Design – Using The KISS Principle To Pull In Website Visitors
Website users love it when you follow the KISS principle of website design. K(eep) I(t) S(imple) S(illy) keeps your website visually appealing, its message compelling and easy to understand, while the customer can easily navigate toward their need. When potential customers visit your site, function is the most important element. Your goal in having a website is to propel customers into action.
The best website design will force a conversion! Your visitors should call you, contact you via your website form, or drop by your physical location if you have one – all as a first step in buying your services!
Choosing Website Colors That Set The Right Tone
You want your potential clients not only to decide to choose you but to also remember you. Your first step in doing this is to create a site that brands your business. The colors, images, and logos you choose for your website should be ones you carry through on business cards, brochures, social media headers, truck wraps, and more. Consistency rules here.
If you are a franchise location or a dealer for a national company, you may not have a choice in color scheme, logos, or the website design of the corporation. If this is your business and your choice then you can choose what you consider the most effective way to present yourself. You might start with a blank canvas, but many people pick colors from an image they plan to use or from the type of business and its likely audience. There is a psychology to color choice, as different shades of color evoke certain reactions from website visitors.
Your color scheme will repeat itself on every page in your site, so it’s important to have a color scheme in line with your message – but also does not distract from it.
Tool: I like utilizing color schemer.
Engaging Your Audience
The colors you use throughout the site are a backdrop to pages that provide information that visitors need. Once they see your homepage and the information there, you want to engage them enough that they will want to go to other pages. Here are a few tips to encourage visitors to spend time on the site.
Write an engaging About Us page
Tip #1. Convey a central message As you write your “About Us” page, take it as an opportunity to build a relationship with your visitors by conveying a message that the site is all about them; that you are there for their best interest. Give your readers reason to bother reading about you and your business by talking about how you can help them.
Tip #2. Use your own writing voice This means writing like you talk. Avoid sounding very corporate and sophisticated. Don’t be afraid to be a little funny, if that’s part of who you are.
Tip #3. Share your credentials Build your credibility by sharing your relevant work experiences, people and organizations you have worked with, awards and recognitions you received, industry as well as cause-related organizations you are actively involved in, etc. You may brag (a little).
Tip #4. Introduce yourself with pictures Get personal by including real pictures of yourself (not caricatures or avatars), or pictures outside of your establishment, or other images that can further support your story. Make sure your About Us page contains your full name and your contact details. Should you include a video, make sure that it is accompanied with a brief written description.
Tip #5. Tell them how to get to know you better Avoid an about page that is long and boring. Remember, you can encourage your visitors to visit your social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc.) for more information about your personal and company credentials. Having your social media accounts reflected in your About Us page can further build your credibility as well as trust by prospective customers in your company.
Include testimonials on the site. You should systematically ask customers to provide recommendations about your products and services directly or through online reading services. If you get a result on Google maps, Yelp!, or an industry specific site such as Angie’s List or Zillow, you should pull this information over to your site. Your goal is to have specific reviews that promote different aspects of dealing with your company, such as how your service personnel always came on time, how they were knowledgeable, how your company always did a good job for customers. Since potential customers who see this information may never have heard of your company before, this builds a positive image.
Be Clear In Your Call To Action (CTA) So Your Visitors Know What To Do
Your website might not directly sell products online, but you want customers to connect with you and purchase your services. Therefore, your website should have a clear call to action on every page. Call us! Fill out our website form! Email us! And so on. To enable customers to follow these commands, create an easy to see button of a different color and be sure to make a CTA on every page.
More information on, the importance of a good call to action.
Estimate Forms
If your call to action is to get your customers to fill out a free estimate form then you will want to be sure to make that form as purposeful as possible. Ask the right questions so that you will know how to proceed. We love using Gravity Forms for this function.
Other design tips:
Make your phone number prominent
Your address should be easy to find
Email address visible from any page
List the hours that your store is open
By employing the KISS principle, your website will have a pleasing appearance while creating a great customer experience!