The Real Impact of Web Design on Your Digital Marketing Strategy

For some companies, digital marketing starts and stops with buying pay-per-click ads through Google and other similar services. However, if you really want to grow – and if you really want to build a reputation – your digital marketing strategy should encompass much, much more. Below, you can learn more about how your web design impacts your digital marketing strategy and get some important improvement tips. 

It’s All About Engagement

Once upon a time, all you needed to get your brand’s name out there was add a few keywords to a website. Since 1998, when Google was first launched, the metrics that determine who gets ranked highly and who doesn’t get ranked at all have changed a great deal. Today, much of your ranking – and your reputation, by default – is determined by the ways in which users engage and interact with your content. Web design plays a crucial role in these interactions, so it is certainly worth your time to analyze and improve everything from font and image size to the overall layout and color of your site. 

What Consumers Have Come to Expect

A recent report on surveyed B2B customers puts consumer expectations into perspective. Of the customers surveyed about a recent buying experience, 88% said they encountered high-quality information during that transaction. This quality is directly linked to web design, too. When it comes to web design, consumer expectations are as follows:

• • Speed and responsiveness – Your website needs to load quickly – both the landing page and individual pages – and it must also be responsive on tablets, phones, and computers in order to appeal to the masses. 
  • Quality photos – Make sure you are taking (or using) high-definition photos to show off your products or services. The more detail in this case, the better. Blurry photos or photos that are too small can cause visitors to look elsewhere for a product or service. 
  • Excellent content – If a visitor comes to your site for information, it is in your best interest to provide the best quality and most authoritative information possible. You need search engine optimized content that is free from grammatical errors and provides consumers with a brief but helpful synopsis of whatever information they hoped to get. 
  • A friendly and unobtrusive landing page – Many companies rely on lead generation for growth and revenue. Landing pages are crucial for conversions, but it is possible to be too pushy. Make sure that your landing page offers enough information to help convert visitors quickly, and if you use a pop-up, use one that doesn’t interrupt your visitors’ experience too soon or too frequently.

• Differentiation from competitors – Consumers will also expect you to show them exactly how your company is different from your competitors. After all, most industries and niches are completely saturated, so no matter what you offer, there’s a good chance another company offers much the same thing. Whether you choose to focus on a better product, a friendlier service, or better overall customer service, make sure you show visitors exactly what you have to offer and how it is different from your competitors’ offerings. 

Web design is crucial to your digital marketing strategy. No matter how solid your content and SEO, if your text is too small or the colors cause eye strain, visitors won’t stay on your page for long. Remember to consider every single element of web design and customers’ expectations when designing your strategy to see the best possible results.