Are you a business owner looking for a step by step process to design a website that converts? Is your current website not giving you the business you need to scale your efforts and move your business to the next level?
If so, then you’re in the right place. Your website can be an amazing tool in your digital marketing toolbox, but not if you don’t take the time to optimize your site. So, keep reading to learn the exact steps to design a website that will serve your business well and deliver new clients and new sales consistently.
Don’t worry if you don’t know anything about coding or even much about technology. We are going to focus on the steps you can take so that you can create an optimized website for your business. These are the steps you and your web designer should follow to create a successful website for your business.
1. Start With the End in Mind
Just as with any project you get started in your business, you need to know what your end goal is. Every website has a different purpose so you need to know what the purpose of your site is. Are you going to use your website to find new clients for you through organic traffic?
Or, will you find clients another way? And then use your website to be more of a business card you can refer potential clients to so they can see a portfolio of your work? If so, then this website will look very different from the one with the focus being on organic search traffic. This is why it is vital to start with this step before you move on to any of the rest of your steps.
So, if you haven’t already, stop now and take the time to map out your goals and the purpose of your website. Once you know what your goal is you can begin to create the strategy that will take you there. And now you’re ready to move on to the rest of the steps to success for your website.
2. Make It User-Friendly
Nobody likes to have to hunt for what they want. Make your information easy to find and easy to search for the content they want. You need to have an intuitive structural hierarchy that is clear and functional so your visitors can find what they need quickly.
This is not the place to get creative. Label your blog as such and title your categories according to their subjects. Don’t make your site visitors guess that “spic and span” is your section about cleaning. So, keep your navigational simple and your speed fast so your website is as user friendly as possible.
Lastly, pay attention to your call to action. Don’t make your site visitors guess what you want them to do next after they’ve read your article. Give them a clear call to action and make your contact information clear and easy to find.
3. Use Your White Space Effectively
You don’t want an overly crowded website with too much going on in every corner of the page. Instead, use your white space and make your website clean and minimal.
While you can make great use of your branding colors, don’t get too creative here. Use standard layouts so your visitors know what to expect and where to find what they’re looking for. This means that your logo is in the top left corner, your navigational menu can be found at the top of the page, and your contact information is in the top right corner and in the footer.
Keep these standard features in their expected location so your visitors can quickly do what they came to your site for. People are busy, they don’t have time to spend forever on your website. Instead, they will bounce off and head to your competitor’s website where they can get their task done quickly.
4. Make It Mobile-Friendly
Over 50% of all traffic is coming from a mobile device and this number is increasing every day. Whether or not you need a mobile-friendly website is no longer a question. You need a mobile-friendly website or you will lose out on key traffic to your competitors who are catering to their mobile traffic.
It’s not enough to just shrink your website to fit the smaller screen. A mobile-friendly theme will adjust your site according to the type of screen your visitor is using. This is key to converting traffic rather than seeing a high bounce rate when your visitors get frustrated with your clunky design.
Luckily you don’t need any expensive tool or software to find out how responsive your current design is. Use Google’s own free tool to test if your site is mobile-friendly or not. Then follow their suggestions to make your site responsive today. This isn’t an option, you must ensure your site is mobile responsive so make this a priority.
5. Use Clear, Focused, and Effectively Keyworded Headlines
Again, this is not the place for you to get creative. And you definitely want to steer clear from click-bait headlines. Instead, give your reader a clear headline that tells them what they will get from reading that article. A clear structure to follow is benefit + keyword + specific audience.
So, if you’re a plumber and you’re writing an article on how to clear a drain you want to use a headline such as “The Beginners Guide to Clear Your Drain for the New Homeowner.” This tells the reader exactly who the article is for and what they will learn from reading it.
To make your website as user-friendly as possible keep the headline clear and focused. Again, don’t make your visitors guess what they’re going to get if they click on your headline. People are busy, so a large part of your web design process is to make visiting your site as seamless and enticing as possible.
6. Arm Your Team With the Tools They Need
Luckily, today’s tech scene has eliminated the need for an expensive web designer who can code a complex website for you. Now, with template and user-friendly themes you and your team can design a great website yourselves. However, you still need to invest in the right tools to get the job done effectively and efficiently.
You can find the best computers at the best prices for your team at www.lenovo.com so you can equip your team to create the best site for your business. Don’t ask your team to design an effective website on outdated computers. Instead, arm your team with the best tools so you can see success in your website design project.
7. Test and Tweak
Once you create your website you can’t set it and forget it. Your website is a dynamic, ever-changing tool in your digital marketing toolbox. Schedule the time to analyze your traffic data so you can make it the best website you can.
Every month, quarter, and annually you need to take the time to dive deep into your analytics and tweak your site accordingly. What is your bounce rate? How are your clients finding you? At what point in their visit do they leave your website, and how can you make that page better?
These are the questions that will show you how to continually optimize your website to give you the best conversion rate possible. Your website can be a valuable instrument working for you consistently bringing you new clients and delivering new sales. Follow the data as you design your website and you will ensure a great website that converts new clients every day.
Your website will never call in sick or go on vacation. It will work for you day and night around the clock. So take care of it and continually optimize it for conversions so that you can realize the amazing ROI possible from a polished website design.
Follow These Steps to Design a Website That Converts
Now, you no longer need to wonder how to design a website. You’re now armed with the exact steps to follow to create the best website that will bring you new clients and increase your sales even when you’re sleeping or on vacation. Your website can be the hardest-working member of your team, bringing you new clients and customers every day.
But it can’t convert as well as you want it to if you don’t optimize it to it’s fullest potential. Follow these steps to design a website and you will see an increase in your ROI for your business. And you will create a website that stands out in a noisy, crowded field online.
Be sure to bookmark this page so you can refer to it as you complete your website design project. For more information on this and other topics check out the rest of our blog.
