If you’re involved in online business, chances are you’ve already had a taste of the web design process. But now, more than ever, with so many websites vying for customers’ attention, it’s important to hone your skills and take your projects to the next level.
The latest web design for business requires an understanding of the changing online world including the evolution of mobile Web access. With more competition, there’s a need for greater consideration about what sets your Web presence apart. And with the growing number of skill sets required, there’s also a need for more collaboration with highly skilled web design teams.
Web Design Mistakes That Can Doom Your Business
Forgetting About Responsive Web Design
When considering your new online business presence, think about responsive web design as well. Annie Pilon explains this is the process of designing a site that “responds to” or re-sizes itself to the size of the device used to view it.
Why is this important?
Well, with an increasing number of different devices and different screen sizes, it’s more important than ever that your Web presence is versatile. Whether viewed on an over-sized desktop computer monitor, a laptop, a 10-inch tablet, a 7-inch tablet or a 4-inch smartphone screen, your website should be functional for visitors.
The idea is to have one site that displays effectively no matter what device your visitor might be using to view it. Ignoring the importance of responsive web design might mean creating a site only some of your visitors can see.
Ignoring the Importance of Strategy
With all the websites online, it’s easy for your site to be overlooked. Having the right web design strategy will insure you are targeting the right audience.It will also make sure the Web site you create truly meets your online business goals.
Erin Everhart, director of digital marketing at 352, a digital agency providing design, development and marketing solutions, suggests a few important tips:
- Establish your goals: Make sure you understand the main thing you want your website to accomplish.
- Define Your Audience: Determine who your website should appeal to. What are you trying to reach?
- Establish your brand. Define the message you want your website to send and explain this clearly to your web design team.
- Design for your users: Make sure the information on your site is organized in a way that will make it easy for your users to understand and benefit.
- Track your results: Use online analytics tools to figure out how you’re doing. This is an important consideration too.
Ignoring strategy in your design could mean producing a website that’s all wrong for your audience. It’s a waste of time and money for your business.
Neglecting or Mistreating Your Web Design Team
Your web design team is a key component to your success. So neglecting or mistreating them is a good way to doom your web design project before it ever gets off the ground.
Do yourself and your online business a favor. Avoid doing things that will drive your web design team crazy:
- Remember that your web design team has other clients so don’t be unrealistic about their availability.
- Make sure you gather all necessary materials for your web design project promptly: This would include photos, videos descriptions and more.
- Don’t be inaccessible for questions and then demand immediate completion of projects you haven’t given adequate feedback about.
Mistreat your web design team at your own risk. Your success is in their hands.
Forgetting About the Importance of Inspiration
Great web design comes not only from functionality but also from great aesthetics.
As Matt Mansfield explains:
From colors and shapes to layout and navigation, design can make or break the online experience. A well-designed Web presence can attract, hold and help convert your target customers while a poor design can drive away visitors like nothing else.
Whether your actually a web designer or just trying to work with designers on a website for your business, a sense of design can always help, Mansfield says.
Do enhance your sense of good design. You might consider taking a class, looking at other designs you appreciate online or checking out some books on design.
Mansfield recommends four of his favorite graphic design books to give you inspiration.
Neglecting Other Design Tools
Finally, there are many web design tools out there for you to consider.
Certainly, a web design team is one option, if you have the budget. But also consider tools like Google Sites and Wix.com, which recently announced its intention to become a public company. There are also tools like Google Web Designer, intended to help create rich media advertisements for your online business.
Neglecting the many web design tools out there can mean missing out on the opportunity to design a better, more effective website at lower cost.
What web design mistakes have you experienced?
Blunder Photo via Shutterstock
I much agree with you, Shawn. A responsive web designs means you are willingly opening yourself up to the market to a wide array of visitors. Responsive isn’t just talking about flexible resolutions but it also speaks the compatibility with different types of browsers. What works in Chrome might be different in Firefox or Safari, so it’s also worth the effort to test your site from several platforms and browsers regularly.
Shawn,
Indeed, responsive design is the current trend in web design today; it’s a must do, considering the number of screen sizes on the market today.
Another trend to follow is flat design. Many have started to adopt it and it’s proven to – aesthetically – attract web visitors. Google adopted it; TechCrunch and many popular online publications adopted it, too.
Inspiration will always be an important factor. Real artists don’t work because of money. They work because of the inspiration. These are art forms for them. As long as you keep your team inspired, you can be sure that they’ll be churning out breathtaking products.
Give me a break,”Neglecting or Mistreating Your Web Design Team”, this is pure BS. What’s the matter with them, they don’t want their feelings hurt. We aren’t dealing with little politically correct cry baby kids here. This is real world and everyone should face up to that. In the real world everyone does NOT win.
I could give a damn less about the treatment, SHOW ME THE MONEY! and I will give you a great design, period.
Steve,
I agree – businesses should have the “can do” mindset. “Cry babies” should stay away from the business game – even if they are still in the business, they wont’ survive too long, anyway 🙂
For every “cry babies” on the market, there are thousands “warriors” on Fiverr, Freelancer.com, etc. who are ready to take over the project – at lower costs.
However, I understand that some clients – to be honest with you – ask for insanely numerous revisions – often too absurd (i.e.. “I don’t want that icon position too much on the left; give 2 pixels of margin”)- while continuously nag on quick project completion.
Such clients are resource-consuming – and can drive design team insane; this will impact other clients’ work – something you want to avoid at all cost.
Hmm…this is a good article about responsive website and instruction both are critical factors during building a site. Hope it will do help most others who willing.
I like your comment on strategy – design should showcase your business model and attract your target audience, who should recognise themselves immediately on the page and understand the CTA. The biggest thing that ruins a design is letting a developer restrict the design features which don’t fit his template even when a design enhances the user experience!
It is all about good management and better judgement. Having the right strategy will have bigger potentials for success. This includes motivating the web design team to capture the same concept and move towards the same goals.
I think one of the most common mistakes is that they focus on features over content. Content should be on the forefront of their mind so it can harmoniously blend with the design.