Web Design Tips: Design vs. Performance — What Do Users REALLY Want from Your Site?

From making a positive first impression to facilitating long-term loyalty, your website isn’t just a welcome mat for your business. It’s a dynamic reflection of your brand and an essential tool for communicating value to customers.

And, with 75% of users judging a business’s credibility based on its website’s design, now is the perfect time to take control of your digital presence and ensure your website is making the right impression.

But, did you know performance is just as important to website visitors? Striking the right balance between design and delivery can be an overwhelming prospect for business owners, but it’s the key to your website’s success.

Luckily, our team is here to help.

By focusing on the following 5 areas, your business can not only meet website visitor expectations, it can exceed them!

1.   Ensure Good Website Usability & Functionality

Your website’s functionality and level of usability form the basis of a positive user experience. Not only does careful attention to detail in this area affect that crucial first impression, it also establishes your business as an industry leader who understands digital best practices.

From page loading times to accessible designs, it’s vital for your website to reflect what a modern, user-centric platform should be.

In our experience, here’s what users expect from your website:

• Intuitive navigation: Streamline the user journey with a clear and intuitive navigation structure. This can include website elements like a search bar, or visual hierarchy principles like text alignment, composition, and contrast.
• Mobile responsiveness: On top of polishing the desktop version of your website, your site also needs to be optimized for mobile devices. This caters to the growing number of mobile users visiting websites on smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices.
• Fast loading speeds: Both mobile site and desktop users demand speed from your website. This is why, during the web design process, it’s important to test your pages and ensure they load swiftly for an optimal experience.
• Efficient forms: Forms can be important elements for websites, but unfortunately, they often cause friction as part of the user experience. For best results, simplify forms where possible to minimize user frustration.
• Accessibility: Ensure your website is accessible to all users, including those with additional needs. Do this by referring to accessibility standards and guidelines, and ensuring your website offers support for additional technology like screen readers.
• Reliable links and buttons: Web design best practice is all about nailing down the finer details. This includes regularly checking and updating links and buttons to maintain a seamless user experience. 

Tip: When it comes to balancing design and performance as part of web design best practices, it’s vital to consider the impact aesthetic elements can have on your website. While video content and graphics might make your website look good, they can also increase page loading times and impact the user experience. This is why it’s essential to work with professional web designers who understand how visual design and usability interlink.

2.   Get Ahead of Site Maintenance

Regular maintenance doesn’t just keep your website in top condition, it also contributes to the overall performance of your business. From ensuring your business is seen as reputable and up-to-speed with the latest digital advancements, to improving user satisfaction and strengthening your online presence – effective site maintenance is crucial.

But, website maintenance is an ongoing process that can drain valuable time and resources. So, how can you manage this process more effectively?

Our team suggests:

• Scheduling regular meetings with your web team: Schedule regular monthly meetings with your web team to discuss updates and changes.
• Setting clear objectives: Have additions or modifications ready and clearly outlined for efficient implementation by your web team.
• Prioritizing security updates: Prioritize security updates to protect against potential vulnerabilities.
• Considering content refreshes: Keep your content updated, reflecting the latest information and maintaining relevance.
• Having backup procedures in place: Regularly backup your website to prevent data loss in case of unexpected issues.

3.   Build a Strategy for Quality Content

Beyond a great logo, color scheme, and other visual elements — your website needs to tell a story about who your business is and what it’s trying to achieve.

This is why quality content is now an essential part of good website design and in turn, website performance.

But, when it comes to website content that follows both design and performance best practices, what should you be focusing on?

• Strategic messaging: Craft clear, concise messaging that effectively communicates your brand’s identity, values, and goals.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Create an SEO strategy and incorporate relevant keywords into your content to enhance SEO and improve search engine rankings.
• User-centric approach: Carry out user research and tailor content to your target audience, providing valuable information and addressing their specific needs.
• Engaging visuals: Integrate visuals like images and infographics that complement your content without sacrificing page loading speed.
• Consistent brand voice: Maintain a consistent and authentic brand voice across all content, reinforcing your brand’s identity and building trust.
• Strategic CTAs (Call to Actions): Strategically place compelling CTAs throughout your content to guide users toward desired actions, improving conversion rates and overall performance.
• Interactive elements: Incorporate interactive elements like quizzes or polls for increased user engagement.

Tip: It can also be wise to include a FAQ section on your website. Not only does this section provide a valuable resource for visitors, but it can also help filter and nurture quality leads by proactively addressing customer concerns.

4.   Consistently Monitor Web Analytics

As digital society progresses, the strategic use of data and analytics is becoming increasingly important for those seeking a competitive edge. From informing your decisions to refining your online strategy, a data-driven approach is a non-negotiable aspect of modern business.

But what type of website data should your business be keeping an eye on?

Our team recommends consistently monitoring and analyzing the following insights:

• Bounce rates: Understand user engagement by analyzing bounce rates and finding out why users lose interest in your website’s offerings so quickly.
• Time on page: Gauge the effectiveness of your content by assessing the average time spent on each page.
• Traffic sources: Identify where your website traffic comes from to improve your targeted marketing efforts.
• Conversion rates: Track the percentage of visitors completing desired actions and further optimize these conversions.
• Exit pages: Identify pages where users commonly exit your website to see where you can improve content or user experience.
• User demographics: Understand your audience better by evaluating demographic data and determining if your website traffic aligns with your target audience.

5.   Partner with a Reputable Web Design Team

If you want to achieve the delicate balance between design and performance, partnering with a reputable web and graphic design firm is a powerful step you can take. Websites can be complicated, and a long-term partnership with your web team is critical for success.

With the right web design team on board, not only will your website make a more professional impression, you’ll also gain access to the support you need — as you need it.

Just some of the benefits of partnering with a professional, multidisciplinary web design team like Tate Design include:

• Creative expertise: Tap into the creative expertise of experienced designers for visually appealing websites.
• Technical proficiency: Benefit from a team that understands the technical aspects of a great website, and can optimize performance without compromising on look!
• Custom solutions: Receive tailored solutions that align with your brand identity, business goals, and other aspects of your marketing strategy.
• Timely updates: Stay ahead with regular updates and keep up with the latest design and performance trends.

 Tip: For best results, look for web design firms that also specialize in integrated services like digital marketing, branding, graphic design, SEO, and more. This ensures better alignment with your branding and business goals, and provides a more seamless, agile, and ‘full-service’ approach to your relationship.

Chester County Web Design Experts: Unlock Your Website’s Full Potential

At Tate Design, we understand the value of giving website visitors what they want, without compromising on other aspects of your business. As the digital face of your business, it’s vital to find the right web design team to not only address existing concerns with your website, but also take your site to the next level… with ease!

We know how to balance website design aesthetics and exceptional performance, and we can implement a fresh, innovative, and forward-thinking approach to other marketing services. With these strategies, we can transform your website into a powerful tool that captivates visitors and drives business success.

With a full suite of marketing and digital branding services, our marketing experts in Chester County are ready to take on their next challenge.

To work with us, you don’t need to be an expert in World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards — you just have to know what you want your website to achieve.

Connect with Tate Design today and we’ll take care of the rest.