Is it important to you that your website stands out from the rest? Here are nine things you can do to put your website head and shoulders above the masses.
1. Be you
Your business started with you, and you are unique. You might be the ten millionth person in the UK to be selling homemade candles, or servicing photocopiers. BUT you are unique, and therefore so is your brand story. Make sure your design and content get over your unique:
- Brand story
- Approach
- Tone of voice
- Knowledge
2. Use video
It must be relevant, engaging, well-designed and load as quick as lightning, but research proves browsers will hang out longer with video content over an any other content.
3. Give something away
Hit browsers (not literally) with value as soon as they land and you’ll be establishing yourself as a go-to port of call from the get-go. Whether this is valuable industry or consumer information, a free offer or money-off promise, it will speak volumes that you are making an effort to connect and help your audience.
Make sure your tone of voice fits with your offer; for instance, if you are not a hard-sell brand, be careful your offers don’t scream ‘I WANT SALES’ in your browsers’ faces.
4. Visual brand identity
Many web designers will ask you for your brand before they even start, so they can base the design around everything wonderful about your brand, this includes:
- Logo design
- Alternate logos
- Colour palette
- Font
- Mood board
5. Stunning imagery
Graphics will only get you so far. Amazing websites usually contain amazing photographic images that enhance the look and feel of their brand and message. The quickest, best way to do this is to get a stock of professionally taken photographs for your web designer to work with. Alternatively, there are really good stock images out there you can pay for.
6. Words people want to read
You need words. Not just any words. Words that tell your browser exactly how you will help them, how you understand what they need, and how they’ve hit the jackpot finding you on the internet.
Sounds easy right? However much you think you might be good with words, if you’ve never written a website before, you need to engage a professional copywriter, specialising in online content.
7. Intuitive layout
How many clicks for a browser to see an overview of your products? How many drop-down menu options? Why are reviews so hidden?
If the layout is confusing, and in any way counter-intuitive, the browser will leave.
Make their experience as easy as 1-2-3, with a web designer who knows their UX and how to create a delightfully responsive website.
Your website MUST be optimised for mobile.
8. Movement, illustration and fun
Most websites are static, so this is an easy way to stand out if you can get innovative with your design. There is so much you can do, with any brand, to create a compelling world customers will want to engage with.
Have you seen our little cloud and illustrated techie superheroes?
9. Client testimonials
They must be sincere and refreshed, but nothing will make you stand out better than real-person evidence. Let your customers tell the world of the amazing products, services and solutions you can bring to them.
Don’t be afraid to ask your clients for testimonials, ask them questions for a case study, or fill in a review form. Clients expect to do this, and often want to.
< Read more articles on our Web Academy
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