In the 20+ years that web site design has become a mainstream business, the evolution of web site design has been rapid. Nothing has changed recently despite the fact that web sites have evolved from static content 20 years ago, to places where people can shop, bank, trade, and conduct other complex business transactions.
The facts are, if your web site is more than a couple of years old, it is already obsolete. The driving force in technology these days is the rapid rise of smartphones, and marketing targeting this demographic. If you web site does not cater to this segment of the market, chances are you are being left behind. Here are some web site design elements that can keep your business competitive.
Content personalization
Content personalization starts to work when a person registers as a member on your web site. The content personalization algorithm will then begin to record all of their surfing activities as to your products and services. It will then make recommendations based on that for related products and services that your business offers. The more interaction the customer has with your web site, the more accurate and helpful these recommendations can become.
Using a Content Management System (CMS)
CMS have now been a mainstay of web design for almost a decade, and they have been getting more and more powerful. These systems allow a layperson to make web site changes without having any real technical knowledge. This allows you to keep your web site up to date and relevant. There is one drawback you need to be aware of. CMS systems may not be optimized for speed, which is critical for persons using mobile devices. If you have a CMS make sure and speak to someone with expertise in speed optimization.
Responsive Design
This is a must-have feature if you have chosen to go with a CMS. Today, up to one-half of your web site hits come from mobile devices, and slow response times can cost you revenue. Be sure and tie the fonts used in your web site to your brand, and have a professional web site designer use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to ensure your background images load correctly and quickly.
Start a Business Blog Related to Your Industry
You can use a business blog to educate and inform your customers, and to encourage interaction with them. This is one of the better ways to always have fresh and relevant content. If you are using a CMS, you will probably find that it has blog attributes already there for you to use. While these blogs will require a time commitment on your part, it is an excellent way to help expand a business through the internet.
Once you have incorporated all of these elements into your web site, it is important to have a social media web site on Facebook, Twitter and other relevant social media sites to promote your content and drive traffic to it. If no one can see the changes you are making to your web site, those changes make little sense in terms of time and money invested.
