Web design was among the top marketing strategies in 2009 to increase online revenue. It will continue to be a top strategy for 2010 and well into the foreseeable future. As a web designer, I’m sure you’re happy to hear you will still have a job next year, just not surprised.
This is how we do it
Web designers and developers merge the requirements of aesthetics, usability, security, and performance; ensuring the demands of customers are met. Numerous companies will tell you that as soon as they upgraded their websites, revenue went up. This is because web designers plan and execute key online marketing strategies.
Beauty…
First, they build better online brands through pleasing and confidence inspiring design. People appreciate beauty. It’s an unavoidable fact that beautiful things garner more attention.
…is more than screen deep
Second, and perhaps more importantly, web designers make sites user friendly. This can include a host of minor improvements to calls to action, product display and many other areas of a website. Minor improvements, even those that may only effect conversion by fractions of a percent, can pay big dividends when combines with SEO and PPC marketing strategies that drive traffic.
User expectations evolve over time, often rapidly. It’s a web designer’s job to constantly be refining and updating their skills and understanding of customer habits.
Safe Shopping
Third and fourth, web developers provide technical tactics to make sites more secure and increase performance; namely increase speed and reduce errors. Often taken for granted or even under appreciated, it’s simply critical that a website works.
Combined, these requirements often are the make or break difference in the success of a website. Web designers and developers work closely with marketers, copy writers, SEO, PPC, and conversion professionals from planning through execution and launch to ensure that business goals are met and revenue increases.
That’s a lot of digits
I read a blog post from Paul Boag recently, which did a great job of illustrating this point. His web company in the UK, Headscape, helped increase online revenue for Wiltshire Farm Foods by 10,000% using predominantly web design tactics. The main points are described in this blog:
Six of the eight points are web design tactics, and the other two are customer service and marketing as it relates to messaging.
