No matter what industry you are in, you know your business needs an innovative and attractive web presence. Moving that website from the design stage to reality can be a problem, however. Many business owners make common mistakes when designing their first websites — mistakes that require expensive and time-consuming redesigns down the line.

As with anything in the world of business, it is much better to do things right from the start. (tweet this) Designing your website properly from the start is essential, and ultimately less expensive. A solid web presence can solidify your brand and help your business grow.

There are a number of things you need to consider when building your website. The way the website is designed will affect everything from how long the site takes to load to how long your customers will stay once they arrive.

Typography

The choice of typography is essential when building your new website. It is tempting to integrate fancy fonts into your website design, but that can be a big mistake. Keep in mind that most desktop computers and mobile devices are capable of displaying only a small number of standard fonts. That unique font you found on the web might look great in your web-design software, but not so great on your customer’s PC.

Using standard fonts is the best way to make ensure your website will look just as great to your customers as it does to you. There are plenty of standard fonts available, so you do not have to give up great design for convenience and usability.

Text vs. Graphics

If you absolutely must use a non-standard font on your website, you can design graphics that contain the main text elements. This technique will get the job done, but it has a number of disadvantages.

Graphics elements are harder to update than text, and they take longer to load. That can reduce the effectiveness of your website and reduce its stickiness for visitors. When used sparingly, however, adding graphics elements is a good way to spice up your website and give it more eye appeal.

Keep in mind that search engines are not able to read and index text in graphics.

Set the Right Navigation Style

The right navigation style is critical to the success of your website. Without a good navigation bar,  your visitors will quickly get frustrated as they look for your hours, address and other vital information. You should design your navigation bar with users in mind. Think about what the average user will need, and then build your navigation bar with those elements in mind.

When you do design your navigation bar, the links should be in text format. Having the links in text format means they will load faster for viewers. Text items are also picked up by search engines, making it easier for users to find exactly what they are looking for through a simple search on Google or Bing.

Conclusion

No matter what your market niche, the right website can boost your sales and bolster your brand. Building great design into your website is a great way to engage with your customers and keep them interested enough to make a purchase.

Photo by Adrian Jimenez