Get More Clicks: Upgrade Your Website’s Design

Your website is your gateway to the world. Many business owners get it up and then forget about it. You should constantly be updating and adding content to your site. 

Below are five tips to upgrade your web site’s design:

Simplify

Deliver more with less. By de-cluttering your site, you force the user to look at the important content. Remove unnecessary components. Include only details which convey useful information. Place clean content on a white canvas. Think of Google’s home page as an example.

Have a clear header

The top of your site should be distinct from the rest of the site, and should be used for branding and navigation. Branding and navigation should be obvious to user. Your logo should be big, bold and clear.

Make navigation as clear as possible

Use a separate background and larger fonts for navigation sections. This is one of the most important features of your site. Keep it self-explanatory. Consider using easily-recognizable icons and drop-down screens in the navigation bar. Links within text is another helpful way to guide users, but make sure those links are a different color font (and possibly move or color change when hovering over text). A search feature is a must with larger sites.

Change layout

Use a central layout (as opposed to full-screen or left-aligned). Use only 2 columns (and never more than 3).

Update the look and feel

A Web 2.0 design uses rounded corners, gradients, drop-down shadows and reflections.  Use soft, pastels and neutral colors. The right colors help make your users “sticky”, as well as focus them on specific places. Using strong colors can distract users and pull their attention from other parts of your site. Gradients are great for blending the color into the white background.

Select a font which is consistent with your brand and messaging. Only bold headlines or those items which bear emphasis, and are necessary for attention. Also, use a footer which hyperlinks to site map, privacy page, and terms of use page.