Brick and mortar retailers spend a lot of time focused on their design. An attractive storefront encourages customers to enter the business in the first place. The interior layout guides customers in a way that makes it easier to find products and complete a purchase. It should go without saying that keeping a store clean and organized can make all the difference for a business’s sales.
In the same mindset, the design of your WordPress site will play a big role in the customer experience. Quality design and an intuitive layout will create a pleasant browsing experience that makes site visitors more likely to buy.
No matter what industry you’re in, following some key design principles is essential for your website.
1. Vibrant Headers and Video Banners
Many WordPress backgrounds enable you to upload your own unique header image at the top of the page. This header is more important than you might think — it helps establish the tone of your site, as well as your brand identity. Pairing your logo with an image of an auto shop sends a much different message than the same logo with a field and forest background.
Many websites are making these headers even more engaging by turning them into video banners. A video background adds an eye-catching, dynamic element to your site where you can tell even more of your brand story. Of course, when adding video content, be mindful of how this could affect your site loading time — a cool design element that slows down your website will hurt more than it helps.
2. Minimalism
Minimalism is the leading trend in web design these days, and your WordPress site should be no exception. By limiting how many visual elements are on any one page, you make it easier for visitors to focus on what matters most. Large swaths of white space between text and images will help draw viewers’ attention to highlighted features.
Perhaps even more importantly, an uncluttered design will make it easier for site visitors to comprehend and remember what they saw on your website. Both your brand awareness and conversion depend on this! Some service-oriented brands even condense their content to a single page to make things as simple and streamlined as possible.
3. Illustrations
While “real” photography can certainly be quite effective at communicating your brand identity, many online businesses are choosing to use simple illustrations instead. These illustrations can help explain your brand’s product or services, or simply convey the emotions you want associated with your company.
Illustrations that are created specifically for your site can add much-needed visual interest. Unlike some stock photography, you’re also less likely to suffer from “cheesy” imagery that is being used by dozens of other sites (though not all stock imagery falls into this trap). While illustrations may require an extra upfront investment, they can go a long way in making your site more unique and memorable.
Creating a Stellar Design
One of the great things about WordPress is that its predesigned templates make it easy to get started in designing an attractive website. By customizing a template with your own unique content, you can have confidence that the final result will appeal to your customers and help deliver results for your brand.
