It should be no surprise that poorly designed websites perform poorly, but what makes a great design, “great”?

Step 1, Your process must facilitate great design

Great design is about more than just a great designer. The processes at a marketing agency are responsible for embedding design into the DNA of every website. We do this by holding design critiques for each website with our entire design team and the lead of our conversion optimization team. Design is a team sport and collaboration helps push each site to be better.

Since every contracting business is different, we create customized websites at iMarket Solutions. Customization is the core of designing websites that convert. Each business requires unique messaging and style to reach their specific audience. 

The design process starts with a video call with your dedicated designer. We’ll discuss your vision and other ways to make the site feel like yours. From there we take that info and star designing. 

Beyond the processes, let's talk about why and how design drives conversions.

4 Ways Great design works

1. Design Creates an Emotional Connection

People determine the trustworthiness of a site in the blink of an eye. The best sites use emotion to evoke a feeling in the first few seconds users spend on the site.

Some people like to think that they make big financial decisions 100% logically, but emotions play a bigger role than you might think.

The emotions we want to instill are pleasantness, stability, and professionalism, resulting in trust. Without trust, people won’t fill out your contact form or give you a call. 

Our designers achieve this through carefully selected imagery and following tried-and-true design principles. We then use your colors, fonts, and visuals to create an aesthetically pleasing pathway for folks to contact you. We recommend investing in professional photography compared to using stock images. People can tell the difference.

Using authenticity can help make users stay on your site. Poor design can cause mistrust and make people leave. Great design can influence a lasting, positive connection with your company. 

[What emotions are this site evoking for you?]

 

2. Design Promotes A Positive User Experience

You can improve the reading experience on a website by making it easier to scan text. We generally scan pages rather than reading the entire thing. Here are a few ways to accomplish this:

1. Keep content as clear and concise as possible
2. Use lists
3. Make paragraphs short
4. Have adequate text-to-background contrast
5. Make text easy to read using proper font size and spacing

Another principle is reducing distraction. When a user enters a website, they often have an idea of what they’re looking for already. It’s our job to remove anything that’s in the way of their goal.

We do this by giving each section a clear message and don’t overload users with too many choices.

[Bullet-points and text variation help get your point across quickly]

 

3. Design Helps Tell Your Unique Story

Highlighting the differences in your company’s story can set you apart from the competition. People want to see the faces behind the company and know who they’re buying from. Here are some methods to do so with design.

1. Highlight an older company by featuring old photos
2. Feature the logos of affiliates, badges, and awards
3. Showcase reviews and make sure they appear untampered with 
4. Include images of your company at community events

[Strong imagery can do a lot of the heavy-lifting to tell a story]

 

4. Design Creates Brand Cohesion

It's best to match up your online and offline marketing. If you're not matching up online and offline, people might get confused and not take your company seriously. We don't want confusion when people are considering your business.

The same is true across digital platforms. Your social media presence, online ads, marketing campaigns, and email marketing should feel like your brand. That feel is achieved through consistency of design -- the fonts, colors, textures, images, and messaging.

If you were on one of your favorite clothing websites and purchased something and it didn't look anything like that picture online, you may be frustrated and not shop on that site again. You might feel slighted. We aim to help your audience become loyal to you.

[Great design is smooth. There should be no friction from platform to platform]

 

Noticing the Details

Let’s finish with a building metaphor. Design entails several things: high-level decisions, such as evoking visceral feelings, as well as almost invisible, minute details such as the experience of clicking around on your website, the finishing sandpaper work. People notice those details. 

Interested in investing in design? Take a look at our Web Design for Contractors and contact iMarket Solutions when you’re ready to learn more. Dedicated to Contractor Success!