While each web designer has their own strategy for creating a website, they all follow the same criteria. There are a few features that every website should (and almost always does!) have, regardless of how hard you try to avoid them.
These fundamental characteristics, from plenty of whitespace to clear calls-to-action, are what people anticipate when it comes to browsing a website with ease. Today, we’ll look at five components that should be prioritized on your website, as well as how to include them into your next website design project.
Simple Navigation
Navigation does not have to be difficult. It should be simple to recognize and utilize. It’s also crucial to reduce navigational options to a bare minimum so that consumers aren’t overwhelmed. Five to ten menu navigation elements are the upper limit of what you should strive for, depending on the sort of site.
Navigation also refers to the tools that assist users in navigating a website. For example, sites with parallax scrolling frequently incorporate directional arrows to make them more user-friendly. The easy it is for visitors to use and navigate your site, the more likely they are to stay on it for longer.
Make your website’s structure basic by using simple navigation. Users expect a few things from navigation: to know where they are on the site, to be able to return, and to be able to get instructions (if your site has an unusual or more complicated interface).
Contact Information
Contact information is usually found in one of two places: in the header / main navigation, or on a Contact Us page with a form or other details. Depending on the style of your site, either method can be effective.
The idea is to make it really clear. Having contact information for the website owner, such as a phone number, physical address, or contact form, lends credibility to your site and business. It can be aggravating for people who want to locate you but can’t since the information isn’t readily available on the site.
All static headers and/or footers should provide contact information. Include location details if you have an actual business address. Consider including a contact form so that visitors may send emails straight from the site.
About Us
Telling consumers who you are is extremely crucial for a small business or website owner. Users should be able to find out who you are and what you do on the “About Us” page. It might include information about the company’s philosophy or aims, as well as how the site came to be. Customer or user testimonials, as well as success stories, can be posted on this page. This sort of page can also act as a portal to other pages or even social media accounts.
One issue that frequently arises with About Us pages is that they become too lengthy and wordy. Maintain a basic page with just enough content to keep people engaged but not bored. Also, don’t forget to keep the design fresh.
Give your brand some personality by include an About Us page. Include photographs of your staff as well as a brief company biography.
Space
Because it governs everything—from flow to readability—space is one of the most essential design tools. Designers are starting to use space in ways that we didn’t see a decade ago on the internet. Larger gaps, larger spacing between lines of text, and an overall usage of free space are becoming more common in website designs.
Consistency in spacing is one of the most important spatial connections. Similar components should be spaced similarly. The amount of space between lines in a paragraph, as well as the amount of wrap around pictures, should be the same.
When it comes to providing a focus point for consumers, space is equally crucial. When an image or piece of text is surrounded by white space, it appears larger and more significant than when it is squeezed into a smaller or tighter spot in the design.
It’s also worth remembering that space isn’t always white. It might be a backdrop color or a texture, and it alludes to a lack of components.
Start with the most important features, such as navigation menus. Make sure that the pieces are structured in a way that allows for consistent spacing between them. Each button or phrase will stand out more clearly on its own as a result of this.
Call to Action
In most cases, a website serves as a gateway to a certain action, such as making a transaction, providing information, or collecting contact information. Calls to action must be obvious and forceful in order to elicit this response.
Determine what your site’s purpose is first. Then make it such that the activity is apparent and that users are directed to it. Color, contrast, and spacing may all be used to guide users to the “correct” buttons. A registration form is another frequent call to action. If this is your objective, make the form stand out by placing it in a prominent area and sizing it appropriately. Filling out the form should be easy and quick.
Make clear calls to action. It should be in a prominent location on the page, adjacent to the item it refers to. Buttons should have a different color and clearly state what you should do: Now is the time to buy, join, download, and sign up for free.