The internet has grown from being a source of information to a source of entertainment, edutainment, ecommerce and a way of life. Today it is difficult to imagine a life without the internet simply because of the conveniences that this medium provides. What makes the fact about using the internet so intriguing is that there is no person sitting and completing all these activities but there are websites, which are so designed that they not just provide information but complete the related formalities for all the activities mentioned. This portrays the importance of a website design in the success of any business whether online or offline.
There may be thousands of websites on the internet each different from the other, but they all have the same objective of attracting a large number of the internet audience. Therefore, website design comprises of certain important aspects that must be borne in mind by the designers so that not only are the websites attractive but they help in establishing a strong customer relationship. An explanation of these aspects is as below:
Design: the design part of a website is very important as it creates the first impression in the minds of the viewers. The internet audience is prone to drifting away very quickly if the first impression is not strong enough to hold them to the webpage. Therefore, when designing a website, the graphical appearance of the website should be clean and smooth. There should be appropriate use of text wherever necessary and unnecessary pop ups or blinking ads should be avoided. A simply designed website is easier to load than one, which has large graphics that take longer to load. One must remember that there are just a few seconds in hand, when a visitor can be impressed or else he will move away to another website.
Navigation: a website must be designed logically so that it is easy to navigate. A user must be able to reach any of the subsequent pages immediately and easily. It should be easy for the users to locate the contact information or contact the customer support service through a live chat or email.
Content: on the internet the content is the king as there is no person who is explaining things, but it is through the written words that companies showcase their products and services. Therefore, compelling content attracts the audience and keeps them rooted to the website. One can keep refreshing the content routinely to maintain freshness so that customers return for more information. The content provided should be relevant and appropriate to the website.
Accessibility: this is an important factor for any website as it ought to be accessible on all internet browsers, on different types of monitors with different resolutions and on varying speeds of the internet connections. Therefore, the design of the website must be tested for all these conditions.
Facility of ecommerce: an ecommerce website must be so designed that the user is able to quickly view the products on display and place an order without ‘going around the houses’. This means that the design should be short and simple so that the process of purchasing online is not a lengthy procedure forcing the user to opt for another website.