When people call to discuss a web site, one of their concerns is design. Sometimes people have firm ideas about a design approach and sometimes they prefer to be lead. Resoundingly though, people ask for “clean”, “plain” design often on a simple white background. They complain about “clutter” and say it hard to get to the basic information on a web site or that it’s hard to navigate on a phone or tablet. Here are some design issues to consider…

Does your web design work on all platforms – desktop, mobile and tablet?

This is called “responsive design” and it simply means that the web site reformats to suit the device it is being displayed on. It does this without going back to the server to get a duplicate, mobile version of the site.  Google will make your site come up higher on the mobile search results pages if your site is responsive. There is a test here provided by Google so you can see if your site is mobile search friendly.

Does your web design respect your band or undermine it?

You may have invested thousands in your brand on signage, car wraps and business livery. The last thing your Auckland web designer should do is alter or vary your brand in some way. Your online and offline marketing should build on each other, and not fight each other.

Is there too much going on, on your homepage?

Clutter. It’s a problem. Visitors load your homepage but don’t know where to look. Most news websites suffer from this problem. If you have a lot to offer and you want your homepage to reveal all your services and products, you run the risk of confusing people. Your homepage web design should focus your visitors on your high-value products where most of your money is made. Try not to distract people with banners and widgets the flick on and off.

Does your web design have a clear call to action?

Have you ever had to search through a web site for a phone number? It’s annoying and frustrating. Make sure your web design features your call to action prominently e.g “call this number” or “complete this form/survey”. In short, does your web site make it clear what you want people to do and when? Spell it out.

“I don’t want any text on my homepage!”

From a design point of view, having a homepage comprised of graphics alone sometimes appeals to a web site owner, but avoid this as doing so will make your site less attractive to Google. Also, text loads faster than graphics and normally says more. In this instance, you are choosing between form and function: graphics-intensive design (form) versus search engine visibility (function).

Photography will make or break your web design

Rubbish in, rubbish out: if you provide bleary, vertical mobile phone pictures to your Auckland web designer, you can’t expect them to return a top shelf, classy web site. Photography is the difference between a web site that is unmemorable and one that really pops.

In summary, in terms of web design, less is more. Web site owners prefer “clean”, “plain” and uncluttered web designs that load quickly on all platforms. Click through your competitor’s web sites, how does theirs compare to yours?