Archive
The importance of photography
by Emily Slack
February 20th, 2022
As humans we are very visual, we tend to notice images before we notice text and that is why imagery is so important on a website. Images communicate quickly and effectively what could take paragraphs of text to convey. Consumers create an opinion on your brand through the look and presentation of your site, and imagery plays a huge part in this. If you wish to stand apart from your competitors, clean professional imagery can help you do so. It makes your brand look professional, established and trustworthy. If possible use a professional photographer who knows how to bring your brand message and values to life through your imagery. If a professional photographer is a stretch too far consider exploring stock libraries. They provide a high quality, cost effective solution. Be careful not to use cliche, very blatantly stock images though, you want to be seen as authentic. Top photography tips would be to include positive imagery, which excites and amplifies your written messages. Stay authentic to your brand, ensure images are relevant and in keeping with your brand identity. A great place to explore photography is your hero image, the main banner, typically below your navigation. This is a great opportunity to capture the attention of your visiter, and persuade them to navigate through your site further. Another tip is to include people within your imagery, it adds a personable touch and represents you as a very welcoming, open, and trustworthy business. An easy way to do this is to include a ‘Meet the team’ page where you include photos of your team, maybe accompanied by a little bio. An easy way to generate trust between your business and your visitor instantly. Another tip is to consider other elements of visual content marketing. Graphics and illustrations are also of equal importance. Icons for example are a great tool to break up paragraphs of text. This also provides a great opportunity to solidify your branding and create bespoke icons. All elements work together to represent your business as professional, expert and trustworthy. It is important to understand that low quality, generic, boring images are doing your website absolutely no favours. You represent your business as uninterested, unorganised and unprofessional, and consequentially you will lose conversions. It may seem like an additional expense to invest in professional photography, but it is just that, an investment. You will go on to reap the rewards. For further advise on utilising imagery to boost your site to the next level please feel free to contact us.
The importance of brand identity
by Emily Slack
January 20th, 2022
Your brand identity is your unique look which separates you apart from your competitors, its the collection of visual elements used to portray your brand message, values etc. In order to look professional and established, brand consistency is essential, in this blog we will explore the importance of a showcasing your brand identity online. Make a good first impression Strong branding can elevate a website, If you are a start up company it is essential you get your branding nailed before moving onto your website. Good, cohesive branding will represent your business positively, you will look professional, successful and reliable to new visitors. Poor branding will impact you negatively, and your visitors will leave and look elsewhere. Stand out from competitors Showcasing your brand identity online is important as it sets you apart from your competitors. Whilst it is very helpful as a web designer to know the sort of web designs you like, it can be detrimental to your own brand to simply copy a style. It is important to stay unique and create your own supporting graphic and visual elements. A great way to be unique is to create a pattern using an element of your logo, or to create bespoke icons influenced from your branding, use shapes found in your logo, just be clever about it! Be recognised Consistency is key within your brand identity. When designing your website ensure your fonts and colour selection are all matching your logo. The same principal stands for smaller decisions such as the style of your Call-to-actions. Think about the colour you will use, the shape of your buttons etc. Never make random decisions, they need to be informed and in keeping with your brand. Consistency across your marketing materials will promote brand recognition. When your viewer becomes familiar with your brand a level of trust is generated. Good branding is essential in creating an impactful, successful website. Staying consistent throughout your marketing material builds recognition, confidence and trust between your business and the viewer. If you would like any further advice on how to successfully translate your brand online please get in touch.
