When we think of technology, we usually don’t think of creativity.
We associate creativity with the right side of our brains and technological thinking with the left side. Perhaps for this reason, we often find tech websites in need of design tips.
Tech site designers tend to think of their sites as information dumps. They place a lot of emphasis on a site’s content. In the process, they forget about web development must-haves such as usability and easy-on-the-eye design.
That isn’t to say all tech sites are lacking in design finesse. In fact, a few years back, we covered ten inspirational tech site designs. These designs made their sites as attractive and functional as they were informative.
How do these developers create such designs? Furthermore, how can you ensure your own site doesn’t fall victim to Tech Site Misdesign?
Read on to find out.
1. Give Each Page An Obvious Call-To-Action
You could entice readers to leave a comment on your blog post about Teldat zero-touch provisioning. You could ask them to subscribe to your newsletter.
You could even ask them to contact you for more information about your services and products.
Regardless of how you do it, you must include a call-to-action on each page of your site.
A call-to-action is a line of text or button that encourages readers to take a specified action. The call-to-action will be obvious and clear so readers know exactly what you want them to do.
Calls-to-action are important in the world of digital marketing. Readers are more likely to take an action if they receive direction to do so.
2. Use Readable Fonts
Fonts such as Impact and Franklin Gothic have a boxy, technological look to them. Both are bold and invite readers to think of equally bold new technology.
Unfortunately, neither fonts are very readable when printed on a website.
It doesn’t matter what the text is. It could be a webpage’s body, header, or button text.
If it’s on your website, it has to be easily readable.
Readers don’t want to waste time trying to puzzle out what any of your site’s text says. If they have any trouble reading it, they will simply go to a different website.
The same principle goes for text size.
Sure, readers could use the zoom tool to increase a site’s text size. But again, they won’t bother to. They’ll simply go to a different site if they find your site’s text too bothersome to read.
3. Bold Important Text
Part of the reason why text must be easy to read is readers usually don’t read all of a block of text.
When it comes to website text, readers tend to skim.
For that reason, all important text should be bolded.
Deadlines, important dates, prices — all of that information should be in bolded. That way, readers can’t miss it even while skimming.
4. Use Color
White and black are basic website colors. They’re neutral colors and easy to read against each other.
But no website should feature just black and white. Black and white websites don’t stand out as much as those that feature color.
Plus, they give off a sterile vibe that many visitors find unwelcoming and cold.
Don’t stick to white and black. Instead, include a pop of color.
Each color generates a certain feeling in viewers. Red excites consumers while blue and green soothe them. For that reason, many companies — especially financial ones — include blue and green in their logos.
5. …But Not Too Much Color
In an effort to brighten their sites, some site runners take color too far. They end up using a myriad of colors instead of a select one or two.
The result is a digital rainbow instead of a website.
Too many colors are distracting to visitors. A high level of distraction tends to lead to a high level of anxiety.
If visitors feel anxious while on your website, they’ll leave.
Likewise, too many colors can make navigation a pain. If visitors can’t figure out how to navigate your website, they’ll leave.
6. Include Appropriate, High-Quality Pictures
Appropriate, high-quality pictures are punctuation marks for your website’s professionalism.
Use photos, graphs, and other well-chosen images to break apart text and highlight facts.
Additionally, ensure all images fit their spaces comfortably. A small image set haphazardly beside a big one will draw attention only to the big one.
Steer clear of blurry images as well as amateur-level graphics and photos.
7. Keep Navigation Simple and Easy
This is one of our most important design tips.
When visitors go to a site, they expect the layout to be simple and easy to navigate.
Visitors who can’t easily navigate your site or find what they’re looking for will leave.
For that reason, all basic web pages should be listed clearly on your homepage. Typically, they are found at the top or on one of the sides. Sometimes they are listed at the bottom when the bottom is static.
Additionally, you may have a shopping area on your site. Make sure the shopping cart and cart total are always visible.
Keeping the check-out process to a few simple clicks is advisable as well.
8. Keep All Elements Consistent
Consistency is a rarely touched-upon subject when it comes to web development.
All content bodies and headers should receive the same formatting. The same goes for image size and placement.
Likewise, vocabulary and grammar style should match across all pieces of content. For example, you shouldn’t use strictly professional language in one blog post and then use slang and incorrect grammar in the next.
Keeping all elements on your site ensures your site maintains a professional look and stays on-brand.
Need More Design Tips? Check Us Out!
There are two priorities when it comes to tech site design. Those priorities are content and design.
High-quality content gives you credibility and limitless SEO opportunities. However, your content efforts are for naught without an effective website design.
At PSD Learning, we’re committed to supplying our readers with resources about a variety of marketing topics. From web design and logos, to photo editing and design tips – we cover it all at PSD Learning.
For more design tips, check out our design and interface blog reel!
