It is no secret that engaging and accessible web design can set any business apart in an increasingly competitive market. A website that is able to inform customers and clients of what your business is about is at the center of developing a strong presence for any brand across social media. Therefore, you should choose a good web design company to create your website for you. If you live in Manchester, there are many good web design companies around. For example, Web design Manchester, focuses on creating high quality web designs for businesses based in Manchester.

It is undeniably important but just how essential a good web design is may come as a surprise.

Branding and Visibility

First up, business websites set the first impression to your audience and clientele about what your business is about, how it operates, and what the company offers in terms of its services. For example if your business is based on real estate services then you must hire a professional real estate website designer.

We have all come across websites that appear outdated and this can impact how businesses are perceived in the marketplace. A poor first impression can stifle our understanding or opinion of a brand. Despite some initial set-up fees, websites can act as excellent platforms for businesses to engage with their customer base.

There is a common misconception that web design is purely aesthetic but it holds a much greater function in terms of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy. SEO strategy can be confusing to navigate as a novice, so this can be another reason to work alongside a designer who will be more equipped with making sure your site gets the visibility it deserves.

When discussing plans with Bellingham Website Design Agency, it is also worth investigating whether using blog functions, videos, or other interactive quirks could help in developing branding and corporate vision. Bottom line, web design for any business has to be responsive and accessible across all platforms. So, if a customer is visiting the site on their mobile phone they can access the same information as if they were to visit on their laptop. Branding and your presence across the internet are important to get correct with your chosen audience or demographic.

We all know that as soon as you can click onto a site you can also close a tab if a website does not offer what we need from it. According to researcher Gitte Lindgaard there is scientific proof to this with their researching explaining that users make up their opinion of a site ‘within 50 milliseconds’.

Accessible and Appropriate Design

Poor web design choices can have big impacts. In fact, studies have shown that according to a study by Northumbria University, ‘first impressions are 94% design-related’.

Whilst the internet has countless examples of ‘bad’ business websites, there are many businesses that have been set back by choosing inappropriate designs for their websites. The interface and graphic qualities of any site should match what the business is about, right? Adobe launched their own research into this with the findings explaining that, ’30% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive’. So, it has never been more important to set the tone right with the web design for your business.

For example, a highly corporate web design won’t work for a dog grooming company. On the flip side, having a fun-loving and lighthearted website wouldn’t gel with a university’s webpage. You may think, ’the more corporate the better’ but this is definitely not always the case and should be considered when discussing any ideas with your designer.

DIY Web Design Vs. Hiring a Designer

There are many websites out that that offer their users the option to design themselves, usually from a set of templates. Normally, the sites are free but there can be hidden fees if you wish to develop a website from one of their ‘premium’ templates. There is a value in doing this for your business, mostly that it saves start up costs.

Although, there is great benefit to hiring a local web design agency to work on your website. For example, if you are anywhere around New York, you should take a look for a reliable New York web design agency as they can save you a lot of time and money when it comes to improving your web design and making your brand look much better. Hiring a web designer will offer your business a bespoke website that cannot be found elsewhere. It is often assumed that hiring a web designer costs a business time and money. Although, recent statistics have dispelled this with ’60% of web designers on average taking 11-20 hours per project’ as well as most agreeing that they are happy to update websites quarterly as well.

Copy and Image

Ok so, you have got your website developed and ready to input details for your business, now what?

Preparing good copy and good image placement has the ability to take your website to a new level. These finer details can help to elevate the work of your web designer and create an all round positive experience for your customers.

Whilst we are visual beings, it is also important to back any imagery up with good copy and strong writing. This can be achieved by hiring local copywriters or researching how to use the most engaging language online.

Images and their placement also plays a significant role. Make sure your images have a high resolution and are easily visible on all platforms. Adobe’s research concluded that, ‘39% of people will stop engaging with a website if images won’t load or take too long to load’. So make it count.

It may be unexpected but it is clear to see that the importance of good web design for your business is far more complex than you may have originally believed. Developing a bespoke and brand focused website alongside your web designer can have great impact on business performance and revenue.

Working alongside a web designer or a local agency can mean that the analytics and more technical issues can be handled and ensure that your website will get all the visibility it deserves.

Getting started early on and creating a website that works with your brand can improve performance across the board. Remember, first impressions do count, perhaps more than we like to think.