What makes great web design for 2015?

2015 is the year that more businesses will move online, or aim to enhance an online presence that they have already established. Whatever product or service it is that you offer, there are a few underlying principles of good web design that will ensure that your website gets all the attention that it deserves from customers. So, as the new year begins, we ask what should you look for in a website?

1. User friendliness

Your website needs to be clear and easy for visitors to navigate. No matter how enticing the online ad that leads a web user to click through to your site, they will leave it instantly if all they see when they arrive is a cluttered mess. The content needs to be clear, and the calls to action easy to understand and act on.

One of the most important aspects of the site in this respect is the landing page, which is in the majority of cases the first thing that your customers will see when they reach your site. However, good web design will pay careful attention to all parts of the website, to make them user friendly. Research has shown that users will often abandon online checkouts if they take too many clicks to complete, or involve a lot of popups, for example.

2. Engaging content

Make that website fun! Use large, clickable and attractive product images, vlogs (video blogs), competitions, and more. Special offers, deals, and other rewards for loyal and engaged customers will ensure that people come back to your site again and again. You might even want to think about so called ‘gamification’, where browsing and buying from your site takes the form of a game with rewards and bonuses.

In combination with a user friendly site, a site that is fun and engaging will drastically increase your conversion rate – the numbers of site visitors who become paying customers.

3. Regular updates

Finally, you need to update, update, update. Add in new content all the time to keep people interested!