New Year, New Site
by Emily Slack
December 17th, 2021
As winter looms, and many prepare for a fresh start going into 2022 after another year of the pandemic, why not start your new year with a bang and a brand new website. If your website hasn’t aligned with your marketing goals of 2021, and is under performing, now is the time to take action. Your website is your primary form of representation online, so give it the time and effort it deserves, and reap the rewards. Good design leads to increased conversions The aesthetic of your website is vitally important, an outdated website will lose visitors. A visually appealing, responsive site will attract and intrigue. Your user will judge your credibility as a business from what they see on your site, so spend time evaluating this. 2022 may seem a way away, but preparation really is key whilst embarking on a new website project. Key considerations include wether you would like a template site, or a site made more unique to your business and your needs. A template site is perfect is you have a tighter budget. Test your user journey experience A great website, needs great content, so spend some time considering the content you wish to include. We suggest a less is more approach, you don’t want your user scrolling away, struggling to find what they are looking for, keep it relevant and interesting. Customer experience is extremely important, place yourself in their position and map your site according to this, making it as simple as possible to navigate. This is a key consideration in the testing process. Also consider that not every user will convert to a customer immediately, so think about including sign up forms to keep yourself visible to the user. Optimise your site for best results Starting a fresh with your site, allows you to pay particular attention to SEO Optimisation, to build your website on the best foundations. Improved SEO will not only attract, but retain customers, as an optimised site will decrease bounce rates. Ensuring your site is secure will also massively help your SEO ranking, as well as gain the trust of your user. Go responsive In a world shifting to mobile-first, most people expect to use their hand held devices to access information, therefore it is vital you have a responsive web design. Viewing a desktop site on a mobile screen, will cause frustration and your user will go elsewhere. Maybe your current site is working well for you? We would suggest you still consider a site audit, remove any clutter and optimise your site for increased speed and user experience. Check all information is correct and up to date, including contact details. It’s important to never neglect your website, it is an ongoing commitment. If you would like some assistance in creating a new exciting responsive website which sells your business, please contact us here at Gravitas Web Design. We will be happy to assist you and work to your budget.
What is Google remarketing?
by Emily Slack
November 17th, 2021
Remarketing is a powerful retargeting technique used to remind a customer about a product or service they may have recently viewed, once they have left your site. To summarise, they are image ads which pop up on sites as you browse the internet. The sites these ads feature on have signed up to host Google display ads, as you browse the internet. So why should you consider a Google ad campaign? Customise ad design You have full control over how your campaign will look, ensuring all ads align with your current branding. The ad builder tool is very user friendly, allowing you to chose the layout, colour, and content. You can use stock or your own imagery, and the ads update in minutes. If design isn’t your forte we can help here at Darren Langley web design. Target specific Google recommend that your initial campaign targets people who have visited your homepage, this targets a broader audience. For a more specified targeted approach, you can target viewers of a specific page, this will allow your ad to be more specific too, increasing ad relevance, and also lowering your cost per click. To create a campaign, you will need to have a Google Ads account. You will be assigned a tag to place on your web pages, this will then collect data from your visitors. The information which the tag collects can also be targeted to a certain user profile, such as mailing list sign up, or a user who has visited a certain page. You may wish to target people who didn’t take a certain action on a page, or maybe people who reached a certain page but then didn’t convert, or you may wish to create a campaign for people who did not view a certain page. Brand recognition Whilst remarking is a useful tool to target and entice back lost leads, ads are also a great way of gaining exposure and reminding your visiter of your service, building brand awareness. Cost effective The biggest benefit of using such ads is that you only have to pay if that ad is clicked on, this is why your viewer can see your ad multiple times before clicking on it, and you would not have to pay until they take action. Track analytics Google analytics allows you to add tracking codes to your Google Ad campaigns, this allows you to track the performance of your campaigns. You can then invest more in the channels performing best. To conclude, we would encourage every business to consider a remarking campaign. Consider your goals, your audience and what the aims of your campaign are, your first campaign may not be the most successful, but with some testing and analysis, you will soon find which approach works best for your business, increasing conversions. If you would like any advice or some assistance with running a campaign, please contact us here at Gravitas Web Design, we would be happy to help assist you in achieving your goals.
