How To Increase Sales Through Web Design
No matter what you’re selling, be that goods or services, your web design has the power to win or lose you sales. In fact, half of consumers (50%) believe that web design is vital for a company’s overall brand, with 42% saying they would leave a site that had poor functionality and a further 38% saying that an outdated design would be their top reason for leaving.
This is because users will determine how credible they believe your brand to be based on your website. Not to mention that the very clever use of colours, branding, navigation, etc. can be all it takes to grab a customer’s attention and encourage a sale.
So, if you think it might be time that you revamp your website, we’re here to help. In this guide, we’re going to take a look at how you can create a clean and modern website and one that your customers will feel comfortable using and will enjoy browsing.
Here’s how to increase sales through web design.
1. Integrate a responsive web design
Firstly, if you haven’t already, you need to make sure that your website has a responsive design. In 2021, mobile commerce accounted for almost three-quarters (73%) of e-commerce sales, and in the last six months, 79% of smartphone users have placed an order via their phone.
These figures highlight the shift in consumer trends that have taken place over the last decade. The smartphone revolution has seen consumers increasingly shopping while on the go and relying on their phones or tablets to do so.
As such, an important step towards increasing your sales is integrating a responsive design that allows shoppers to seamlessly use your website, no matter what device they’re using.
Essentially, responsive design ensures that your e-commerce website adapts to fit on smaller screens like phones or tablets. This allows users to have the same great experience and to be able to effortlessly buy your products or services no matter how or where they are.
2. Check the speed of your site
In today’s always-on culture, we’ve become accustomed to instant results. As such, you need your website to load as quickly as possible. Ideally, you want your pages to load within two to three seconds. This is because 40% of consumers will abandon a website that takes more than three seconds to load.
You can use Google to check the current loading time of your website. Then, by optimising your web design, you can speed up its loading time and reduce the number of people abandoning your site. You might also wish to invest in some page speed services to increase your chances of making a sale even further.
3. Use only high-quality visuals
Websites are very visual, and whether it’s headings, logos, pictures or videos, every visual element plays a critical role in keeping the user engaged. If your website is full of big chunks of text, is really plain or uses low resolution and unprofessional imagery, you’re going to damage your brand.
You need to make sure that every inch of your site looks appealing, professional and trustworthy. To do this, you should include only high-quality and high-resolution imagery or visual elements. It’s also best to avoid stock images, using original images, artwork, visuals, etc., for a more personal customer experience and one that reflects your brand.
This can really help to enhance the user experience and make your website more appealing – and you’d be surprised how quickly a few great visuals can lead to an increase in sales.
4. Utilise the white space
Lots of businesses make the mistake of trying to cram every inch of their website full of text and visuals to avoid white space. However, the key is to utilise this space carefully so as not to overwhelm your users with information and visuals.
Sometimes a little bit of white space is fundamental to a good design. It can help to create a more minimalist, clean effect, and it can certainly be important for keeping customer’s attention and directing them to the right places.
As such, it’s a good idea to look back over your website and determine if it looks too crowded or confusing. If so, think more about your use of white space and creating a clearer, more visually appealing design.
5. Organise your navigation
One of the biggest ways to increase sales through web design is to think about your navigation and the user experience. Is your website confusing to navigate? Are the navigation bars and menus clear, or do they need a bit of work?
You want to make it as easy as possible for the user to find the goods or services they are looking for. An organised navigation plays a huge role in this, and it can be very helpful to use a handful of broad categories with possible subcategories underneath to do this. You might also wish to add a search bar to make it even quicker for them to find the specific content they want.
Consumers who can find the goods faster and easier are more likely to convert to a sale. And remember, your navigation also needs to translate well on mobile, so think carefully about this when creating an integrated site.
6. Make your CTAs stand out
Last but certainly not least, you need to make calls to action that stand out and encourage customers to make a purchase. If your audience is already engaging with your website and content, a bold CTA could be all it takes to secure the sale. If your CTAs don’t stand out or help to guide users, you’ll miss out.
You can be creative with how you choose to get the user’s attention. Your CTAs might take the form of buttons or pop-ups, but they all need to display and clear and concise message that encourages the desired action. So, for example, it might say ‘click here’ or ‘sign up’, and you can also use this technique for promoting sales or discounts. An example of this might be a real-time pop-up that says ‘spend £10 more for free shipping’.
Whatever you choose to do, well-designed CTAs can engage your audience and guide them on their journey. This can help your business to see an instant boost in sales.
