In Web Design, ROI Means More Than Good Looks

We've learned from years of direct marketing that the most important measure of creative design is how well it works rather than how pretty it looks--and it's a principle that applies to websites as well. A recent DirectMarketingIQ article provided seven website elements that help deliver a return on website investment that a merely pretty site just won't achieve. Rule No. 1 in designing a website (or a direct mail piece for that matter) is to realize that you only have a limited time to capture viewer interest so "Don't Make People Think," meaning design obvious, self-explanatory, easy-to-read and navigate content with clear calls to action and response mechanisms. Confusion is deadly to results. One way to avoid confusing design is to follow the KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid) and put yourself in the user's place to avoid the complexity that drives away traffic. And generally avoid "reinventing the wheel" with web design; standard site conventions familiar to users make it easier for visitors to grasp your message. Of course, make sure the website is selling, which does not mean preaching about your company and products but rather offering prospects answers to their problems and benefits that fit their needs (addressing "What's in it for me?"). Next, be mobile-friendly; websites today must be designed for the 60% of online traffic accounted for by mobile views, and it's especially important since lead search engine Google made mobile-friendly pages a factor in its search algorithm this year. It's also smart to embrace a design that understands how viewers read a screen, per studies, by scanning in an F pattern from top left across (navigation, search, subscription, etc.) and then down to the first and second paragraphs before skimming the rest. Finally, accept that white space is a marketing design tool as much as copy; overstuffed pages are daunting to visitors, and densely packed text reduces readability and comprehension. For more advice details, see http://www.directmarketingiq.com/article/why-a-pretty-website-doesn-t-work-7-website-elements-improve-roi/1