New Year, New Look: How to Revamp your Website for 2017!

  • Design
  • Web Development

Written by: Garen Meserlian

As we fast approach the start of a new year, chances are you’ll be thinking about your marketing plans for 2017. And when it comes to digital marketing, your website plays a crucial role in your success. But you don’t have to break the bank to make sure your website is up to scratch; some small tweaks and a little redesign can help revamp your site, give it that ‘wow’ factor, make it more competitive, and ensure users interact with it more efficiently than ever. The long and short of it? More leads, and hopefully, more revenue for you! Action Digital takes you through some key points to consider in any website redesign for 2017.

 

Make sure it’s mobile friendly (responsive design)

These days, people are increasingly looking for information on the go and google search engines are giving higher rankings to mobile friendly websites. And it’s crucial that you have a site with responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes, without compromising quality, giving users a pleasant browsing experience; one that looks good on a small screen, with simple key messages, sleek design and easy navigation. If the user feels overwhelmed, chances are, you’ve lost them after the first click! Remember, less is more.

 

Update your visuals

It’s all about making a connection with your audience and the image of your site is hugely important. Nowadays, people want images that look authentic and if you only rely on stock photos, they’ll be nothing fresh about it. Try new perspectives (like cool drone shots), use photos that look great on a full screen, and be realistic – staged images don’t work as well than ones that look really authentic – so hire a professional photographer if you can. Also, think about incorporating bespoke illustrations, use big and bold typography, and choose your font carefully (think creatively and be sure it’s not outdated). Last but not least, make sure everything you use is really relevant; reflecting exactly what your business does and let the image speak for itself.

 

Numbers speak louder than words

If your company supplies 300 shops around the country, let that be known loud and clear on the homepage. It’s way more effective than a wordy paragraph about having a wide network. Use any numbers which show off your brand or company in the best possible light – persuade your audience that you have the experience it takes to do a great job. This isn’t always relevant of course, especially if you are a new company, but even growth figures can look great!

 

Revamp the colour scheme with flat colours, either bold or muted

Yes that’s right, flat colours are the in thing these days. Interestingly, what’s happening in the world of fashion and interior design is often reflected in the world of web design. Today, there’s a huge trend for flat bold and bright colours but if that doesn’t tie in well with your brand, muted colours are also super trendy. You’ll be giving your site and overhaul and you’ll stand out from the crowd. Colour overlays are still popular too, filtering an image through a coloured lens.

 

Tap into the power of the moving image

It’s nothing new that video is taking over the internet and we all know a moving image immediately captivates the user. But not everyone uses it on their website to their best advantage, getting across a carefully constructed narrative and message. Done the right way, you’ll be appealing to all senses and encouraging the user to want to know more about your brand.

 

Give your written content an overhaul

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, users today have a shorter attention span than ever before. So you need to give them the lowdown on who you are, what you do, and what you can offer them in the most simple and effective way possible. Go through your ‘about us’ section, tweak it, shorten it, make it powerful. Then make sure each page conveys the right messages, use the right call to actions (CTAs), and last but not least, do make sure that all your content is optimised- SEO is key!

 

Contemplate the use of animation

Not just for fun, you can attract a user’s attention to important details, as animations can guide users around the site or separate categories. But don’t overdo it and make sure that motion doesn’t last too long or prove too distractive.

 

Leave an impression with parallax scrolling

Give your website the wow factor with a cool trend that’s increasingly on the rise, especially on landing pages, which involves the background moving at a slower rate than the foreground giving a 3D feel while making the site come to life as the user scrolls down the page.

 

Incorporate eye catching Call to Actions (CTAs)

Once the user lands on the page, be sure to capture their attention immediately to generate leads. You’ll want to entice them to proceed to either request a service, buy a product, sign up to the newsletter or just become more familiar with your company. You must make your CTAs visible and prominent- once again, simplicity is key.

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