What is Web Design? It’s what you see when you use a website. It is the entire process of planning, creating and developing the elements of a website, from its structure to text and graphic fonts.
Have you ever wondered what the meaning of Web Design is or the techniques involved in its process?
We are used to seeing the Internet visually, but it is much more than that. Websites, applications, services, among others, rely on visual interfaces to provide an appropriate experience for their audience. All of this requires good web design to be successful.
What is Web Design?
It’s everything that involves digital interfaces such as websites, applications and services.
By using HTML and CSS code to program and style websites, web designers are responsible for the digital experiences used by the public. They aim to deliver the best experience possible, as well as helping the business achieve its goals.
A web designer can specialize in various fields within the area, and in all cases the objective is the same – to bring the project vision to life.
Interface Design
This is Design applied to visuals, better known as UI. It involves everything, from color to the general layout of the pages.
This professional’s most important task is to translate the brand identity into the website design. You have to convey it to the public, as well as make them see the page as part of the brand you are working on.
Experience Design
Better known as UX, experience design is responsible for a good user experience, otherwise the user will look for better solutions.
His task is to create a truly valuable experience, for which he knows and understands the needs of his audience. Whenever the public interacts with a brand or business they should have a positive experience, and be able to achieve the intended objectives.
Search Engine Optimization
Another essential field is Search Engine Optimization, known as SEO.
It is through this optimization that you ensure that Google (and similar websites) correctly index your content. This helps your content achieve better positions in search results, bringing a larger audience to your door.
Why is Web Design so important?
It is through Web Design that the public will understand your brand in the way you want. By applying the right marketing strategies, your company will be able to attract the right audience and convert them into customers.
A good visual brand identity is consistent and conveys trust, which makes your audience more open to buying your product. Without a Web Design plan, the potential results that a good digital presence can give you are lost.
This way it is not an element of your project to be neglected. Your audience may not find your business online or have a bad experience and choose to go with your competition instead.
This is also why it is important to work with trusted web designers. A good web designer can analyze what your brand needs, not only on an aesthetic level, but also identify problems that can be solved with a website.
What to consider when creating a website?
As we have already shown, Web Design is an essential part of any business strategy. However, it has to be based on good decisions during the planning and development phase. We don’t want hasty choices to have a negative impact on the business’s digital presence.
To ensure maximum quality, there are several factors to consider when designing a website.
Visuals
The first impression is the most important. The same thing happens with a website.
The visuals of your business will dictate the aesthetics of your website. To do this, your online presence needs to be consistent in terms of color, style and the feeling it conveys. Be careful not to overdo it, as too many elements can disrupt and confuse your visitor, worsening their experience.
Usability
The website will be used by real people, and good usability is key. But what does good usability imply?
Usability means being able to be used by a diverse audience, of various origins, ages and specialties. One of the most important principles is simplicity, and an intuitive website, with a reduced number of options, is generally the way to achieve this.
Content Quality
Content is king! Even if all other Web Design elements work well, they need content to stand out. Otherwise, why would the public come to you?
It is with this in mind that so many companies choose content marketing as a way to always have quality content that their audience will want to read and share. Content is a way to add value to the time your audience spends with you, by offering the solutions they are looking for.
Speed
A fast website is essential. Did you know that if your website load time exceeds 3 seconds, the bounce rate tends to increase by 38%?
Just as it is important for your audience that the website is fast, it is also important for SEO that it is fast. One of the factors that contribute to good positioning in search results is this – loading speed.
Mobile-friendliness
Worldwide, mobile devices represent close to 60% of all online traffic. In Mozambique this percentage rises to 90%. This means that if your website doesn’t work correctly on smartphones and/or tablets, you could lose up to 9 out of 10 potential customers.
In order to capture these 9 potential customers, development must be made compatible with mobile devices, meaning that your device can load and adapt to various screen sizes.
What are the worst Web Design mistakes?
A strong marketing and sales strategy includes web design as a central part, as it helps to solidify the brand’s presence. However, there are common mistakes that should always be avoided to avoid undoing all the effort and resources invested.
Each brand is different, as is its strategy and approach, but the negative effects are universal. If your audience is unable to reach your solution due to these problems, your results may be lower than intended.
Not thinking about the customer
The effectiveness of any marketing system is based on the brand’s target audience.
During the planning phase, research should be carried out to find out the brand’s target audience, as well as their preferences/needs, to better develop the project.
You won’t be able to sell flour to someone looking for tires.
Be inconsistent
It is very important that visual consistency is maintained across all brand channels, whether online or offline.
By associating certain colors/emotions with your brand, your audience is more likely to stop being a potential customer and become a customer.
Absence of calls to action
How many times have you seen “Buy Now” or “Click Here” while browsing the internet?
Using calls to action is the most effective way to guide your audience through the steps you want them to take while browsing your website.
Not Documenting
A website is part of a marketing strategy. For present and future consistency to be maintained, it is necessary to create rules to follow at a visual level, among others.
When creating other content, it is more effective to follow these rules than to look through past content for which colors, fonts or graphics to use and where.
What are the most important skills of a Web Designer?
Given the importance of Web Design, it is clear that the professional who plans and executes it needs certain skills to bring quality to their work. After all, the results and objectives of the project depend on it.
Tools
Much of Web Design work is done through tools that simplify and standardize certain tasks. Knowing how to use them is essential to offer quality and speed when working in this field.
There are various tools for each phase of the project, from design to delivery, and it is part of the web designer’s skills to know how to best use each of them.
Communication
A web designer never works alone, whether cooperating with other professionals or directly with the client. This implies that you are a good understander, as well as a good communicator, so that the project is completed without delays or setbacks.
Since the responsibility for the visual presentation of a business rests on the shoulders of web designers, they need to explain how their decisions deal with the particularities of the project.
Programming
To work in this field it is necessary to have knowledge of programming, the main languages being HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
A skilled designer is able to use these languages to create, style, and create interactions between the most varied elements, thus creating systems and making his client’s vision a reality.
UI/UX
Working with graphical interfaces, web designers must be skilled in UI/UX, although these are two different concepts.
UX design refers to work related to user experience. It means bringing everything together, in terms of design, to guarantee the best user experience.
UI design involves working on interfaces. In other words, creating structures that are easily understood by the public so that they can carry out the intended tasks.
Search Engine Optimization
A good professional in this area is also capable of ensuring that the content is indexed by search engines in order to give your business good visibility. This is why good SEO skills are essential when working in this field.
After all, all elements of your website may or may not count towards your search engine score. This also requires knowledge of how content management systems work and can be optimized.
Time management
Another very important skill for a web designer is time management. With so many aspects within a project, it is necessary to know how to allocate the right time for each task within a project schedule.
This is valuable because each project has a budget, and it can be quite harmful to spend extra hours on certain tasks, thus delaying the project. So, a good web designer has to be able to work around this.
In short
Now that you know the definition of Web Design you are ready to give the right priority to your projects. Never forget the importance of this aspect for your brand, considering the potential results it can bring you, regardless of the branch of your business.
As you saw above, an optimized website is essential for good results.
Contact us to talk about your website, identify opportunities, and get ahead of your competition.
