The difference between good and great websites
It all starts with content
Your website should be a letter from you to your audience. What are you trying to tell them? Often, starting your website in this way will be a great way to figure out what content to include. Your outline/letter will also heavily inform your sitemap. Treat each section of your outline like a block in your sitemap, then create content for each one. Soon, you’ll have your homepage ready to go. Next, review which sections can be expanded — those should be their own pages. Do that several times and you’ll be left with a well-thought-out plan for your entire site.
First impressions matter
It’s easy to look at something too much and lose context. Imagine what a first-time viewer sees immediately when they visit your site. Does it instill value? Trust? If it doesn’t, what can you do so it does? Customer reviews are commonly used to create social proof on your site. Showing examples of your work is another way to show what you can do. Speed matters, so it’s important to communicate value right away.
Focus on what your audience cares about
When I started my agency website, I focused far too much on things I care about — neat typography, designer-y design, and fancy blur effects. Our clients don’t care about the intricacies of design; that’s why they hire us. Focus on what your audience is looking for: quality, results, and value in your industry. If you’re a writer, you don’t need to impress other writers. You need to impress the people who hire writers. Keeping your audience in mind throughout the entire web design process is extremely important.
Mind the details
People might not be able to tell you exactly what they like or dislike about a design, but they can often communicate a vibe. You might have heard things like “wow, this is smooth” or “something feels a little off.” This is usually because of the tiny details you think go unnoticed. People pick up on that nested border-radius alignment and the smooth hover state transitions – even if subconsciously. We don’t cut corners because those details make a difference, no matter what anyone tells you.
Don’t get stuck on things that don’t matter
There was a time when I was so brand obsessed that I would create a worse experience. Say I needed a gray background and the exact gray I wanted wasn’t in the brand. I would use the closest match, even if it were worse for the design. Today, I’d do what needed to be done to create a better site. Being a slave to the brand does not foster creativity and results. Knowing how to use a brand — and when to break it — means better websites, and that should always be the goal.
If you’re searching for a website partner, let’s talk! We’re a chill bunch, but we care about websites — and results.
