by Damon Burton @ Utah Sites | Jan 2, 2018
Designing a website can be tricky. You have to provide information that will answer your customers’ questions in a clear and concise way while at the same time providing something that search engines can easily discover.
(Pixabay / StockSnap)
If you’re looking to improve your website design for the New Year, here are just a few things to keep in mind for a winning design:
- Keep it simple – Complex designs are things of the past. Web design today adheres to a minimalistic approach. Trends favor clean, flat, and even sometimes pageless designs. The aim is to impress your site visitors with the quality of your product or service, not with the glitz and glamour of your website. In fact, users tend to shy away from websites with overly complex graphics because they often take too long to load.
- Have a mobile-friendly website design – Your website should respond to any device and screen. If your website only works well on desktop computers, expect to take a hit. As much as a third of traffic in some industries comes from mobile devices. Make sure that you head into the New Year with a mobile-friendly site.
- Moderate your use of stock photos – Stock photos are popular but users catch on when they see images on your site that they’ve seen on other websites as well. Personal or custom images will cost more, but its often worth the extra money to distinguish your website from the pack.
- Simplify your navigation – Nothing chases users away like confusing navigation. To have a timeless web design, make sure that your website is intuitive so that users can get where they want to go within just a couple of seconds.
- Treat every page as a landing page – Do not just focus on your home page. Make every page a landing page, with an opportunity for users to place an order wherever they are on your site.
It is the beginning of the year and a great excuse to step up your website. A few upgrades can make all the difference to your rankings and conversion rates.
by Damon Burton @ Utah Sites | Oct 2, 2017
If you’re designing a website, the hardest part can be deciding where to start. There is always the desire to create something that is drastically different from the traditional, even if it sends you into uncharted territory. However, this can backfire.
Your reputation as a designer will not diminish just because you aren’t constantly pushing the envelope. Likewise, just because a layout has been around for a while doesn’t mean that it has lost its appeal. If something works well, why not continue to use it?
(Pixabay / ElisaRiva)
The following are some of Utah Sites’ time-tested website layout ideas:
- Single column page – This layout is a great option for a website with minimal content and a single focus. Web designers need not go crazy over the layout when the message is simple.
Keeping it simple may provide you with the perfect solution.
- Magazine-style layout – If your site has plenty of regularly-updated content in different categories, opt for a magazine-style layout. The alternating sizes of columns or headlines will break up the monotony of the grid while showcasing your varied content.
- Split-screen – When a site has two main pieces of content that are equally important, a split-screen may be a logical option. It is the best way to give contrasting elements equal focus and consideration.
If you need help with site design in Utah, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Sometimes an extra set of eyes can make all the difference. And while focusing on design, don’t forget that high-quality content is vital as well. Support your design with a message that resonates.
by Damon Burton @ Utah Sites | Sep 25, 2017
If a website starts to get stuffed with complex visuals, it can overwhelm and negatively affect a visitor’s perception. Since customers’ interactions should guide web designers in their work, the trend is starting to lean towards less—not more. Designing minimalistically is becoming the new trend.
(Pixabay / Felix_Broennimann)
Minimalism focuses on usability and economy, although some designers are inclined to the style because they prefer it aesthetically. Minimalism in web design is similar to the simplicity of Japanese architecture that incorporates balance. The emphasis is on simple colors and designs that promote a sense of calm and functionality.
Minimalism in the Western world began in the early part of the 20th century because of the availability of new building materials and technologies. The concept popularized the phrase “less is more.” That concept carried over from architecture to other industries such as painting, music, and interior and industrial design.
The thrust of minimalism is to discard elements that do not contribute to a deeper function or purpose. You can see the concept’s reverberations in the furniture industry, as exemplified by the simple, functional designs of IKEA.
Now, minimalism is influencing web design. A lot of websites adhere to minimalist principles. Anything that does not help a website meet its goals must be eliminated.
Minimalism embraces the use of negative space in order to emphasize a design’s effectiveness. The elimination of all unnecessary components will ensure that users stay engaged and free of distractions. Designers, however, must be very careful not to become so intent on simplifying that they discard necessary features.
by Damon Burton @ Utah Sites | Sep 18, 2017
A new trend in web design is emerging, called pageless design. Instead of presenting content in multiple pages, content is embodied in a single page that you can scroll down.
(Pixabay / ptra)
Pageless design is embraced by many web design companies in Utah and across the globe. But is it effective? Many believe that it will be the future of the web for the following reasons:
- It “feels” more interactive – Interactive websites can better inspire visitors to take action. Pageless designs challenge traditional media constraints by allowing users to immerse themselves and interact in more powerful ways than previous technologies allowed.
- It results in higher conversion rates – A pageless website is a minimalistic design approach that combines a great story and interaction that, in the right industry, may guide visitors to convert.
- Easy to upgrade – Making changes or upgrades to a website design is easier when there is a single page design (or significantly fewer pages) to deal with.
- It is fun – Including interactive elements like scrolling pageless designs can win over visitors in a manner that merely enumerating facts cannot.
by Damon Burton @ Utah Sites | Sep 11, 2017
Self-Improvement Month is observed every September, reminding us to keep working to become better with each passing year. Self-improvement should cover all facets of life, including careers, hobbies and interests, relationships, and more. At Utah Sites, we encourage people in the field of web design and development to continue improving their skill set.
(Pixabay / lumenbrite)
As a web designer, you should never lose perspective about what your target audience expects and how new technologies can help you accomplish your goals. Here are a few suggestions for taking your design skills to the next level:
- Include standardized fonts – Make sure that your website’s fonts match you or your customer’s fonts on their business cards, stationary, etc. Using the same fonts across different platforms will provide uniformity to the brand.
- Forget the slider – There was a time when image sliders were cool. They’re not anymore. They slow your website and no one has the patience to sit and watch them. Stop using website sliders.
- Simplify your menu – Keep visitors from becoming overwhelmed by a dragnet of links. Reducing a visitor’s options will lead them down the funnel path of your choosing.
- Avoid an over-designed website – You may be tempted to use a kaleidoscope of colors in your design. But, please don’t. Minimalistic designs are the way to go. Who knows. You may not only want a minimalistic design but a single pageless design for added simplicity, too.
