What is Web Design and Why Does it Matter
In today’s digital landscape, establishing a strong online presence is a formula for long-term success. According to WebFX about 97% of people check a company’s online presence before visiting their facility. This means that prerequisites such as web design and development are crucial if you want to be a step ahead of competition.
As the landscape continues to evolve, the importance of the said practices will continue to be at the forefront. This is because they play a key role in creating digital experiences that engage visitors and drive conversions.
Let’s delve deeper into the key elements of effective website design and web development. Along the way, knowing their differences and how they complement each other.
What is Web Design?
Web design is a digital design element that combines the aesthetic and functional aspects of a website. It’s not just about fonts, graphics, and colors. It’s also about content, layout, navigation, and visual style. Website design is important since without it, you won’t be able to convey a structured presentation of your site.
What are the aspects of web design?
There are a variety of web design aspects, including:
User interface (UI) design
Good UI design is a human-centered approach that prioritizes user experience. Notable principles include clear visual elements, consistent navigation patterns, and accessible design components that work well for both desktop and mobile users.
User experience design (UX)
UX focuses on the overall experience of users. It includes perceptions, emotions, and responses to systems or products. UX is defined by ease of use, convenience, and accessibility.
Authoring
Web authoring is the process of creating, designing, and managing content for internet purposes with the use of modern tools that allow users to build pages, interactive elements, and multimedia content. All, without the need for extensive coding skills.
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of making a website more visible in search engines like Google without paying for advertisements.
Integrating website design with SEO can result in a good-looking website, but also one that performs in search engine results pages (SERPs).
5 Elements of Web Design
If you’re planning on building a website, it’s important to understand good web design. Finding the best design can be tricky, but it’s worth it. A well-designed website will keep visitors engaged and help your business grow.
So, what are the main elements to focus on when designing your website?
Layout
People make up their minds or form opinions in the blink of an eye within 100 milliseconds. This is according to ResearchGate, a professional network for scientists and researchers. In 2012, Google confirmed this with a study that found aesthetic design impacted users’ views towards the site in less than 50 milliseconds.
A great visual design is hugely important, and it all begins with your layout. In short, it is the way text, ads, graphics, and media are organized and placed on a page. A good layout will make locating vital information as easy as possible.
Color
Color is another facet that subconsciously triggers something in people, evoking emotions or feelings, whether they are aware of the fact. Modern-day web design relies heavily on color schemes and thoughtful color usage. According to a study that was published in Higher Visibility, 22% of internet users visiting a website for the first time look for striking colors. Also, according to the study, 21% will leave if a particular website employs colors that are bold or outlandish. Because of this, you should seriously consider utilizing primary color combinations, which 26% of users prefer.
Graphics
Many people forget the power of images in order to convey information or sell a brand. Just consider the logos for Coca Cola, Nike, or Apple. Their images sell their brand or service better than any commercial ever could. Approximately 65% of Americans are visual learners, so do not discount the importance of using images to help you succinctly express your message. The nuclear hazard symbol paints a picture far more eloquently than written warnings ever could.
Fonts
Typography is an ingenious way of communicating your message, style, and personality. You’ll want to find a typeset that matches your profession. A doctor or lawyer, for example, may want a timeless serif font, while a startup may be best served by selecting something more playful or out-of-the-box. The vast majority of web browsers are only capable of reading specific fonts, so make sure to choose web-safe fonts for your website.
Your goal is to find fonts that are complementary your overall design but remain easy to read. You want your target audience spending time browsing your site, not wasting time translating hieroglyphics.
Content
Once you’ve laid the foundations of your web design, it’s time to fill your site with content. Content involves written pages on the website as well as blog posts and other media.
The Two Forms of Web Design
When creating your website, you’ll likely have to decide between using a responsive or adaptive web design. In recent years, these two methods of web design have become popular.
Responsive web design
Responsive web design or RWD is a design concept that enables websites to automatically alter their layout based on the type of device used. Whether via a mobile phone or a desktop PC, sites resize themselves to deliver the best possible display.
The primary objective of RWD is to prevent the need to resize, scroll, or zoom sites that have not been designed for various devices. In general, web accessibility and navigation are disrupted in unresponsive websites. Because of this, potential customers can be frustrated and head over to your competitor’s website.
