying that having your pages be accessible to as many customers as possible is a good marketing strategy. At the same time, remember that some upgrades to your website (like custom programming, e-commerce, and online databases) can add to its functionality, making it more profitable for you and more convenient for your customers.
Usability and functionality go together. Make sure your website is the complete marketing tool it was meant to be, not just a collection of words and images.
Your Website Should Be Built for Inbound Marketing
The best websites are focused on inbound marketing, meaning that they are built to generate leads from qualified customers.
That starts with good search engine optimization and social media activity, of course, but also extends to compelling landing pages, targeted offers, and follow-up mechanisms that move prospects from one stage of your sales funnel to the next. If you don’t have those pieces in place, what is your website really for? Why invest any time or money into building one at all?
The bottom line on web design is you have to remember that your website isn’t just a piece of art, or even an online version of your company brochure. For it to be profitable and effective, it has to be an extension of your sales and marketing message, a tool that helps you find new customers and get them interested in what you have to offer.
Every day, the world of Internet marketing becomes a little more competitive. Is your company pulling away from the competition or watching them pass you by? Don’t miss out on this chance to meet with the eye9 creative team and get your free New Year’s account review. It might be the key to growing your business substantially in 2015.
