During these challenging times (COVID-19) data has become increasingly important, and many companies now take even deeper initiatives to improve their web design in order to help their brand stand out from competitors online.
Money is important now, but data is the new currency, we rely on that to understand what our customers are looking for, what they want and how we can address their concerns.
Your website’s design is extremely relevant and important to your brand interaction & communication, winning new customers or probably staying afloat until the next big opportunities arrive.
That said, many businesses also upgraded their website to have a payment gateway facility to sell products in smaller chunks or probably starts a new membership subscription programme.
If you are unsatisfied with your current website, it’s not too late to improve your web design now.
6 Website Improvement Ideas
In this article, we highlight the six website improvement ideas to help you improve web design almost instantly. If you are ready to pluck this fruit, keep reading! If you want to subscribe to our weekly steady flow of insights, you can consider signing up for our WDD Weekly email newsletter.
To improve the design of your existing website, you must have an ongoing web design improvement plan.
You’ll need a blueprint, and a steady flow of upgrades to blend with the current trend and make this process run smoothly.
Having a website is unlike advertising in a newspaper, but instead is like running a newspaper company! It requires producing fresh content every day (depending on how big you want to run the company)
Use these 6 guided strategies to help you create an actionable website improvement plan.
And if you feel like you need some guidance or assistance, our web designers are ready to help!
1. Test Your Website Functions
Your website will likely have lots of features, buttons, forms, page links and photos. On the cosmetic side, it may seem fine.
However, when you try to click on the buttons, does it still work or when was the last time you tested through the website, like the day before you launch it
Website testing is an ongoing health check, and it is advisable to do it at least once a month.
Timely website maintenance will be a great added benefit for your brand image online, keeping your website fresh and updated.
89% of users shop with a competitor after a poor user experience, therefore it’s imperative that your website elements and features function properly to serve your users, giving them a memorable experience.
Having said that, you should schedule a time (testing day) to test out your forms, all pages and buttons if it’s still working as intended. You can test all the links by using this broken link checker tool here.
2. Web Design Style Guide
Web Design Style Guide is your website identity that consists of colours, fonts, tone and manner, photo elements and application methods for web that are used across the platform consistently.
This is important when applying to your marketing campaign as well. And usually, web design consistency helps build customers’ trust and loyalty.
Take AirAsia for example; until today it is still using Red Circle as their main shape, red colour and the typeface that are used consistently.
Here is the checklist of your Web Design Style Guide should include;
a) Colour scheme
b) Company logo and how to apply it digitally
c) Primary and Secondary fonts
d) How to use images on website pages
e) How not to use images on website pages
f) Button shape, style and layouts
g) Form style and layouts
h) Page layouts
i) And many more…
If you are not satisfied with the current look of your website, using this Web Design Style Guide will help you improve in your decision making.
For example; if you have too many colours and fonts that were used and does not match with each other, referring to the style guide will give you a clearer guide on how to apply it and not losing track.
If you have lost it in the cyberspace, you should dig back from your previous web designer.
However, if you don’t have one, it’s advisable to create one.
Although these little things will not entirely improve your web design, it gives a top view guide on how you can work with your brand consistently, which also affects your colleagues or partners.
Needless to say further, take the first step forward.
3. Reorganize Your Navigation Bar
Now, if your website has a large amount of added pages throughout the years, it is time to restructure your pages and organise accordingly to newly refresh navigation bar.
If the navigation bar is too complicated and overcrowded, you may overwhelm your users instead of helping them navigate through your website. So anti-climax!
Keep it clean and simple. It shouldn’t have too many texts floating at the top, and to have more breathing space.
For example;Â if you are a property websites developer or an architect firm, and if you have many portfolios to showcase, you can always create a shortcut to your portfolio section at the right side, and all the other buttons consolidated on header main menu — like stuffing your items behind your kitchen cabinets.
These keep the important thing at front, and will easily lead your user to the important pages you want them to see first.
4. More Breathing Space
By now, your website should NOT look jammed pack with all your information, products and probably tonnes to stock photos.
The white/black space is crucial to improve web design, which also means giving more breathing space.
If this is lacking, your users may feel a lack of oxygen and will leave your site immediately.
Check out this bicycle online store that has so much breathing space giving it a sense of feeling freedom and spacious.
5. Page Speed Optimisation
To improve web design, you must consider every aspect of your website — not just the cosmetic parts. For instance, Is your website still taking forever to load? if users do not complain, it does not mean it is not slow.
Over the years you could have added more photos and contents, that means more weight poured into the pages of your website.
You should take a look at your website data bounce rates, it shows how many per cent your user actually leave your site after 2 seconds.
Optimising your website’s pages for speed is on best of the best way to improve user experience web design, which could be pleasurable for your users surfing through your contents.
Besides, you’ll also have a better chance to rank higher in the search results.
When Google know you are dead serious about speed, they will love to rank you higher, and this tells them that you are building your website for your users.Â
To improve your website’s page speed, consider the following website improvement ideas:
i.  Compress your images but still keep their quality.
ii. Condense GIFs, but still looks groovy.
iii. Stay away from fancy nancy animations. Those heavy blob ones.
iv. Sanitise your codes.
These are just a few ways to improve your website’s page speed.
If you need help implementing them, feel free to check out WDD Malaysia page speed optimization services or give us a call at +6012 822 8203!
6. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly
It goes without saying further. If your website is not mobile-friendly might as well don’t have it.
It is like telling a person to go shopping without taking their mobile phones.
81% of internet users find their information through a mobile device. And 74% of it will likely return to a website with a mobile version.
They can access it anytime through the Mamak stall, queuing up during social distancing or while avoiding social time (FOMO period)
A mobile-friendly website gives a great experience to your users and makes your brand more trustworthy, and probably helps you increase sales during their queue to buy a new iPhone or at the IKEA checkout counter.
7. Use proper Headings and Sub Headings in your content
Content is crucial for a successful website, but did you know that proper indentation and formatting of your content can help improve web design?
This is a small factor but has a big impact at the end.
Imagine reading an article all jammed pack with words side by side.
When you take the time to format your content correctly and make proper use of headings, it’ll make it easier for users to consume your content. That said, your context is also important nonetheless.
Even though content-heavy pages are all about the subject matter, design matters too.
So, you should take care to format your content properly so that it fits the organised, aesthetically pleasing design of the rest of your website.
WDD Malaysia can help improve your web design
If you’re unsatisfied with your current web design but aren’t sure what it needs to take it to the next level, WDD Malaysia can help.
Not only can we audit your current website to determine all the issues, but we can also help you brainstorm new design ideas, update your branding, improve your page speed, and others.
We can even design a website from scratch in just 30 days with our CILI PAdeal services!
If you’re ready to work with a web design company that can help improve your web design across the board, contact us online or give us a call at +6012 822 8203!
