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Elements of a Great Website Design

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Every business owner understands the importance of web design and SEO, even if they do not understand the intricacies of each. Website design services are vital to business operations because they employ IT professionals who understand the principles of design and engagement.

Engagement is the keyword when talking about web design. While personal preferences for layout might get you so far, you are not doing your business any favours if the pages of your site are not optimized for the modern consumer. There are at least five things you need to do to embrace modern and actionable web design.

1. Embrace Semi-Flat Design

Too many business owners believe that a website needs to be filled with dynamic images and video. While every website should have some dynamic and perceived three-dimensional objects, these elements should be used sparingly, primarily for the hero images.

Most of the website or a good portion of it should be flat — images without fancy drop shadows to represent depth. The flat design translates easily and loads quickly.

Readability is the name of the game. If your customer cannot read the page or understand what you want them to do, you lose a sale. Sometimes, simple design is the best strategy.

2. Include Quality Product Images

The reason for a website is to engage with customers and increase sales. The best way to increase sales is to show the customers what you have to offer. 

Many small business owners fall into the trap of having a text-heavy website. The internet is built for visual people. Take the time and invest the money in taking high-quality photos of your products. For example, instead of having a restaurant website with a text menu, fill the pages with gorgeous pictures of your food.

A quality image is worth 1,000 words. People’s eyes are automatically drawn to high-quality and colourful photos. Once you have their attention, give them the details.

3. Think Multi-Platform

People access the internet through several devices: desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. You are doing yourself a disservice if your website is only optimized for one or two devices.

If you are going to go to the trouble of creating a website, the least you want to do is ensure that it is compatible with mobile devices. Most people will look for businesses, restaurants, and services with their phones, so a mobile-friendly design is crucial to website success.

4. Consider White Space

Another element of excellent web design is white space. Many people underestimate the value of a clean screen, but it helps bring attention to the areas that really matter.

Many people fear empty space or believe it is a sign of weak design. However, when done well, white space can accentuate purchase buttons and navigation items for a more streamlined and effective user experience.

Still, while white space is valuable, it should be used strategically. A web design service can help you make the most of your white space strategy.

5. Focus on Speed

Some of the best online tutorials explain the importance of dynamic images, videos, and other interactive content on websites. These elements allow for more engagement when on a page, but you need to consider your site’s download or processing speed.

Too many fancy elements will slow down the load time of the page. If a customer is met with an infinite spinning wheel, they will likely click the back button and find another service. Make sure your website loads quickly across multiple platforms.

Web design is a complex task that sounds simple. If you want to make the most of your current or future website, you should think about hiring a design service. Contact Unwired Web Solutions for a fast, dynamic, and user-friendly design.

Do You Need A Website If You Have Social Media

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In this world of social media, one question that often comes up is, “Do I still need a website if I have social media?” The answer is simple. Yes. Our web design Kitchener experts explain why you still need a website, even if you have a business profile on all social media platforms. 

While social media is a great way to reach out to potential customers, a website is where you can educate people about your business. There is a long list of advantages to having your own website, even if you have a solid social media presence. 

Think of it this way; having your business on social media is like couch surfing. No matter how welcome you feel, you are always still in someone else’s home. With your website, you have your own home. 

Creative Freedom

When you have your own website, you get to choose the information that visitors see. You also get to decide how to present it in a way that reflects your brand. People will often remember your business based on the design of your website. With more creative freedom, you can present your information the way you desire. Twitter only has a 280 character limit, and Instagram stories max out at 15 seconds. On a website of your own, you can control how much you want to say or how long of a video you want your potential customers to see. 

Inspire More Trust

Having a website for your business and credibility among your customers go hand-in-hand. A 2017 Local Search Association survey found that search engines have a high level of trust with consumers. In fact, they recorded that when it comes time to make a purchase, the only source shoppers trust more than search engines is company websites. This compares to the steep decline found in the public’s trust of social media. Fake news scandals and data breaches are to thank for the lack of confidence in these platforms. 

