Website graphics present a challenge for graphic designers and business owners alike. In design school, I was taught to communicate visually and clearly. As a business owner, you want your customer to buy your product and stay on your website long enough to count for the search engines. How to accomplish both of these tasks is the question.
Prioritize
What is the most important thing? What do you want your visitor to see first? I want my visitor to know the name of my company, seeing my logo first. Graphic art images can be used to invite your visitor also.
As stated in this handy info graph by The CreativeFinder, what is your first impression? This is critical when planning your own website design and how you want your customers to perceive you. When you come upon a cool website, try to understand what it is about that homepage that you like.
We are designing a website for a new barbecue restaurant that is opening in Scarsdale, NY . When you visit this website I want you to almost taste the barbecue on you lips! The website will be so rich in it’s use of graphic art images that you will almost smell the yummy ribs coming off the grill.
An overall photo of the “end result” of your product, like the happy couple holding the keys to their new home, will make your visitor want to know more…how can I be that happy couple.
Too Cluttered
A Simple Hompage Tells Visitors What to Do
Visual clutter is one of those things I have little tolerance for. When I visit a website that is overly cluttered I tend to check-out, how about you? A page that is overloaded with icons and images makes my head spin. I forget why I came in the first place! My eye does not know where to look—so I go blank, and click away…sometimes! Clean house, and get rid of the visual clutter on your website homepage.
Too confusing
Make sure your visitor knows what you want them to do. The use of website buttons to direct your customer is a tremendous value. Is there a call to action on your homepage where your customer can download a free report or an incentive coupon and you can collect their email address for the use of email marketing?
Make it clear and visible. Make it a complimentary color, something that stands out and use words that are enticing like ”grab this report” or “I want that!”
Website Graphics Tend to be Too Busy
Keep Your Website Graphics Clean and Inviting
Web page backgrounds can enhance your site and give it a “look & feel” of your brand, but be careful…overuse can become distracting and busy. Website backgrounds should be subtle, perhaps a subtle pattern or soft image…never overpowering. The background should enhance the site, not overload it visually. For my barbecue client mentioned above, I used a stock photo of a re-claimed wood background to enhance the homepage graphics. I can’t wait to show you when it’s done!
When designing website graphics, think like your visitor. Put yourself in their shoes. Maybe even get an outsiders opinion on your website. What is their experience. I was shocked when someone told me that on my old website, they didn’t realize that the logo images were click-able links to the rest of my portfolio.
What has YOUR experience been with website graphics? Please leave a comment below, and let us know what works and what doesn’t work for you! AND if you found this helpful, please share it, thanks!