There are many misconceptions about web design and what it takes to be a web designer. Some people think it is just a matter of copying and pasting code into a text editor. The truth is that web design is an art. The artist must take into account many factors to make a successful website. Some of these factors are the target audience, the website’s purpose, and the website’s content.
I think people have a lot of misconceptions about web design, but I’m here to clear them up. Web design is a lot more than just coding. It’s a lot more than just designing a site to look pretty. It’s about the user experience. It’s about understanding how the site will be used.
7 Common Misconceptions About Web Design
Let’s look at some of the most prevalent misunderstandings that people have to put to rest.
1. “I’ve got this!”
Web designers have expressed concern about the Nephew Effect throughout the years when customers believe that they can hire their nephew to develop their website at no cost. Because, you know, he’s 13 years old and a tech whiz, so it doesn’t matter.
For a variety of reasons, this, of course, results in what we will respectfully refer to as “lackluster” outcomes in the end. First and foremost, that nephew is unlikely to be committed to completing the website in a timely way. Because, you know, he’s got school, sports, and friends to think about — and if it’s bar and bat mitzvah season, he’s not going to be able to go! Taking it a step further, your nephew will be learning as he goes, which means he will not be familiar with any of the best website design practices. While he may be capable of putting together an essential cookie-cutter website for you, is he going to know how to optimize the layout for SEO, populate content to promote easy user experience, or not overload the design with conflicting images and colors, and register the domain correctly, and ensure your site works across every kind of platform? If you hire a web designer, make sure he has experience in the field.
However, you understand the spirit of what we’re trying to say. Web designers, like all artists, put in much effort to ensure that their end product seems attractive, straightforward, and readily completed; this does not imply that it is simple to do. It only indicates that we are adept at concealing our efforts.
Okay, so maybe you should refrain from delegating this task to your nephew, but how about creating it yourself utilizing one of the many various template design websites available to you online?
There’s no denying that these websites provide many attractive designs tailored to specific business requirements. If you want to develop an entire website to display your portfolio, by all means, go to work on it. However, if you want any customization, good luck finding out how to access the theme’s backend. It’s possible that you want to sell a product that is different from the norm, or that you want to tweak the image size for your product displays, or that you want to edit the theme’s layout, or that you want to include a custom page, or that you want to make your site stand out from the hundreds, if not thousands, of other sites that have chosen the same theme as you. What are you supposed to do in the case?
If you hire an experienced web designer, they will guarantee that your site has a look and feel that is entirely distinct from your competitors and that it is easy to create the user experience you know your clients will like. Furthermore, web designers are willing to work with any selected theme, so these two solutions are not always mutually exclusive in their application.
2. “I built my site…Now, for a sandwich!”
Creating your website is a significant accomplishment. However, this is not a scenario where you can “build it, and they will come.” It is necessary to actively and continuously attract visitors to your website to obtain the most value from your investment. That entails optimizing the backend of your website, posting regular content to your blog, establishing your expertise on other blogs, and, in some cases, purchasing banner advertisements, running a pay per click (PPC) campaign on Google, or purchasing advertisements on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. This includes offline marketing efforts such as printing your website URL on printed materials like brochures, business cards, and ads. It also has social media marketing efforts.
Furthermore, like all technology, web design is evolving rapidly. What seems to be cutting-edge now may appear to be antiquated in a matter of months or years. While this does not necessarily imply that you should remodel your website frequently, it does suggest that you should be prepared to make changes to it as needed. A website, much like your company as it evolves and flourishes, is never really finished or completed.
By all means, go ahead and eat that sandwich. Please take advantage of the opportunity to perform some marketing and traffic driving while you’re at it.
3. Space = Bad, Clutter = Good
Okay, so maybe none of us would state openly that clutter is a good thing in the first place. For example, perhaps a video on the homepage — or, better yet, three movies — and ten menus at the top to ensure that everything is covered is a fantastic idea, and how about a beautiful email sign-up every five scrolling to make things even more user-friendly?
Do you see what we’re talking about? It’s pretty simple to get from “here’s all the information you need” to “here’s all the information you don’t need.” As a result, it is preferable to design with a lean philosophy in mind at all times. In addition to looking better, cleaner websites are also simpler to browse from a user experience aspect, which will be critical in achieving more significant conversions.
4. Users don’t scroll
Since people would not scroll, the old saying that you should never put critical content below the fold is undoubtedly familiar to everyone who knows anything about web design. The emergence of infinite scroll and one-page websites, as well as the rising popularity of long-form content and the widespread usage of smartphones and tablets for online access and content consumption, have all effectively put an end to this practice. With the fold no longer a significant thing, we’ve become more used to scrolling almost constantly, and therefore it’s no longer an essential concern for us.
It can’t hurt to put crucial information towards the top of the page. However, if the overall appearance and feel of the site dictate differently, it’s best not to cram everything in at the top.
5. My website is an ad
In the sense that it aids in establishing your brand, your website is similar to an advertisement. More than that, a poorly designed or outdated website can serve as a negative advertisement, as it portrays your company as out of touch and unknowledgeable, regardless of your industry or niche (basically, it’s like running a political attack ad against yourself to support your competitors).
However, this does not imply that your website is only a brochure, including only the most basic information about your company and nothing more. It also does not mean that your website should be crammed with flashing, dancing characters who may be amusing but who don’t teach us anything about what you do, how you distinguish from your rivals, what makes your goods so unique, or how visitors can interact more intimately with your company. As opposed to that, your website should provide your clients with an engaging experience. In addition to offering them your professional information and an in-depth, unique peek into your organization, you should give them a platform on which to contribute their tales as well. Instead, your website should serve as a venue for discussion, with content selected and organized by yours truly. To be effective, it must be at the heart of all aspects of your business, including sales, marketing, and interactions with others.
6. The logo must be big
We’re strong supporters of consistent branding on this blog, and we understand why many company owners believe their logos should be prominently displayed on their websites. However, as we covered in the preceding paragraph, your website is more than simply a piece of advertising. While your visitors are interested in learning about you, what your brand is about, and your brand’s personality — all of which can be established via the usage of a logo — they are also interested in using your site. A giant logo isn’t necessary for this, and in fact, it may be irritating an impediment and the kind of thing that sends people running for the hills. By all means, retain the logo on the site, but make it an acceptable size to read.
7. We’ll grab a photo off of Google Image Search
Just…no. There is the issue of many Google photographs being badly taken, or at the very least being of low technical quality, which will result in them looking ugly when they are blown up huge. Second, there is the fact that you will not be alone in adopting this picture, and as a result, you will not be doing anything to distinguish yourself from possible rivals or to enhance your brand’s recognition.
However, and perhaps more significantly, you do not own that picture. To remove it from Google image search would be a violation of the artist’s intellectual property rights. That’s not alright on its own, but even if you’re good with it, you’re not going to be smiling when you’re slammed with massive copyright penalties in the hundreds of dollars, as you probably won’t be. Pay for high-resolution photos. In comparison, the cost is small, and your website will seem far more professional as a result.
Conclusion
This may not seem to be a significant concern, and it isn’t…at least not until it causes harm to your brand or prevents your firm from progressing forward. Now is the time to lay these myths to rest once and for all so that we may have a more positive connection with our websites!
If you are looking for a web design company in Delaware, then look no further than us! Ventcube provides web design services in Delaware that will help you reach your goals. Get a free quote or contact us today.