When people search for a business, they commonly ask their phone or Alexa to look it up. They will very rarely look it up across social media. In fact, over 80 percent of the population relies on search to find what they are looking for. Without a website, your business or page is a lot less visible to people outside of social media networks. 

A website also gives you the freedom to influence how your business will appear in search results. By incorporating SEO practices, you can get your website to rank higher for the keywords that your audience uses. By using a Google Business Profile listing, you can also get better visibility to local customers. 

The Disappearance of Social Media Pages

If your only point of contact with your customers is through social media, the information is available at the discretion of the social network. If, for any reason, your account becomes suspended, your information disappears from public view until things get sorted out. If the network decides to ban your account altogether or close it down, your information is lost for good. 

Of course, losing your social media account is rare. However, it does happen. It is not just the fringe figures who get banned for extreme speech. There have been many cases of business profiles being shut down for mistaken identity or because spam got into their account. 

Beautiful, Strategic Websites

Bottom line, you need a website. There are so many options available to create beautiful, strategic websites it has never been easier to have an online presence. Here at Unwired Web Solutions, we provide web design Kitchener businesses can trust. We know the local market and have experience in building a reach in the local community.

If you are looking for a reliable SEO company that you can count on, reach out to us today! 

4 Tips To Help Improve Your Website on a Small Budget

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Online marketing is an essential part of growing a successful brand in today’s world. There are thousands or millions of potential customers waiting for you online. However, many websites and business owners only have modest budgets at best. Therefore, it is helpful to know some effective promotional strategies that can be implemented without spending a lot of money.

1. Do Some Keyword-Based SEO

Search engine optimization is the process of improving your online content to ensure that it ranks highly on search engine results pages. Advanced SEO requires knowledge, experience and the right tools. However, you can get started with some basic keyword research. For example, Google offers the Keyword Planner, which can help you find some valuable keywords for your website.

Look for keywords that are highly relevant to your site but not overly competitive. You are going to have a hard time ranking highly for “athletic shoes,” but you may have some success with “running shoe store in Kitchener,” for example. Add these keywords naturally into your website content.

2. Create a Content Marketing Strategy

Content marketing is a technique that involves publishing informative blogs or articles that your audience is likely to search for. Returning to the athletic shoe example, you could publish some guides on how to find the right fitting shoe for different foot shapes and sizes. Another option may be a list of common foot injuries from running and how to resolve them.

With the right content management system for small business websites, you can easily create and share web content. This technique is completely free but can be time-consuming to do yourself.

3. Create a Google Business Listing

content marketing strategy

Google offers numerous tools to help businesses easily reach their customers. If your business relies on a local audience, a Google Business Profile listing may be one of the most valuable options for you. When you search for a business, you may have noticed that some have a box on the right side of the results. This includes key information about the company. You can control this with your Google business listing.

Sign up for Google Business Profile. From here, you can edit the information in your business listing, including address, open hours, website, phone number and more. This is something that every company should do. However, it is typically most impactful for local brands. It is a must-have local SEO tool.

4. Establish an Email Marketing Campaign

You can create an email marketing newsletter. Collect emails from current and potential customers and send them periodic messages that include information on sales promotions, new products, and special events.

The key to effective email marketing is providing value to your recipients. In other words, your emails should be about topics that attract your readers. It can be helpful to segment your email list based on interests.

Gather emails by offering something free in exchange for contact info. For example, you could provide some useful content or a webinar that requires registration using an email address. Alternatively, offer free tickets to an event in exchange for subscribing to your newsletter.

Get Professional Help

The above strategies are either cheap or free if you do them yourself. However, they can be time-consuming. If you are struggling to keep up with the marketing workload or want to achieve better results, consider hiring professional help. It is often a smart investment to hire a marketing agency and dedicate your time to running your business.

Unwired Web Solutions can help. Our team has empowered brands in Ontario and the rest of Canada to reach their growth goals. We offer options for SEO, web design, content marketing, and other services. Contact us today to learn more about these services and how we can help.