Oct
31
2016
Your Alaska website design is your digital handshake
I am surprised how often trying to find basic information leaves me feeling like I just did my own root canal. And I’m talking about high traffic websites that look and feel like they were developed and designed by a Jr. High student playing with web design. I’m guessing that you know what I mean.
A good alaska website design will be the primary reason potential customers seek out more information about your business or not. Don't give people excuses to go a competitor's site. Unfortunately, many websites in Alaska have not been updated in a long while, or suffer from poor design. The good news is that pleasing customers online isn't always difficult. In fact, there are 3 simple ways to attract customers with your web design before ever speaking to them.
#1 - Declutter your website
The old adage "less is more" is never better applied than on websites. The Blink Test is the ultimate test of how clearly organized your website's design is. Passing it means that users who visit your website can orient themselves before blinking - about 5 seconds. If users can't orient themselves before they blink, they leave. To give you an idea of how important this is: 55% of people spend less than 15 seconds on the average website. As in they show up to a site, blink one or two times, and leave.
Website organization is important for two reasons: if it's good it will make your potential customers happy. If customers are happy, then your website functions as a positive internet marketing tool. And remember, if you are an Alaskan business, your website isn't just a nice appendage like with most businesses in the lower 48. Locals already know about you, which means that most of your website's visitors are tourists trying to decide if your business looks like it's worth it. It's the face of your business.
Alaskan websites need to pass the blink test - it's extraordinarily important for how to attract tourists and increase web traffic, which is a major source or revenue for almost all Alaskan businesses.
#2 - Well organized nav bar
Moving through a website shouldn’t feel like work – I want to be in the passenger’s seat and let the websites functionality do the driving. I could go into a lot of detail here, but let me throw out a few examples navigational techniques that flow well:
- Well organized navigation bar
- Clear navigation bar indicators
While it is does sound neat and clever to substitute an indicator like “About Us” with “Our Style”, it also has great potential to confuse. We all want to know which page we will be directed to before we click. We want access the most important pages on your website, but don’t want to be able to access ALL of your pages from the nav bar - that would only give us a headache.
- Clear process for buying/ordering products that is laid out ahead of time
It’s always helpful to see the buying process laid in 2 or tabs, something to the effect of “Shipping Info” “Payment Options” “Confirm and Order.”
- Ability to move in and out a websites “tree structure” without having to hammer the back button
- Identifiable ways to move in, out of, and through viewing media such as pictures and videos
Some manner of breadcrumbs are extremely helpful for user’s navigational experience between pages. Similarly, when clicking on media things like arrow buttons, hover in and out effects, and so forth are fantastic ways to move users through media.
- Use shortened phrases or single words
Just go to Apple’s website. They have created a whole new language of abbreviated sentences and words, and their website is easy to use largely because of it.
#3 - Prominent contact information
You would think this one would be a no-brainer. And yet…and yet…you can guess where this is going. This doesn’t just mean simply listing a phone number at the bottom of the page, there are several ways to make a user’s “contact-you” experience better:
- Make sure contact information is easily available (of course);
- Include address, phone number, and email, and make this information BIG;
- Include a quick contact comment box; and
- Some information on “best practices” for contacting you – i.e. help the user knows what is relevant in case they aren’t sure.
Maybe someone wants to call you. Maybe they want to swing by and see your face. Maybe they just want to make a quick comment. Basically, give your visitors different options to contact you and they will be much happier for it. Here is another useful set of tips for displaying great contact info.
