Digital marketing is one of the most important aspects of any small business. It allows them to connect with customers online, build relationships with them, and generate sales. But to be successful with an online marketing strategy, it’s crucial to have a well-designed website. Here we’ll look at how web design influences your marketing efforts and which design elements have the most significant impact.
How Web Design Influences a Digital Marketing Plan
Better User Experience
A business website should be designed to provide visitors with the best possible user experience. For example, a website that takes forever to load and is difficult to navigate will result in a lot of visitors clicking away before they’ve had a chance to learn about your offerings. Visitors are also more likely to explore your site if it is visually appealing as well as functional.
The more time they spend on your site, the more likely they will become a lead or a customer. For example, studies have found that it only takes 50 milliseconds for a visitor to form an opinion about your website, and 55% of web visitors only spend 15 seconds on a web page before bouncing! Therefore, expert web development is your best chance at retaining users long enough for them to learn about your brand.
Higher Conversion Rates
A website designed with visitors in mind will significantly boost your conversion rates. Visitors are more likely to buy products or sign up for services on a site that is attractive and easy to navigate than one that isn’t.
If they can find information quickly and easily on how your products or services benefit them, they’ll be more inclined to spend their money on them. For instance, a series of case studies showed that a well-designed website could increase the conversion rate by up to 48%.
Better Branding and Credibility
A good site design helps attract customers and build a positive brand image. It also makes it easier for potential customers to find out more about your business if they look for you on Google or another search engine. It also helps build a positive image for your company and makes it easier for potential customers to find out more about you online. When customers know what your company represents, they’re more likely to do business with you.
A professional-looking website with a well-designed logo, tagline, and social media pages shows that your company is thriving. That kind of brand exposure is priceless, as it lends your business credibility that increases the trust of your prospects. In fact, research indicates that three-quarters of consumers judge a company’s credibility based on its site design.
More Traffic
A professionally-designed site that’s optimized for search engines will also bring you more traffic. Search engines are the best way to get your business in front of customers who are actively looking for products or services like yours.
The design elements that have the most significant impact on web search engine optimization include keyword-optimized content, metadata, and page structure. The benefits of getting more traffic are self-explanatory; more traffic means more leads and more sales for your business!
Clearer Messaging
A website that is designed well will help you communicate your company’s message to customers. Visitors shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time looking for what they need on your site or understanding how your product or service can benefit them.
A clean layout with concise text paired with a straightforward navigation structure and content hierarchy helps guide visitors to the information they’re looking for quickly and easily. As a result, they’ll easily understand what your company does, what sets you apart from competitors, and why they should become your customer.
Web Development Elements That Improve Your Digital Marketing Efforts
Now that we’ve discovered why web design can have such a profound impact on your marketing efforts, you might be wondering what design factors matter most when building your marketing plan. Here are some trending elements in 2022 that we find reaps the greatest benefits.
Mobile-Friendly Design
The number of cellphone users has been on the rise for a while, with mobile traffic making up more than half of worldwide web traffic. As a result, it’s a necessity that your website is optimized for mobile.
But people aren’t just browsing on their phones; they’re making purchases from it as well. Data from 2018 revealed that half of the e-commerce revenue in the United States is from mobile devices. In other words, if your company website isn’t phone-friendly, you’re losing out on a massive chunk of potential sales.
Data Visualizations
46% of web consumers say the aesthetics of a website influences their decision to make a purchase. To that end, it’s crucial to integrate lots of visual elements into your website.
One such method of adding more visual appeal to your website is to include data visualizations in the form of infographics, charts, and graphs. These images help you get your key messages across more effectively and make it easier for the customer to grasp the benefits of your products or services.
Site Interactivity
Another element of web development that boosts your marketing efforts is site interactivity. Interactivity can take many forms, including customer-created reviews, questionnaires, polls, and surveys. These features help you learn more about your customers’ needs and enhance the user experience at the same time!
Interactivity is also a great way to cultivate interest in your brand and generate leads. For instance, you can offer a free ebook on a topic that is related to the product or service you sell in exchange for the visitor’s email address.
Video Content
Speaking of visual content, people love videos, and the demand for them is rising steadily. In fact, over half of consumers desire more video content from brands they purchase from. It’s also a powerful way to promote your brand and help customers understand more about who you are and what you do.
Videos can be used on landing pages to introduce visitors to your company, as well as on social media sites. A simple “how-to” product demonstration is an effective way of showing customers how to use your product or service, and it can be a great way to build trust!
Fast Page Loading Time
A slow-loading website can be the demise of a brand. Statistics estimate that slow websites cause retailers to lose out on 2.6 billion dollars worth of sales every year. According to Akamai, a cybersecurity and cloud service company, even a one-second delay in loading time can cause your conversion rates to plummet by a whopping 70%. Don’t let your business become part of this statistic!
Page speed is also an essential factor that influences your website’s SEO power, which means that a slow website is less likely to rank well on Google. Professional web development can help improve your website’s page speed by minimizing images, streamlining the site’s HTML, and properly configuring the site’s infrastructure.
Expert Use of Color Theory
Since visual elements are such a vital element in high-converting websites, it should be no surprise that colors can profoundly impact how customers perceive your brand. Color studies show us that the hues you choose can influence people’s emotions and even their behavior. In fact, one study even found up to 90% of impulse purchases are driven by colors!
For example, red is a high-energy hue that creates a sense of urgency, which is why it is often used to promote limited-time offers. Meanwhile, blue is seen as professional color and can cultivate trust in your brand. Colors also influence how customers can greatly improve brand recognition.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the future of site design. If you want to improve your marketing efforts and keep up with the competition, you will significantly benefit from implementing AI tools to your website.
For example, chatbots effectively engage with visitors by providing answers to FAQs and even taking orders. Chatbots work 24/7, so they can provide faster customer service than any human representative could do at the same time. AI chatbots are more cost-efficient than hiring employees while continuously performing at high levels.
Accessibility and Inclusivity
Last but not least, accessibility is crucial for your marketing plans. As we covered earlier, your website should be able to work on any platform or device, including smartphones and tablets. But your website should also be accessible to those with blindness, deafness, mobility or cognitive limitations, and other disabilities.
Since over 15% of the world’s population has some type of disability, businesses stand to lose a substantial portion of income by not meeting the needs of the disabled. Four out of five people with a disability report having taken their business somewhere due to a website’s lack of accessibility. Proper web design takes accessibility into account by making it easy for visitors to navigate your site, regardless of their abilities.
As you can see, a well-designed website can have an enormous impact on your digital marketing efforts. Ready to take better advantage of the web to promote your business? Contact us at Anthem Software today, and we can discuss ways to optimize your website and grow your business!