Building an eco-friendly website
by Emily Slack
October 17th, 2021
Since the Early 21st century, going digital has seemed the ideal solution for businesses trying to go green, by reducing the consumption of information on paper significantly and consequentially reducing deforestation and the carbon footprint of the company. However, many do not realise the environmental impact of the increased digital activity. Jack Amend, co- founder of Web Neutral project noted ‘The internet is essentially the largest coal-fired machine on the entire planet…’ A single internet search releases roughly 0.2g of Carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Now this may seem minimal, but when you consider the 4.1 billion people who use the internet in a day, it soon becomes a big concern. Tom Greenwood from Sustainable web design claims “If the internet were a country, it would be the sixth most polluting country in the world. Similar to the entire carbon dioxide emissions of Germany.” Remove and Review There are ways in which you can help this issue by reducing your websites carbon footprint. To begin, a regular web audit where you remove any unnecessary images, videos, text and pages can help. The amount of data required for a page will have a direct impact on the amount of carbon dioxide release by the network, so keep pages streamlined. Reflect on your image choices, is every image needed? Can you compress those down to reduce the file size? According to Vineeta Greenwood, account director at design agency Wholegrain Digital ‘Images are the single largest contributors to page weight. The more images you use and the larger those image files, the more data needs to be transferred and the more energy is required,” To further reduce your carbon footprint Greenwood recommends swapping custom fonts for system fonts, which are already preinstalled on most devices, to further lower emissions. Improving your websites interface can also help, if your site is easy to navigate, users are more likely to find what they are wanting, therefore reducing their clicks, meaning less energy used. You do not have to compromise on the aesthetic of your website by making these improvements, minimalistic, simple, easy to use websites are much preferred by a user. Use a sustainable host Your website host is the main contributor to your carbon footprint. Try using a host which supports natural energy resources, as this will significantly influence energy efficiency and web page performance. There are many additional benefits to making your website more carbon friendly, it is likely to improve load time, performance and also improve your users experience whilst on the site. Technology is a big generator of carbon emissions, and whilst building an eco-friendly site may insignificant, if every site made the suggested improvements, it could have a huge impact globally. Not only that, by making these improvements, you will also be improving your user experience. If you require any assistance optimising your site, please contact us, we will be happy to offer any advice or assist further.
What makes a great landing page?
by Emily Slack
September 21st, 2021
A landing page is a standalone page, visited by a person after clicking through from an advert, or email for example. The purpose of utilising a landing page is to encourage your viewer to take an action, wether it be making a purchase, or signing up to a new offer. Therefore it is essential your landing page works effectively, read on for some tips on how to make your landing page great. Simplicity Keep it simple. Avoid clutter, and unnecessary information which may overwhelm your visitor. Be specific and concise with the information you chose to share. Also make it visual, add images or icons, don’t go too text heavy, your visitor is unlikely to read all this. Make headings punchy to catch attention, be selective and interesting with your choice of words. Clear CTAs Call-to-actions are arguably the most important element of a landing page, this is where a visitor turns into a conversion. For that reason it is vitally important that they are clear to the visitor. Ensure your button style encourages the viewer to click, make it easy for them. Make sure there is a strong contrast in colour between your webpage background and your button colour. Testimonials You want to make the best impression possible on your viewer, and what better way to ensure this, than including a great testimonial from an existing client. Not only will this impress, it also increases your authenticity, and can help you stand apart from competitors. Trust badges are also a great tool to use on your landing page to create an element of trust between your business and your visiter. Include logos of any well known brands you have worked with, or any recognitions you have received, this endorses your level of skill and professionalism. Hero Image A hero image is the banner at the top of a site below the navigation, often featuring photography and a headline. This poses as a great opportunity to showcase a new offer to immediately capture attention and entice the viewer to scroll down. Make it mobile friendly As mentioned in previous blogs, it has become essential to make webpages mobile friendly due to an increase in people visiting through a mobile device. If your site isn’t, your visiter will become frustrated, lose interest and click off. Make sure you don’t lose any conversions by ensuring your site is easy to navigate, clear and fast loading on mobiles. If you need any further advice or assistance on creating a successful landing page please contact us for further assistance.
