Tag Archives: web design

6 Signs You May Need a New Website

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by eofstr on flickr ccIt’s 2015. You already know that having website is important, but how do you know whether it’s time to get a new website? This question is best answered by looking at several criteria, which we have outlined below.

#1 – Your website looks awful.

You don’t have to have a degree in graphic design to be able to look at a website and know that it doesn’t look good. One of the major factors that contributes to website performance has to do with the actual web design. This is also an area where many people will spend the most money. Why? Because a good website design can do a little, but a great website can do wonders for a business.

In a digital age of short attention spans, your website says a ton about your business. You should want to leave a positive impression on people that will make them want to hang out on your site and, hopefully, convert. Therefore, it is worth the time and effort to invest in a killer web design.

#2 – You aren’t getting any traffic.

Think of your website as a virtual storefront for your business. If you’ve got Google Analytics set up on your site, yet still you aren’t seeing any increase in traffic, it’s a red flag – especially if your site has been around for a bit.  From here, you should ask yourself some of the following questions:

  • Am I contributing fresh content to the site on a regular basis?
  • Do I have social media sharing set up correctly?
  • Am I doing any PPC advertising?
  • Is my current content shareable? (ex: well written & informative)

#3 – Your website is slow.

Patience is a virtue. It is also something that most of us lack when surfing the web. If your website is slow to load, there could be several issues happening. Some of the most common reasons include:

  • Your website uses Flash.
  • Your code is messy (aka: bulky).
  • You use too much embedded media + You use a host site.
  • You do not host your content on your own server.
  • Your images aren’t optimized.
  • You use too many 3rd party plugins.

*For solutions to slow websites, talk to us today!

#4 – Your website doesn’t work well on mobile devices.

Welcome to the age of mobile devices. If you want to compete, you have to have a mobile friendly website. C0MPLÉX1 can help you come up with a mobile website design that works for you and your target audience. Also, check out our writeup about mobile devices.

#5 – Your branding/market/messaging has changed.

As we previously mentioned, your website is your springboard to show and tell the world what your business is about. If you’ve changed your branding or messaging since having your website, it’s probably time for an overhaul. The look and feel of your website should accurately reflect who and what your business is.

#6 – You struggle to make content updates.

Technology has come a long way. That said, content management systems (CMS) have also come a long way in helping business owners and staff members effectively (and easily) manage on-site content without having to have a working knowledge of coding.

Being able to make content updates easily and regularly is crucial when looking at the overall success of your website. If your CMS is outdated, it may be time to look into getting your content onto site that uses an easy CMS, like WordPress or Magento.

For more information about website design or for a FREE estimate on a total website overhaul, contact us by filling out our online, located at the bottom of this page.

5 Tips For A Better Landing Page Experience

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Estimated Reading Time for This Post: 2 minutes, 11 seconds; approximately 448 words.

Having trouble converting page views into paying customers? Experiencing high abandonment rates on your website? It may have something to do with your landing page.

In an ever increasingly digital world, you only have milliseconds to convert readers into buyers, window shoppers into paying customers…and your landing page experience has everything to do with the success you experience.

Why?

There are numerous factors that go into a great landing page experience – elements that you may have never even considered before. Below, we outline 5 key tips to help you improve your user experience.

Create a Better Landing Experience in 5 Steps

Target Your Consumer.

Who is your customer? What are they interested in? Does your landing page content speak to that consumer? Target your consumer by creating content that is tailored to their needs, whether that’s to answer a question, solve a problem, or provide information. Your content should be something that the consumer wants, needs or doesn’t yet know that they need.

Keep it relevant.

Study your target consumers. The more you know about them, the better off you’ll be able to come up with content that is specifically tailored to them. Keeping your content relevant = Keeping your consumer on your landing page.

Consider the design.

Web design continues to be one of the most overlooked, avoided areas for webmasters. Why? Many are unable or unwilling to invest in a visually appealing, functional web design  due to a fear of cost, a fear of time commitment, or both. However, with a little digging, there are actually many affordable web designs available if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves a little.

Include pertinent information.

If your website has to do with sports cars, and you are guiding someone to a landing page titled “Sports Car X,” it only makes sense to the consumer that the page should be about “Sports Car X”.

When designing your landing page, don’t trick or confuse consumers by titling your page one thing and then discussing something totally irrelevant. Relevancy not only helps retain potential consumers, it also helps the search engines figure out what your landing page is about.

Find a unique way to tell your story.

As unique as you may think your business is now, there’s always someone out there waiting to compete with you, if they’re not already. How will you differentiate what you are doing from what they are doing? What is your unique selling proposition (USP)? Find a unique way to tell your story. Use CTAs sparingly but strategically. Offer something to your consumers that they won’t be able to find anywhere else.

What other tips can you think of to improve the success of your landing pages?

3 Reasons Why Web Design Matters in Business

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"Three red colored pencils" by Horia Varlan

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes, 12 seconds. Contains approximately 443 words.

Web design matters more than you think- especially in the digital landscape. While many businesses are sales-centric, they often fail to take into account just how crucial a role web design plays into the bigger, overall picture of how their business comes across to potential customers/clients on the Web.

Reinforcing this notion of the importance of ‘good design, Randall Smith, founder of Salt Lake City brand management agency, Modern 8, stated:

“If good design is doing its job, it is managing your perception of an experience in many ways—both obvious and not so obvious. How you feel, and therefore if whether you’re going to engage and buy, is directly influenced by the design of a website, a package or a business card.”

3 Reasons Why Your Web Design Matters:

Web design matters in business. On the Internet, you only have seconds (sometimes less) to convince a would-be-client/customer to stick around and see what you’re business is about and what you have to offer. A good web design should do the following:

  1. It enhances the user experience.
  2. It informs.
  3. It reflects your business’s values.

When someone lands on your website, they should be able to immediately tell what your business is about, how to contact you, who is behind the business, and why it is you do what you do.

3 Things to Keep in Mind With Web Design

Implement a responsive design.

As stated previously, having a good web design is all about creating a great user experience. That said, your website should be easy to read, easy to navigate, and easy for folks to find information. People don’t have time to waste on the Internet digging around your website for information. Instead, make information easily accessible. Figure out your priorities in layout, content and other features.Ensure that you have a mobile-friendly version of your website by using a responsive design that can easily be accessed from tablet to phone to laptop.

Provide great content.

Content continues to reign supreme in the online game. What good is a business that can’t adequately describe what it is selling and why? Know who your audience is, and provide quality, linkable content that will appeal to them. Incorporate social sharing features so that your awesome content can be shared across all social channels on the web, increasing brand exposure.

View your website as an investment.

Sometimes the old adage of ‘You get what you pay for’ is true. View your business’s website as an investment. Skip the D-I-Y mentality, and if you’re truly serious about taking your business to the next level, hire a pro to help take the reins and steer your web design in a more professional direction. Readers/clients and prospects will notice.