8 Fundamental Elements of Web Design For a Modern Website

What makes a website stand out from the rest in today’s day and age? Learn all about the top elements of web design for a strong website.

Websites. In the digital landscape we’re living in, they’re an essential aspect of winning in business.

It’s no surprise that well over 1.5 billion websites exist online already. They’re the gatekeepers to information, and the harbingers of leads, conversions, and revenue.

But creating and running a successful site isn’t easy. You can bet your bottom dollar that of those 1.5 billion sites, only a relative handful operate to their fullest potential.

So what separates the good from the bad? In other words, what are the key elements of web design that drive success?

The answer to these questions can be something of a mystery to anyone new to the website scene. But don’t worry, we’re here to help.

Interested in putting together the best website possible for the year ahead?

Keep reading about 8 crucial aspects of a modern website.

1. User-Experience-Centric

First thing’s first: The user experience (UX) should be prioritized in your website(s).

This is the online equivalent of being customer-focused in-store. You’re trying to do everything you can to design a website that’s a joy to use.

Visitors to your website should find it frustration-free.

It should be intuitive to navigate and easy to find the information you need. Succeed in this endeavor and you’ll find your website ticking all of Google’s boxes!

Users should spend longer on-site, click-back less often, and work their way through your funnels more readily. Sound good?

In the coming points we’ll talk more about some UX-specifics.

2. Lightning Speed

Speed is one such UX example.

Think about your own website encounters online. What happens when you come across a slow-loading page? You get bored within milliseconds and click-back for an alternative. Right?

Patience is a limited resource these days. As such, it’s the job of a designer to get a website operating as quickly as possible. Pages should load within a matter of seconds.

Any longer and you’ll lose users.

Remember, getting someone to click on your website isn’t easy. Having earned someone’s click, the last thing you want is to lose it again. You’ll wave goodbye to potential leads and conversions.

3. Sensible Color Scheme

Color will always be a central feature of good design work.

You might assume that any old color scheme will do. However, it pays to be aware of the effect of different colors on our emotions.

Red often symbolizes anger, heat, and wrongdoing. Blue is colder and more relaxing in nature. Green is sometimes used to signal a professional appearance. Throw the specific hue into the mix and you cultivate a wider range of impressions!

It goes without saying that this is important to the image you’re trying to create for your business. Colors should work together, appeal to your target audience, and be on-brand.

Practically-speaking, the color scheme should captivate and guide user attention. It shouldn’t obscure key information, or detract from the aesthetic appeal in any manner.

4. Intuitive Navigation

There’s nothing more frustrating than wanting information from a website and being unable to find it. Remember the importance of speed for your site?

Well, people want their information quickly too.

Help them find what they need in record time. The navigation should make intuitive sense. Headers and sub-headers should be visible, logical, and lead to the promised destination.

Think about including a search bar as well. The information somebody needs could be buried somewhere in years of content. The search bar helps them access it with minimal trouble.

5. Impressive Imagery

Remember the age-old aphorism that a picture says a thousand words?

It applies to your website.

Images are an important way to break up blocks of text and augment engagement. They’re a vital means of increasing aesthetical appeal and keeping people on-site for longer.

The key is to use relevant and professional photographs. For best effects, steer clear of stock photography. Bear in mind that you’re trying to stand out from literally billions of other websites. The generic and mundane nature of stock images works contrary to that pursuit.

6. Legible Typography

Typography is another foundational part of website design.

This umbrella term encapsulates everything from the text font and letter-size to the colors involved. Mistakes in any one of these areas can create an ugly and illegible copy on your site.

You need text to stand out on the screen and be easy to read.

Again, though, the exact nature of the text should be on-brand and match the image you’re trying to create. Slight alterations make all the difference:

A serif font can appear more professional; a sans serif can seem more relaxed and laid-back.

Think about your brand and audience to settle upon the best combinations of text for your business.

7. White Space Savvy

Don’t fall into the trap of filling every bit of available space on your website.

Masses of images, text, and links only distract the eye and make your site clunky and oppressive. It’s like walking into the house of a hoarder. It’s an assault on the senses that makes moving around far harder.

Less is more.

Be sure to leave plenty of white space around your website elements. Of course, it doesn’t have to be white in color! Space itself will suffice.

You’ll create a cleaner and simpler aesthetic that encourages engagement and facilitates navigation.

8. Calls to Action

Finally, incorporate calls-to-action (CTAs) on your website.

Things like: ‘Click here to learn more’, ‘Book your tickets now’, and ‘Sign up for the newsletter’.

It’s your job to tell users what you want them to do. Fail in this regard and you can guarantee they won’t do it! Experiment with different locations for your CTAs to find the best rates of conversion.

You’ll be generating more sales and sign-ups in no time.

Incorporate These Elements of Web Design

Websites can make or break a business these days.

It’s imperative for businesses to create a high-performing site that facilitates the achievement of their goals. Whether it’s driving brand awareness or sales, a quality website can help.

Hopefully, this post has highlighted the key elements of web design for creating the best website possible.

Looking for professional support? Get in touch with us today!

Originally published at https://www.studioumbrella.com.