The Hottest New Web Design Trends
by Emily Slack
August 9th, 2021
Changes in technology advance fast, and along with this web design trends. Trends evolve with these advances, and it’s important to keep on top of them to keep your site looking fresh. If you ignore these trends, your site risks looking outdated, and consequentially your business risks losing conversions. Fortunately we are on hand to keep you up to date with the latest trends you should explore. Parallax A parallax is an optical illusion which causes objects near the viewer to move faster or further away as they scroll down the web page, they are a great way to add depth to a site. This certainly isn’t a new trend, but popularity has definitely risen over 2021. It’s important to find the sweet spot with using a parallax, use them sparingly and keep movement down to a minimum, to ensure you do not distract from important information. A parallax should enhance your site, not distract. 3D visuals 3D visuals are everywhere, whether that be through image use, illustrations, or icons, adding a 3D element to your site, really lifts the design, bringing your site to life. Similarly, cartoon illustrations are also becoming a hugely popular way to inject life, and add personality to web designs. Cartoon Illustrations are a great way to add some creativity to your brand, and uniqueness to your site, it can set you apart from the generic, bland stock imagery used across many other sites. Multimedia Websites now utilise text, imagery, video and sound to create a greater experience for the viewer. Similar to using illustrations, video allows your site to rely less on text alone, adding in a multimedia element is sure to grab your users attention, and enhance their experience. Don’t go overboard with this though, keep it simple and to a minimum. Bold font A big trend in typography across sites this year is the use of heavy, bold weights. This captures attention immediately so is a great tool to use to pick out key information across your site. Make sure you are utilising white space too, don’t cram your site full of bold headlines, keep it minimal, modern and allow text to breathe. Minimalism That brings me onto our next big trend, which is minimalism. Simplicity should never be overlooked. Minimalism ensures your user consumes key information, they aren’t distracted. To keep your site minimal, stick to a limited colour palette, in line with your brand. Keep text down to a minimum, be concise. Consider an icon instead of a big chunk of text, or a video which can visualise and bring to life a paragraph of text. To explore ways in which you can elevate the level of visual communication on your site, to generate increased engagement or for a general site refresh, contact our award winning team.
What are CTA’s and why do I need to use them?
by Emily Slack
July 9th, 2021
A call to action, commonly referred to as a CTA is a prompt, used to encourage the user to take further action. Generally speaking CTAs are found in the form of a button or a hyperlink, written as a short snappy command. Call to Actions are very important in driving traffic to your desired outcome, they are the key to digital marketing success. Without them, the user could be left unsure of the next steps to take, which could result in them leaving your site without interacting with your site further, and potentially moving down the sales funnel, it’s important you make it easy for your user. Blog CTA’s Examples of CTAs in which you should use across your site include Buttons at the end of blog posts. If a user has took the time to read your blog post, chances are they are interested in your work, therefore including a ‘sign up’ command encourages them to come back to your site by alerting them to new posts. You should also consider including CTA’s which link to other articles that may be of interest to your viewer. By doing this, you offer alternative posts if the current article isn’t for them, and you also highlight your breadth of knowledge. Social Media CTA’s Social media CTAs are also a great tool to get your business seen, not only does this encourage users to share your business, it also provides your business with an opportunity to grow your audience as users can also ‘follow’ which allows your future posts to be seen by them. If the user does ‘follow’ your business, you can then direct them back to your site through your social posts. CTAs should be seen as an extremely important component of your online marketing machine. How should your CTA look? You must also consider how your Call to action looks, you want your user to click on it, so make it bright and visually appealing, ensure the user is drawn to it by making it large enough to command attention. Keep the action short and snappy, commands such as ‘sign up’ or ‘read more’ are effective, as a rule of thumb keep commands under 7 words. Creating a sense of urgency but adding ‘now’ at the end of a command can also be effective. A great website will only take your business so far. You need to ensure you are utilising CTA’s to drive your user through your site. Take the time to map out the route you want them to take, and encourage them along this journey with appropriate CTA’s. For more advice on the strategic use of CTA’s for success, please contact our team of award winning web designers who will be happy to assist you further.
