The appropriate website design is critical when developing an integrated marketing strategy for your small business. The standard for web design is no longer just functionality or visibility; it’s all in the details that influence how a user interacts with your business. From layout to color, these critical factors work together to create a digital tool that, when used effectively, may dramatically boost internet marketing campaigns.
A high-quality brand website is now an essential component of any efficient digital marketing plan, and client expectations for web design are higher than ever. A 2019 Gartner report said that “88% of surveyed B2B customers report that the information they encountered during a recent successful purchase decision was high quality.”
And it appears that, regardless of industry, a current, helpful, and visually pleasant website generates trust with potential clients and, as a result, can influence client acquisition and conversion rates.
Website Design Is More Important Than Ever for Internet Marketing
A well-designed website can help a small business in various ways, including increased sales and leads. An excellent website is effectively its own campaign, continually working to assist the brand. Furthermore, a website is easily trackable compared to other marketing initiatives, allowing small companies to better understand client and consumer behaviors. It also provides insight into what is and isn’t working. But how can a business get there?
This is a question I and the rest of us at Cube Creative Design get virtually every day. Below, I will look at some of our implementations, best practices, and how a website design may affect your brand’s marketing.
Brand Influence
A brand gains influence by maintaining a continuous relationship with clients and users, which leads to brand loyalty. When your consumer is loyal to your brand, not just the items, you have brand loyalty and trust.
Many factors influence this influence, and the existence of digital marketing is progressively facilitating these interactions through a digital ecosystem. Brand influence is an essential component of brand development, particularly when marketing to millennials and Generation Z. These generations are looking for companies to which they can relate and feel proud to be associated.
If your clients become advocates, it will significantly aid in the launch of new services, retention, and improving the entire bottom line, mainly through online community engagement.
Given that an increasing number of consumers will interact with brands online before making a purchase, it’s evident that an integrated website marketing approach is required to reach and convert leads both on and off the internet.
With a solid digital foundation and anchored by a well-strategized website, a small business can effectively leverage a positive brand image to increase leads and sales. They can also generate a robust social media presence, build good PR, and create a top-down marketing campaign across all media.
Differentiation
It is critical to distinguish yourself from your competition. When a website is old and clumsy, it is more likely to encounter significant bounce rates. It may appear straightforward to design a website using a template and fill in your business’s information, but this is not the case.
In my opinion, a personalized website with a storytelling viewpoint and coordinating images has a lasting impact on both the market and the prospect.
User Experience
A well-designed website will take the user on a journey where they may engage, investigate, and interact with the brand. Building meaningful first impressions (from brand to client) impacts a company’s bottom line and overall objectives.
Users want an authentic and intuitive website that reflects the small business’s vision, perspective, and service level; therefore, user experience has become a crucial investment for a small business.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is used to get a website to appear in a search engine in chronological order, from most engaged to least engaged. Linking your website with keywords relevant to what your target audience is searching for is one of the best SEO tactics. It is critical to incorporate SEO into website design for users to connect correctly with a website.
The best SEO tactics involve:
- Evaluating which keywords and links should be included in a website.
- Updating these links regularly to stay relevant.
- Actively placing content to maximize exposure in search results.
Conversion
Monitoring conversion rates when examining website performance data is crucial to providing the best customer experience (CX). Because a conversion rate is directly tied to how a user interacts with a website, it’s critical for a small business to consider when making marketing decisions.
When web design is properly strategized for conversion, it directly impacts conversion rates. While the concept of a website template solution appears easy and low-cost, it can significantly influence a website’s user experience and overall conversion rate in a very negative way.
Suppose a visitor visits a website and cannot find the information they need due to a poorly positioned call-to-action button or unclear navigation. They are likely to leave and visit another website, more than likely your competitor’s website.
Final Thoughts
When I meet with a prospect and we start talking about their website design, I make sure that they understand that we don’t use stock templates. Our graphic designer designs each and every site we do before it goes to our developer. This ensures that their new website is optimized for conversions and is positioned to help get them to the top of the SERPs when combined with an integrated internet marketing strategy.
Now, if you are reading this and you are ready to take your small business to the next level and grow, then reach out to me for a free evaluation of your current website and see if a website redesign and internet marketing is right for you!
