7 Things You Need to Consider While Designing Your Website?

Creating a website may seem overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be difficult since websites are a profitable investment. If you are a designer, developer, or someone new to creating an online presence, planning ahead can greatly simplify the web design process. 

Here are a few important factors to keep in mind while designing your website to simplify the process. We’ve provided the tips here in a question format to make them easier to understand.  

1: Who are You Designing It for? 

According to a web design agency, understanding who your site is being designed for is crucially important. Hence, before you come up with a design, make sure to consider 'who is my target audience?' Try to comprehend the specific demographic you are targeting.  

For instance, imagine designing a website targeted towards youth for a fashion label. In this case, you are probably seeking inspiration from popular culture. 

2: Is Your Website’s Structure Big or Is It Small? 

After identifying your target audience, the next step is to organize the layout of your website. Consider this as the fundamental plan to execute your design. In this phase, you should begin by designing the site map starting from the top with the homepage.  

Afterwards, you must generate a map linking to all the remaining pages on the site. Consider that all pages must loop back to the home, while determining other destinations they should link to.  

But what about the contact info, information about the company, additional content, blogs? You must think about the size of your website and the type of data you will show. 

3: How Will the Content Section Look? 

This brings us smoothly to the content on your site. It might not be your first priority in terms of design, but it should definitely not be overlooked.  

In 2016, 59% of users indicated that they would like content to be well-designed when they have 15 minutes to consume it, showing the significance of combining beauty and efficiency.  

Consider the website as you would a blank piece of paper. Simply having a small amount of text on this document will be quite dull and unappealing.  

Your content should be engaging enough to retain visitors on your website. Consumers are most likely to leave a site when there is a lack of a clear message, according to 46% of respondents.  

Quality content can captivate your viewers, boost your SEO efforts, and communicate your main messages to your clientele. Using your content in a beautifully designed manner is crucial for it to be successful in delivering its message. 

4: Do You Want to Use Imagery? 

After you have your content ready, it's important to consider incorporating images. But, while you’re at it, the first thing you specifically need to do is think about their origin. 

There are several choices available for you to utilize. Taking the pictures on your own is the speediest and most cost-effective method of obtaining visuals for your website.  

However, if you are not skilled in photography, do you want your site to be negatively impacted because you chose to save money on the images?  

Instead, you have the alternative to enlist the services of a photographer to capture all the desired images. This solution may be costly. But if you want to uphold a strong brand image, it could be the only option to ensure the desired level of quality.  

The last possibility is utilizing stock photographs. There are affordable options to obtain images to enhance your website, with a vast selection of images accessible on the internet. Still, these visuals may lack specificity and may not effectively portray the strength of your brand. 

5: How are You Considering Designing the Logo? 

This leads us to branding.  

Some companies solely have a website as their visual representation of their business. Before the website design process begins, it is crucial to consider the brand's image.  

Creating a website should not be done on a whim.  

It is important to consider existing branding or, if there is none, develop a brand identity from the ground up. This is the perfect place to showcase your design skills.  

Here are some questions to consider: 

A: Do you have any kind of logo for utilization? 

This is the place to begin by utilizing components of the logo to establish the brand's image. 

B: What font will you be using? 

Sans serif fonts are currently in high demand because of their easy readability. Serif fonts do not even make it to the top 20 most used fonts on websites.  

There is a wide selection of free fonts online and Google Fonts is a good starting point. Google states that currently 'Open Sans' is the most popular font.  

Yet, 'Roboto' is reported to have become the top web font for Photoshop users in 2016. 

C: How about the color? 

Consider thinking about color theory in this place. A website aiming to promote environmentally friendly housing should use green to symbolize the brand's eco-friendly values. 

D: What about any aspects of the design? 

Icons are very popular, serving as small visual hints for the viewers to understand. Your design has the potential to be a crucial aspect of the brand's image. 

6: Overall Usability 

When it comes to visual indicators, the usability of your web design is crucial for its success. Consistency is a key factor to take into account in this aspect.  

You must disassemble all the components you plan to utilize, including buttons, hover states, and menus. All buttons should be rounded rectangles if clickable elements in rounded rectangles are included. In the year 2016, circular shapes were the most popular in web design with 87% of Photoshop shapes and 84% of Sketch shapes having rounded corners.  

Refrain from using this visual signal for any alternative component. It's about incorporating subtle cues that guide the user to navigate your site intuitively.  

Consider menus thoroughly as well.  

Hamburger menus are now commonly used on many sites, but in terms of usability, they are still not as user-friendly as straightforward header navigation, except for when accessed on mobile devices where they are more prevalent.  

The more straightforward the journey is, the more enhanced user experience you provide. 

7: How Will the Layout be? 

Creating a website involves applying the fundamental principles utilized in designing a poster or front page. Ensuring a well-rounded mix of images and text on your page is important for its organization. Over 50% of users believe that viewing content online requires good design.  

When creating a website, make sure to establish a straightforward layout to enhance user understanding. Having a well-defined hierarchy on your website will improve its navigation.  

Avoid overwhelming users with your layout by minimizing visual cues. Simplifying the interface makes it easier for users to find desired content.  

Before designing the actual interface, it's crucial to create a wireframe of the site. In this manner, you can easily modify the layout and evaluate the effectiveness of the design.