Website design services for Canterbury, Kent

A website that animates with fancy graphics might look great but the chances are it won't convert very well. Why? Because people (and Google) want clear, easy to understand and quick loading information. It can still look stylish, but today's typical website user is impatient and needs to be able to find the information they want as quickly as possible.

It sounds obvious but a website that doesn't speak to your core user is one that will fail to connect and make sales. It's really important to understand why your brand, products and services appeal to your customers. What are the problems you solve for them and what are the factors that make them buy from you? Your website needs to communicate that clearly.

A navigation that is badly thought out and confuses people will lose you customers. Make it as easy as possible to find the pages on your website. Don't crowd your menus with a million pages. Have the pages logically ordered so that people can find what they need. Keep it simple and intuitive. Your users and Google will thank you for it.

Keeping your end user in mind will ensure you employ functionality that adds to your user's browsing experience, not hinders it. Always think about how you can add value to their time on your site. Don't include functionality just because you think it looks cool. It needs to make sense for your brand and the product or service you're selling. And it needs to add value for your customers.

These days, all websites need to work on mobiles, tablets and laptops as well as desktops but this is particularly important if you are aiming at a demographic who are likely to use their phones more - such as young people. Having a poorly functioning website on a phone could mean your business misses out on sales.

If the buying or sign-up process is too long or convoluted, people will abandon the cart half way through. Keep it to as few steps as possible and don't throw a load of last minute options at your buyer just before they are about to purchase as this can be off-putting. Make it easy for them to buy and minimise distractions. You want to funnel your users through to the sale.

A dated website can make your business seem out of touch. Your site should give a trustworthy impression of your brand, that reassures people you are a good company to do business with. Also, an old website can create the impression in the user's mind that the site is not secure and their data might be hacked.

Users will make a judgment about your website extremely quickly and that's why it's important to state at the top of the home page what you do, how you do it and who you do it for. That will reassure people that they are in the right place and that your website is for them. A clear call to action will encourage them to take the next step.

All brands have a tone - from the style of graphics they choose to the imagery, fonts and messaging. Again, it comes back to understanding what your customer wants. The tone and messaging of your website has to fit with your customer's expectations. Keeping this consistent throughout all your marketing will ensure people begin to recognise your brand and know what it stands for.

A user who has not come across your business before will need to be educated about you and how you are of benefit to your customers. A user who has purchased from you before will want to go straight to the buy button. These two users are at different stages of the sales funnel. Your content should cater to customers at all stages of the funnel and steer them towards making a purchase.

A website user does not care that the walking boots you are selling have a foam collar around the top unless you make it clear to them that it will result in greater comfort for all day walking. Your messaging should show how your offering solves problems for your customers and benefits them. Sell the benefits of the features to your customers.

We all want a website that we like - after all, we're the ones paying the bill. But it's far more important for the success of your website, to create a website that your customers like and respond to. Who is your target customer and what sorts of things do they buy and consume? It is better to let them be your guide and not follow your own personal taste.