It can be said that having a responsive website can make or break business success. According to a study that was performed by DataReportal and published in Hubspot.com, 55.4% of internet users utilize their mobile phones to make an online purchase.
Adaptive web design
Adaptive web design creates different versions of your website for different devices. This ensures a smooth user experience, regardless of whether they’re on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
By tailoring the website to specific devices, you can improve load times, enhance navigation, and optimize content display. This leads to a better user experience, higher engagement, and ultimately, increased conversions.
When to use responsive and adaptive web design
One of the toughest decisions to make when building a website is choosing between responsive and adaptive design. Both are ideal when it comes to website success, and it all boils down to preference.
Whether building a huge website from nothing or revamping an existing one, responsive web design is the way to go. Aside from requiring less work, layouts that use the said web design are smoother and work better with a range of devices.
With this web design, you don’t have to build a whole website utilizing percentage widths for responsiveness. You can easily add updated versions of the existing website and ensure that it works across different devices. This allows you to save both money and time, which are particularly essential if you own a start-up or small business.
As you develop your web design strategy, examine these aspects to guide your decision:
- Budget (including how much you are willing to spend on future maintenance)
- Size of your website
- Devices that are commonly used by website visitors
- Which devices are most common among website visitors
- The timeline for launching your website
Why does web design matter
Web design is the cornerstone of online presence. An outstanding web design can have a direct impact on customer perception, engagement, and profitability. Here’s why it’s crucial, especially when it comes to business success.
First impression
Around 94% of first impressions are design-related. Website visitors assess everything that is related to your site: from structure to overall structure. They may like or dislike your site based on them. Therefore, if your website looks outdated or unalluring, there’s a high chance that your target audience will have a negative impression.
A professional website can instantly build trust from the moment visitors see it. Here, high quality images, organized layouts, and polished typography suggest that you are serious with your business and care about your users. This speedy establishment of credibility can entice visitors since they can feel confident about exploring your offerings. Consequently, they’re more likely to stay longer, explore web content, and take other advantageous actions.
Search engine performance
Consumers and search engines. These are two aspects that need to be taken seriously if you want to build a successful website—whether short-term or long-term goals.
Nowadays, you need an SEO-friendly website if you want your business to show up on Google. This way your target audience can find your products or services when they do a search. On top of quality digital content, you also need to have a well-designed website if you want to tap into the full potential of your business.
This is where superb UX website design comes in. According to a study that was published in WebFX, about 31% of consumers believe that businesses should focus on engaging user experience. If you want to harness the good side of search engine algorithm, your website speed needs to be both SEO and user-friendly. Google has improved their criteria so that UX-related metrics factor into your website’s ranking.
What is web development
Web development is the process of creating, designing, and maintaining websites and web applications. It involves a combination of programming languages, frameworks, and tools to build dynamic, interactive, and user-friendly websites that cater to the needs of users and businesses.
Web development classifications
Web development encompasses two main classifications: front-end and back-end development. Each plays a crucial role in creating functional, user-friendly websites and applications.
Front-end development
Front-end web development about creating engaging, interactive, and user-friendly websites. It is composed of three fundamental technologies: Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and Javascript.
HTML is utilized to structure the content of a webpage, defining elements such as headings, paragraphs, images, and links. CSS is necessary for the presentation as well as layout of HTML elements. It allows developers to control colors, fonts, spacing, and positioning. JavaScript adds interactivity and dynamic functionality to a website.
Back-end development
Back-end web development is a critical component of building scalable and dynamic websites and applications. It deals with the server-side logic, data management, and infrastructure that power the functionality behind the scenes.
Data management is another aspect of the said web development classification. Here, developers extensively work with databases to manipulate, store, and retrieve data. They also optimize query performance and ensure data integrity and security.
How Website Design and Web Development Complement Each Other
Website design and web development, while different, work together in terms of creating effective websites. The former primarily deals with aesthetics—creating what website visitors want to see—and interact with. On the other hand, the latter takes care of technical infrastructures.
Understanding their roles can help you make better decisions about your online presence. Whether you’re creating an online store or a blog site, success depends on strategically integrating the two principles.
Getting started with web design
Getting started is quick and easy. You don’t need to have the skills of a web design specialist, all you need is a solid website builder such as the one that we offer to get started.
Alternatively, you can let our pros design the right website that fits your needs, preferences, and budget. Reach out today and achieve website design services that are aligned with your brand identity.
