When startups and established businesses alike are looking to cut corners and save money, graphic design is usually at the top of their chopping block. But what these companies fail to realize is that good website design can literally mean the difference between being in the red or being in the black – it’s that crucial.
A website is often the first point of contact consumers have with a company. And just like in life, the first impression really does matter. Consciously or subconsciously, consumers take everything they see into account before deciding where to invest their dollars and their loyalty: colors, logo, layout, quality of images, ease of navigation, style, tone, etc. And then make logical and/or emotional assumptions based on what they see: “This company’s website is just so-so quality. I don’t know if I can trust their products or services will be of quality too.” And if a company has consumers doubting, they’ve undoubtedly lost their business. Design matters to the bottom line..jpg)
.jpg)
A great example of a successful website redesign is the Pilates Studio Tiburon in Marin County. Their original website was not doing its part to bring in business and the branding was inconsistent with the actual studio space in terms of color, tone, messaging, etc. The new website needed to reflect the studio's supportive, community atmosphere, whimsical, serene, new-agey vibe, and, of course, the organic nature of Pilates. In working with them, I designed a simple, easy to navigate site, with custom illustration. The result is a design that is at once strong, organic, whimsical, and undeniably imaginative..jpg)
.jpg)
And the investment was well worth it. The new Pilates Studio Tiburon website has successfully attracted and continues to attract new clients, even in our tough economy. The new design has also helped to secure brand loyalty with existing customers as they can now see the quality in everything the studio offers.
Good web design does not have to cost a fortune or be tricked out with bells and whistles, and tons of Flash. But it does mean investing in a quality, professional graphic designer who knows how to help businesses succeed in the visual realm.
Comments
Hi
I fully agree with you. We have a week ago launched a new web site, (re-design) job, and the clients bounce rates has dropped from around 72% down to 34%. As we are still gathering data for our full case study I won't tell you the conversion rates yet, but at the moment everyone is pretty excited.
You can see the site before and after if you visit ProImpact7.
My advice to all who think about a web site which really sells: always think about your web site like it's a date between you and your customer. If you go out on a date scruffy looking, with a greasy hear etc, your chances against someone in a Hugo Boss suit, driving a nice car are almost zero. Well exactly 1-2%, as these are current industry standards for all the ugly looking ("not professional") or not usable web sites.
I love the analogy of a date between you and your customer. (I think you meant greasy hair, not hear, however :-) To Stephanie's point, that all-important first impression can make the difference between someone leaving or staying on your site. And while the graphics are critical, having the right message is part of that first impression. So I would encourage
companies to fine-tune their copy and make it search engine friendly.
I couldn't agree more with your article the first impression really does matter. We are having our site totally re-designed at the moment http://www.datacentredesign.co/architectural-index.php
We are having our site at http://www.parttimejobswk.co.uk redesigned. It is now three years old and looks very poor compared with our competitors.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!