All I want for Christmas is a perfect website

Christmas is on the way, marking almost the end of another year. And with that in mind, what better option than to get your last minute gifts online? The promise of no queues and the ability to buy instantly has converted 9 in 10 people into online shoppers for at least some of their present-buying this year.

The good news is that with so many people using the internet to do their shopping, you have a prime opportunity to reach them through your website to promote your services or products. However, the bad news is that if your website isn’t optimised to best serve your visitors then you could miss out on potential customers. So here are some handy tips to get your website sorted.

Get your brand noticed

It’s time to get creative – New Year is the ideal time to give yourself goals ready to achieve in 2015. The first thing that should be your primary aim is to get your brand noticed, and presenting a clear message. Branding is the perfect way to convey a message of “quality” through a single glance, so you need to make sure that the image you are giving clearly demonstrates what you are about. When we open a website, immediately our eyes are drawn to the top left hand corner, so this is the prime position to place your logo and brand name.

Make it user-friendly

Different sections of the website need to be clearly displayed and navigation needs to be clear and simple. Using the F-principle, the best place to have a set of menu options is across the top of the page. Only have one menu with clear options to choose from so that users can find what they are looking for, and keep it concise by avoiding long drop-down menu options. Place necessary or relevant links throughout the page content to link users to the content that they are searching for. Leaving links underlined will let the reader see immediately that it is a link; keeping the links blue will increase conversion.

Keep to a theme and layout

Nothing looks messier than an inconsistent website. Keep your menu options, logo and main features in the same place on every page, replacing and editing only the necessary content and leaving things such as the font style and size the same. Don’t overcomplicate things. Consistency creates a more professional impression than a chaotic website with too much going on. Don’t be afraid of leaving space on your page. Adding white space will make your page clean and fresh and convey a sense of sophistication. The positioning of the main things that you want your audience to read is also important. Make sure that these pages are easily accessible from the homepage.

Content should be short and sweet

When it comes to the content you are putting on your website, it is vital that you include any helpful information in a clear, easy-to-understand way. Make key information stand out so that people scanning the page will spot what they are looking for in short sentences, use large font where things need to stand out, and laid out using a good use of white space to stop it looking too busy. Keep your target audience in mind when writing website content and always use SEO keywords appropriately and in context.

Website design sorted… our Christmas present to you

Contact a member of my team before 1st Jan to receive a free web audit plus an exclusive bonus saving off the cost of your site. Call us on 020 7100 0726.