With the many web designers and web developers throughout the world, helped with their diversity in minds and ideas, there are countless of designed websites out there. From simple and clear-as-sky websites to complex and featured-pack applications.
Some web designers opt into using more CSS than image approach to get their website more simple but accessible to all platforms, while some others opt into high graphics, more codes and scripts with much interactivity. Different approach means different experience, but what they all have in common is that they all want to be seen.
Prettiness and sophistication in designing a website is not a sin. And plain but simple design is not always bad. But what makes them score is their ability to fulfill their visitors' needs.
As a starting point discussing some issues you may encounter while having your website designed is that you must exist and compete in the world where others similar to you are doing the exact same thing.
Appearance As An Issue
New web designers usually focus on improving their already excessive appearance of their websites. Mature web designers tend to think on how to make the already designed website to give more usability, less flaws, better cross-platform ability, and improving its overall performance.
But none should forget that the point of having a website online is to please others, not yourself. Web designers have tried their best in creating the best they can, but many have failed because they forget that their main target is to focus on getting people's appreciation.
Appearance can either break or make your site. Despite it's not the most important thing for a website to have the best design out there, a very well made website is always eye-catching and attractive.
However, appearance can be an issue to most early web designers that sees beauty on their priority list, discounting the value of appearance altogether. Beauty comes in many form, and that depends on your targeted visitors. A heavy and sophisticated website with plenty of graphics and animations may not please visitors that need information more than they need visuals, like for example on forums and Q&A websites. But on the other hand, those kinds of websites may please wandering visitors that loves visuals more than your contents.
Usability For Your Purpose
All websites that are online have their own purposes of living. Whether they're created to highlight their owners' ability, or trying to sell something, all websites are there to be seen.
The usability of a website is important to achieve this. To be seen, and make people happy when they visit, web design should have usability on their priority list. Not everyone on the web is as fluent in using a web browsers and the current tech powering the web.
Going to the basics, like using navigation bar to allow easy access to most important parts of your website, or putting likes where it should be, as well as the call-to-action button where no other design elements are obscuring it, are some of the things to make a website more usable.
Related: The Proper Navigation for a Successful Website
Your contents are one of the things that drive visitors to your site in the first place, so information should available whenever needed. Before people can buy something from you, or do something to benefit you, they need a purpose. Are the information about what you're aiming people to do available? Is there a summary of an explanation about the things they should do before buying anything from you? Do you have the detailed explanation or are everything self-explanatory? Are all links pointed to the correct page?
Not just information is necessary. Information that is not accessible is similar to no information at all. A page that gives a detailed description of your products won't help your visitors if they're having a hard time finding it. So if you can't put the information right under their noses, put a link to it.
If your site has a large number of pages, you must have links that are pointed to them. You may not get lost on your website because you own it. But almost everyone else are visitors to your site, and most of them have no idea how your site is structured or organized. Putting links in correct places, having a Sitemap to help people getting around, adding second navigation bar, having a search feature and others can make your site more usable to new visitors.
Appealing to Other Online Services
When you first put your website online, you need excessive marketing to get yourself seen. You can yourself seen by having social media presence, for example, buying ads spaces and more.
To get more people visiting your website, while at the same time minimizing the bounce rate, you need to appeal to online services just like you want to appeal to your visitors. Online services here include search engines, social medias, other websites that sell ads spaces, online directories, etc..
If you're relying on them to drive you more visitors, you're faced with the challenge to analyze your targeted visitors, the online services' users and how they all perform. If they all meet your requirements, you can then implement both organic and paid approach to your marketing efforts.
Related: Preparing Your First Content Marketing Strategy
Conclusion
A good web design is a topic of debate, but they all have one thing in common: getting the website seen and appreciated. Increasing usability, giving it better appearance and appealing to others are the three things you can do to get more users in appreciating your site.
If your web contents are kings, they are the ones that drives people to your website. Combining good contents with great web design are what will make people stay.
Further reading: Steps for Building Your Small Business Online Marketing Strategies