3 Key Components of Website Design

In most cases, it only takes 10 seconds for a web visitor to make a decision of whether or not the site looks/feels trustworthy and worthwhile. This decision will either keep the visitor on the site, or motivate the visitor to explore other sites to solve their needs. The question becomes, how do your online visitors make that decision? A number of factors determine whether a website design is successful or not...

Usability

When web visitors come to a website, it's just them and their computer. There is no one there to hold their hand, help them find information, address their concerns, or reassure them that their needs are important. Your website must do it all. It must communicate its message loud and clear on every page. The website must be both useful and usable; it must meet your customers' needs in such a way that it makes sense and feels natural. If visitors find the website to be both useful and usable, they'll stay and explore it further.

Logic

Website logic is a combination of the websites structure, its navigational elements, its interface, and its functionality. Good website logic makes these elements work together seamlessly. Today, people have high expectations of their online experiences. They will not tolerate confusing navigational menus, "dead ends" with no actionable items, or content structure that is not well-organized. As your online visitors spend more and more time on the internet, their level of expectations will only grow. When the logic of a website is setup right, the site will "flow" and immediately feel familiar to the web visitor. It will look so intuitive and easy to follow that the users will know exactly what to do, and where to click to accomplish their goals. This experience results in the increased "stickiness" of a website. The users are now able to spend more time accomplishing their tasks and learning about your product and services, rather than trying to figure out how the website operates.

Aesthetics (look/feel)

A professional look/feel is critical for any website. While the website might be an information or sales channel for a business, it IS the business from the visitor's prospective. The first critical view of the company will be formed in seconds after the visitor hits the first web page. The only exception to this rule is if the business has an extremely recognizable brand name. In all other cases, no matter how well a company does offline, the only information for forming that first opinion is going to be what the customer sees online. The professional look/feel of a website is the first thing a visitor evaluates.