The rise of the aftercare plan
by Emily Slack
May 20th, 2021
Website aftercare is an ongoing agreement between a company and a web agency, that dedicates an agreed amount of time spent per month on that clients project. Aftercare can cover jobs ranging from maintenance, technical support through to content updates. It’s important to remember that even the most beautifully designed websites are pretty useless if left abandoned after launch. It’s vital you keep on top of such jobs to ensure a functional online presence. Here are a few other reasons why you should consider an aftercare plan. Cost effective and time saving Usually an agency will work on a fixed rate retainer, which proves very cost effective, particularly as unused time can also be rolled over to the following month, meaning you are never missing out. When compared to hiring a web designer freelance or in-house, an aftercare plan is a much more cost efficient option, especially if you are a small business. Your web presence should always grow with your business, so dedicating time each month to evolve and update your site will prove massively beneficial. An extension to your team Due to the ongoing relationship between you and your web agency, a strong partnership will be formed, meaning the agency will have a greater understanding of your business, and your business goals which will allow the designer to tailor certain projects to get results that will benefit your business. Your web agency will become an extension to your team, making project briefing a breeze, often resulting in a speedy turnaround! Gain and utilise customer feedback Use this monthly time to gain any feedback on the performance of your site, collect and analyse data in order to optimise your site, and funnel visitors in the correct locations. Aftercare time is perfect to keep your site performing optimally, serving its purpose and getting you conversions! Stay Safe Bugs and updates are uncontrollable, and unpredictable, aftercare will help you keep your site secure and ensure your plugins are up to date. WordPress in particular has regular new releases in which performance is improved as well as features enhanced. An aftercare plan will ensure your web agency can keep on top go this, in turn maximising your sites functionality. KPIs Why not use your web retainer for KPIs? For example if you have a three month goal to increase lead generations, your web agency can make the relevant changes to your site which could secure those extra leads. Wether it be by rejigging information, or adding in more CTAs where appropriate, your web agency can take care of this. If you aren’t yet sold on the value of an aftercare plan or if you have any questions on how best to manage your website, do not hesitate to get in touch. Our award winning team here at Gravitas Web Design will be on hand to offer any assistance.
How to resurrect your website
by Emily Slack
March 29th, 2021
So, you’ve neglected your website? Things got in the way, your attention has been else where, your site left on the back burner and as a result is bringing in absolutely no new leads? No worries! It happens. Take a read on to see just how you can inject some life back into your site, and start reaping the rewards. Design & branding Studies have shown that 75% of people judge a companies credibility based on their web design, therefore it is imperative to nail this. Points to consider include: brand consistency, is your website branding consistent with your current branding elsewhere? Is your look in line with your target audience? If not, this needs updating. Consistency is key! How’s your imagery looking? If you’re using outdated images you could really be selling your business short. How well is your site designed? Is it user friendly? If not, maybe consider a redesign. If users struggle to navigate your site, they will simply leave and find what they are looking for elsewhere, a conversion lost. Content If your site has been idle for years, it’s highly likely the content is outdated and needs a refresh. Make it a priority to update all information and ensure you are selling your business, to really impress consider using a copy writer. If your site doesn’t currently have a blog, now’s a great time to introduce one, blogs can add such value to a site, earning you many visitors. Earn their trust, offer advise and build up your credibility. Code An abandoned site is likely to be using outdated coding, which exposes your site to potential security holes, and will cause poor functionality. It’s important that any bugs are identified and rectified, if your coding is outdated your site is prone to more bugs which interfere with your sites functionality and speed. Responsive Ensure you are using responsive design, today it is essential that all sites are mobile friendly, and accessible on all devices. Responsive design refers to design which seamlessly adjusts depending on the size screen in which it is viewed, wether that be a mobile device, an iPad, or a laptop. SEO marketing Make sure your site is optimised! Google ranking prioritises websites which provide real substance and secure links, so keep on top of this! Using key words is the best way to be discovered organically online so take the time to update keywords, meta-titles, keep your descriptions accurate and ensure your content has quality backlinks. This may seem like a mammoth task, but according to LSA’s April 2017 report ‘The Digital Consumer Study’ 63% of consumers primarily use a companies website to find and engage with a business, and if your site isn’t active your missing out on a huge audience. If you need any assistance with reviving your website, please don’t hesitate to contact the team here at Gravitas Web Design.
