Ah, that old chestnut – does good web design actually increase conversions? Can a beautiful website sell more, or generate more traffic? In our latest blog, we explore the impact of a pretty website, and what we find might surprise you…
What is a website with a bad design?
We’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if your website has any of the following, your website might be badly designed…
- Cluttered imagery or copy
- Loud images – especially if they have nothing to do with your product/service
- Anything flashy with multiple exclamation marks/excessive capital letter usage
- Lack of contrast between copy, images and backgrounds
- Unclear menu or navigation
Or any of the elements of this website…
Is your website distracting?
Funnily enough, if you think about the most-popular websites globally, they are not particularly pretty! Reddit, Google, Amazon and eBay all bear some of the hallmarks of an ugly website (hello excessive hyperlinks!). However, they work, because their designs aren’t distracting, and they don’t take away from the user journey.
With any web design, clarity is key. Distractions on your website often cause less clarity, and this can cause confusion among your visitors. A clear website doesn’t have to look boring, but a website with all the bells and whistles and franken-functionality can cause major issues – particularly if any of your visitors aren’t using the latest browsers or devices to access your website. Does your website design distract from your core messaging or your core product offering? Does a lack of website 101 best practice not allow your visitors to make purchases, or to understand what on earth it is that you’re selling? While a ‘pretty’ website isn’t everything, a clear and concise website can be!
Whilst it’s important to not go all Google (who has time to measure 41 shades of blue on your call-to-actions?!), what is important is creating a website that makes your message really clear. Similarly, if your website is so attractive that it deflects from your sales and marketing message, this is also a big red flag! As with most things, simplicity is generally the key to a successful website that truly converts its visitors.
Increase trust with good web design
In light of all this, where should you focus your attention when designing your website? By putting your time, energy and efforts towards creating a clear user journey free of distractions, this should create a website that really converts. As we know, many of the elements of good SEO coincide with user journey best practice, and this links very much back to simplistic web design, which is not the same as boring web design. Reduce distractions on your website and make it clear what you stand for, as well as what your products/services are, without all the unnecessary extras.
Another key insight is that good web design increases trust. Now that most internet users are savvier than they were years ago, many people are well-versed in what makes a credible website, and when to leave because it’s screaming scam or spam. By creating a clear and concise website with a clear design, you increase trust with your visitors and trust is one of several strong factors when visitors decide to convert (or not) on your website.
In summary, while pretty web design won’t always lead to more conversions, good web design definitely will. Could your website do with a face lift? Here at Verkeer, we’re in the business of creating websites that really work. Take a look at our portfolio of successful bursting with clean and functional web designs.