As design possibilities within CSS markup become more flexible and dynamic, people have become more demanding in how content on the web is presented. Having high-quality information is no longer sufficient to attract leads and it has become vital to make design an integral part of the overall marketing process.
According to data from Kinesis Inc., once a page has loaded a visitor will form an opinion within half a second.
What this means is that your various design strategies can make or break your opportunity to capture leads and sales. And it’s not limited to just your website: effective design needs to be incorporated into every platform, or sales funnel you create, including your social media presence and advertising campaigns.
Only by integrating effective design along with compelling messaging can you hope to have higher conversions and more overall sales. The task of integrating web design and digital marketing may appear complex to start, but we’ll cover six methods that are a great way to start. Our first three recommendations focus on design elements you can change now to improve your marketing:
Keep Your Branding Consistent Across Campaigns
Branding is your calling card across the web, and it’s essential to creating a cohesive presence online. However, many small business owners have inconsistency across their campaigns. Branding may be prominent on the main website, but it could be lacking on social media platforms and advertising campaigns or absent altogether.
Creating a strong brand, including a logo, colors, font, and even a slogan, will help prospects to recognize you no matter where you are on the web. As more people within your become familiar with your brand, you build an online reputation that fosters trust and in turn gives you the opportunity to boost your audience organically.
Use Styling to Make Your Content Readable
When presenting content to your visitors, readability is incredibly important. People are reluctant to commit to reading content if the styling makes it appear challenging, so ensure the layout is attractive. Choose a recognizable font that is a size and color that entices readers, but also ensure that it is in balance with the rest of your page. Use subheadings to break up the content, while adding relevant, professional images that complement the text.
Any navigation, sidebars, and widgets should fit together with the main content, creating a harmonious experience for the user that is both intuitive and easy to navigate both on desktop and mobile.
Ensure Cross-Platform Compatibility
And speaking of mobile, in 2014 the time spent consuming digital media on mobile devices surpassed that of desktops and laptops. Mobile usage has continued to grow since then, so any design that does not incorporate responsive elements is at risk of alienating a significant portion of your audience.
Responsive design will adapt to each device, creating a seamless look and feel across platforms. In addition to testing both mobile and desktop layouts, pay special attention to the differences in display that may occur across different browsers. While the majority your visitors may favor one particular browser over another, having a consistent appearance across all web browsers will ensure that you do not miss out on valuable opportunities to convert.
Next week, we’ll dive deeper into the topic of design and marketing integration for your website with three more ways to incorporate marketing strategies into design choices.
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