One of the classic mistakes in web design (or any creative endeavor) is being so close to a project that you miss the forest for the trees. It’s a particularly easy to fall into that trap when you’re distracted by so many apps, layouts, and options you lose sight of what buyers really want from your website and business.
The answer, more often than not, is to take a step back from time to time throughout the creative process and look at your new web design the way a customer would. Usually, that involves asking yourself a handful of basic questions…
Is Your Website Frustrating to Use?
Before a customer will even interact with your website, they have to wait for it to load and display. If your hosting package is slow, you have errors in your coding, or your web design isn’t responsive, your site might take a while to appear (or fail to display at all).
Most experts think you have around three seconds to impress a first-time visitor to your website before they take their business and attention elsewhere. Make sure your site isn’t causing them frustrations and costing you sales.
What Does Your Business Actually do?
It should be easy to tell, at first glance, what your business does and what kind of customer it was created for. If there is any ambiguity about your business type, purpose, or location, a searcher can simply go back to Google and find the next result.
It’s easy to outsmart yourself when it comes to web design and copywriting. There isn’t anything wrong with being clever or differentiating your company from the competition, but make sure customers can actually figure out what you have to offer.
Are There Clear Choices for Searchers?
In most cases, a potential customer or client isn’t going to find all the information they need on your website’s home page. For that reason, clear navigation is important for maintaining interest in generating conversions.
Don’t hide menu links or stack too many topics on any single page. Make sure you have a search bar somewhere on your website if you have lots of content or sub-pages. You want to make it as easy as you can for a buyer to find the product, resource, or answer they need.
Does Your Business Seem Credible?
It’s hard enough to win a customer when they are literally standing in front of you. When they are visiting your website for the first time, they may be feeling especially skeptical that you can provide what they want, or that they’re safe sharing things like email addresses and financial details with you.
It’s crucial your company come off as being credible and professional. That starts with having the right look and text that’s free of obvious typos and grammatical errors. It also means your about page should outline your competitive strengths, and that you should have endorsements from real customers, the Better Business Bureau, or professional agencies displayed prominently.
Are You Thinking Like a Customer?
Custom web development, plugins, and unique layouts are all important to perfecting your web presence. However, they don’t mean much if you can’t find the right answers to the questions we’ve laid out here. In other words, if you can’t look at your website like a customer, then you’re going to have a hard time helping your creative team to give you what you really need.