Lots has been said and written about good web design in recent times. It is commonly stressed that beautiful website is just not enough. Web design tips written on numerous blogs across the Internet point that a very good website works when you sleep; it must be SEO optimized, have a clear navigation with easy access to any data visitors need and above all, it needs to have effective newsletter with cute opt-in form and a sort of free download in exchange for subscription. All that is true, but in my opinion, it is not enough to make a good web design.
To make a good profit through our website, we need to address to all the three levels of human behaviour and to interact with people. It may be compared to the situation when a man meets a woman for the first time in life. To make a good long-lasting relationship, they need much more than just a good look. They need to resonate on emotional and logical level as much as on spiritual one. Any incongruity in one of the three aspects of human existence leads to the widening gap of the misunderstaning and finally to the departure. How the rule apllies to a good web design?
Attracting Clients on the Emotional Level
Although the old adage says that we should not judge the book by its cover, the truth is that we do that.
Its because of the psychology of perception. We first see the thing and then we translate what we see into the meaning and into emotions. So if your website do not catch its visitiors eye and what people see do not raise their curiosity, they do not bother to learn more about your comapny or your services.
Visual factor of your web design must reflect the specific character of your personality and the key feature of your services.
So often we may encounter various life coaches websites that offer help people in their serious life problems. Not so rare fashion in the coaching service oriented web design are websites with sweet colours and graphic design resembling child like drawings or colour paper kid's work. Does this child-like graphic design conjures up the image of a professional help? Surely not if we think of the field of life coaching.
Avoid decorative typography
To make communication easier, avoid unnecessary decorative elements.
Above all the rule applies to typography. Too much decor in typography blurrs the actual message. It's like talking to somebody with a silver, stylish spoon in mouth. Although beautiful, it surely won't help pass message in a clear manner.
These are just a few basic, yet essential steps to make good impression on visitors to your website and make them feel well enough they would come back again in future.
Attracting Clients on the Logical Level
Stylish, elegant and well-suited to your profession web design should be followed by a high quality content, as there is nothing worse for the overall impact of your website on its visitiors than the poor content dressed in a beautiful design. It's like a pretty woman with an empty mind. You may have pleasure to look at her, but you avoid conversation not to get disappointed.
Clean, easy to navigate layout
A good website to communicate quality content should have clean web design and easy to navigate layout. The rule is often violated with too much animated elements, screens following the movement of a mouse that slip off the user's control. It's the first thing that make people leave a website that dances on their computer screen.
Even the best friend may be annoying when knocking at your door everyday
The idea of online marketing via newsletter subscriptions and mailing is highly promoted nowadays. As much as it helps in business, when used wrong, may do more harm than good. Imagine your best friend knocking each day at your door at the least expected moments. After some time, it would become annoying, isn't it?! So,
Do not send newsletters on an everyday basis to let people breath their own air.
Do not provide solutions and services that you are not able to manage
As a frequent online resources user, I have quite often met with situations, when website owners who provide newsletters do not respond to their subscribers' mails, even when they refer to the problems with the product or service purchase! When you fail to deal with this kind of issues, you surely do not attract your potential clients on a logical level. The worse becomes the thing, when you write clever tios on your blog on how to do great online marketing with superb newsletter and the good advice has nothing to do with your behaviour.
The quality content that really helps people to solve some of their problems resonates with them on a logical level. If people find a sort of help on your website, they will come back repeatedly without any special persuasion.
BUT REMEMBER!
When people detect your dishonesty, they never will come back to your website and never buy anything from you.
Attracting Clients on the Spiritual Level
You would be surprised to know how often it happens. When the combination of a quality design and quality content applied to your website makes the honest, true picture of you, your beliefs, your personality and things that really matter to you, then everything as if shines from your website. People sense your energy and feel deep inside if they may trust you or not. You and your clients make a sort of virtual, or telepatic connection. It is a wonderful connection that makes cooperation goes smoothly at the same time letting create really wonderful things.
Make a clear picture of you and your services with a custom web design suited to your personality, showing the power of your individuality.
I would love to learn what are the qualities of a good web design in your opinion. Share it with us in the comments below
Web Designer, Graphic Designer and Fine Art Photographer, advising small business owners on branding issues