Modern Website Design Success

Take your website from bad … to basic … to haute couture.

If you think of website design as fashion, it’s easy to imagine why you wouldn’t want to parade around Miami Vice-style in a royal blue cotton jacket with shoulder pads and rolled-up sleeves. Sure, that’s funny at a costume party, but for your business website, it’s more like a sharp poke in the eye.

While modern fashion and modern website design might share some commonalities, fashion designers are hamstrung by the human form and available fabrics. There are only so many ways to make pants. However, modern web designers are working in an ever-changing environment with new tools, delivery devices, and virtual environments appearing regularly. The solution to staying current is to get a web developer who’s always learning and hang on for the ride.

Layout & Functionality of Modern Website Design

Form follows function for modern website design. What I mean is, layout is largely dependent on how people are accessing the web.

• Dialup led to simple designs that would load quickly
• High-speed internet led to complicated designs with flash and animation
• Smartphones led to responsive modern website designs with simple layouts

When it comes to layout, always think of your audience first.

Features of Modern Website Design —What Not to Do

In analyzing needs for your website, it’s easier to start with features you should NOT have in modern website design:

• No Auto-Play Music — Let’s face it, no one ever liked this.
• No Flash — It’s clunky, it crashes, it’s old technology whose day in the sun is over.
• No Animated Gifs — They pull the eye away from normal viewing patterns.

Don’t annoy your visitors and give them a reason to hit the back button.

Features of Modern Website Design —Must Have Basics

Just like you’ll want a comfortable pair of shoes, jeans, and a t-shirt in your wardrobe, for your website you’ll definitely need:

1. Reliable Hosting — You want to be accessible to your visitors. Period.
2. Good Security — If your site isn’t safe, your customers will flee.
3. Linkable Contact Information — Be easily reachable via email, phone, or car.

Once you have the basic essentials, you can customize from there.

Features of Modern Website Design —Haute Couture

Modern website design is like high fashion. Everyone has their own idea of what will become the new normal. However, where high fashion is only available to the wealthy, modern web design is accessible to all with:

• Mobile-friendly designs that are mobile-optimized or full responsive for smartphone and tablet users.
• Full social media integration & shareable content to engage with customers who are social.
• Conversion-centered designs that make sure visitors click the link or button you want them to click.

Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory. ~Coco Chanel

Modern web designs basically take Coco Chanel’s advice on how to focus attention. Is your website too busy? Is it clear what you want your customers to do? Are you turning viewers into customers? Modern website designs remove accessories and focus on the purpose of your site.