Are you a new business owner looking to create or even enhance your website? To many, the idea of getting your hands dirty and diving into your website's design may be a bit intimidating and leave you stressed and confused. Don't shy away from the challenge just yet! Before you start modifying your website, take a look at our top four tips listed below to make your life a little easier.

1. Quality Over Quantity.

We know that almost all business owners have a vision for what they want their website to look like, and often times it surpasses more than they are capable of affording. Your ideas and vision are essential to the process of designing the heart of your online brand, so don't wipe your creative knowledge just yet! We know that small, responsive, beautiful websites are more effective than breaking the bank for a large site. With that being said, you save some cash and profit by having the aptitude to focus on the essentials of your website like:

• Ensure that your website is mobile optimized for different user types (Tablet, Phone, Desktop)
• Make it quick (load time under 3 seconds)
• Make it informative and appealing

2. Call Your Visitors To Action.

The term we use in the industry is "call to action" or CTA. CTAs are those pop-ups or page banners that entice customers to click the incentive and move closer to buying whatever they sell. CTAs are an excellent tool for generating leads in today's market. You should view your CTA as a friendly receptionist that greets clients as they walk in the door. Here are some examples of great CTAs:

• "Join today for 10% off your next purchase!"
• "7-day free product trial!"
• "Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest new arrivals!"

Even if you have nothing to sell, CTAs are a great tool to generate leads, stay in contact, or also gain feedback. Since a call to action can do all of those things, they need to be positioned in the perfect place. Consider positioning your call at the top of your page, a tasteful sidebar, or dead center when your page loads.

3. The Perfect Marriage: Content & Media.

People stare. People honestly love to stare, so give them something to stare at. 40% of the population respond better to visual information than just plain text. Images are also generally easier for people to process and digest, which creates a need for a balance of both text and media. Pictures can sell your product or service far better than any product description, so here are some examples:

• If you have a clothing store, detailed images of the garments are essential.
• A restaurant should use photos of their food to display and create a craving
  for the potential customer.
• A barber shop should showcase their work on their website as a point of reference.

4. Optimize Your Site For Mobile Access.

Today, more people are accessing the internet from their mobile device than any other digital platform. Since the rise of smartphones, companies have had to adjust and create a way for their website to be optimized for these new mobile users. Some examples include adjusting the visuals to the size/shape screen and using optimal file sizes for media.  For the web design agency you choose, their top priority must be responsiveness and ensuring the load time is under 3 seconds across all platforms. Since mobile web viewing is rapidly increasing, this is a must for any business.

Take Your Site A Step Further

Web development and web design are not simple tasks, but they should not be shied away from. With the help of this list and an experienced web design agency, you can create an experience for your customers that is timely, innovative, and contextually useful.

Here at Red Shark Digital, we can provide your business with all the essential web design elements provided above. We are a full-service digital marketing agency located in Raleigh, NC that would love to help you execute your web design vision.

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