Tips for designing your own website

Are you confused about what makes a good website and where you should begin? Well you’re not alone. There are thousands of new websites created for small businesses everyday. There are many tools out there that allow you to get started with no design experience whatsoever.

Whether you’re just starting out with a new venture or looking to refresh your companies online presence, it is important that you build something solid that communicates the right message about your company. I know that getting started can be intimidating so I’ve put together a list of important considerations when designing your own website. These tips apply whether you are building a site or using themes and Wordpress plugins to get started.

Begin with the end in mind

Like Stephen Covey wrote in his famous book ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’, you must begin with the end in mind. Every business is different and each site needs to serve a unique purpose. Some websites show off portfolios while others are the entire store front and purchasing portal for their products. Think about what the purpose of this website will be and list your three top goals. Based on this you can note which functionalities will be necessary for the wireframes or themes.

Content is king

The content, whether images, video or text will make or break your website. Make sure that you communicate clearly no matter what method you are using. Even if you intend to hire someone to do the designing, make sure you are an integral part of the content creation. This is crucial because it serves as the foundation of the website and speaks directly to the customer. This is particularly important if you are starting a blog.

Communicate concisely

Since content is so important, you want to make sure that you get your message across efficiently. Website visitors take less than 5 seconds to decide whether they will be spending more time on a particular website. Make sure that your content is short and sweet. Try to aim for attention grabbing headlines and will keep your visitors engaged. There are tons of fantastic examples of world-class copywriting, see the Apple homepage to get an idea.

Provide value

The best way to sell customers is to offer value. This is a neccesity for any succeesful business and will serve as the foundation for any good marketing strategy. Value can come in numerous forms but one of the most efficient ones is informative and free content. Try reading your content from a users perspective and answer the queries that they are asking. Don’t focus too much on what you do, try to communicate how this is valuable to them. It makes a world of difference in conversion rates!

Prominent CTO’s

The goal of just about any website is to get visitors to take action. If you are in e-commerce you want to sell your products, if you are a blog you might want subscribers and if you are a law firm you most likely want leads. Prominent call-to-action buttons are there to close the deal and get your visitor to take action. Make sure they are large, prominent and enticing.

Learn from others

Even if you know what your new website will need, it can be hard to know where to start. Being creative is a skill, and as a newbie you likely haven’t learned that yet. Scouring other websites will be sure to inspire ideas and ignite some excitement. You can check out some of your competitors or visit a site like Behance where you can see thousands of amazing website design portfolios. Just remember to use these sites as inspiration only, copied sites are not a good look and they will be sure to hurt your SEO.