ost people are familiar with how quickly technology changes these days. Few, however, are aware of how important it is to keep your website up to date and in line with these changes. One might think it a monumental task to create a website that will not only hold the attention of the average reader, but actually encourage them to probe deeper, interacting with your website and finding out more about your business.
It may be challenging, but it is far from impossible. Here are our five tips on how to build a high performing website that will keep your readers engaged and bring in a much larger audience.
1. Know Your Audience
Knowing your audience will help you design and organize your website. Whether your clientele prefers a simple, clean look with minimal imagery and a wealth of informative text, or they prefer a highly creative, image heavy, interactive experience, you’ll want to structure your website accordingly.
If your target audience is varied, it’s always safe to go simple and professional. Your layout should be visibly appealing and easy on the eyes. The information should be easily accessible and clearly laid out. Any time a reader needs to navigate multiple pages to get a single piece of information, you’re more than likely to lose their attention.
2. Simple Navigation
Good websites make it easy to find information. Users want to know how to access relevant information quickly and efficiently. Whether the pages are simply organized and named in a way that is easy to follow, or the general flow will draw the reader into a clear direction, navigation matters.
Your most important information should never be further than a single click away from your main page. If users feel it is easy to locate information, they are far likelier to delve deeper into your website and uncover more information about your business.
3. Original Content
Content will always be a driving factor for site visits. Whether it is an increased presence on search engines, or simply recommendations from previous visitors, having exciting and original content is a surefire way to bring more people to your website.
4. Search Engine Optimization
There are many ways to increase views on your website, but they start with knowing what people are searching for. Keywords drive web results. Whether they are in your titles, tags, or the content in your site, keywords are what will increase your web presence.
If you can capitalize on the common keywords that people search for in relation to your business, you will increase your traffic exponentially.
5. User Experience
Pay attention to the items on your pages that might impact loading times. Graphics, animations, server speed and traffic volume are all going to play a part in how quickly your pages load.
Distribute the ‘heavy load’ content evenly across your pages so that users have the best possible experience throughout your entire website.
CONCLUSION
The sooner you can implement these design principles into your website, the sooner you will begin seeing more conversions and traffic. By providing your own unique design, content and layout, you naturally grow your search traffic, customer trust and ultimately, sales.