As a freelance web developer, many clients tend to think of their website as simply an online business card. As a result, their websites become stagnant and end up driving potential customers away.
How you should approach it instead.
As a user lands on your website for the first time, you have less than 5 seconds to create trust, and show them your business is worth their time. This is accomplished by investing in a user focused design intended for your audience. One of the key factors in making your website work for you and not just looking nice is understanding your users and your own goals for the site.
This holds true for everything from ecommerce sites to a simple 5 page website describing who you are, what you do, and how you can help.
Here are some questions I like to ask before starting a new project:
- What are 3 key interactions you want to happen on your site?
- This could be buying a product, capturing an email, receiving a phone call, or filling out a form for example.
- Is there a page or post you’d like to increase traffic to?
- This could be a contact page, services, or blog for example.
- What makes you different from your competitors?
- You may be similar in many ways to competitors but focusing on your users and what you can provide that is most important to them is what creates action.
These questions can help you put some understanding and structure to your design of the website which is what will affect your business the most. Easy to read, easy to find information, and easy to navigate are 3 pillars the site should be built around.
A design without strategy simply not deliver the results of a design that has been strategically put in place after understanding your needs, and your target audience needs.
If you are interested in starting a new project please contact me to get started.
