Form over function – how to create a fast and well-designed website
When designing a website, it’s essential that it does one thing: fulfil its function to the highest standard possible. All other considerations, including form, are most often in service of that single aspect. This means that the site should be built with a clear purpose in mind, with each part of the site designed to help that purpose be achieved. There are, however, certain design rules when it comes to web design that mean that form can also influence function. Let’s explore how you can go about creating a fast and well-designed website.
Consider your site’s purpose
Before anything else, you need to sit down and carefully consider the purpose of your site. Is it going to drive traffic to your business? Will it act as a place for people to explore your brand? Will it drive sales of your products? None of these, or all three? There’s no right or wrong answer, but you need to settle on a purpose before you can start designing the site. This will inform everything else from this stage onwards, starting with things like hosting options and which web design tool you should choose.
Analyse the competition
Your business and website do not exist in a vacuum; no matter how niche your offering is, you will have competitors with at least slightly similar products or services. It’s important to learn from them; while it’s important to stand out, you can also benefit from following certain web design trends related to your niche. See what successful competitors are doing, from their design style to the content management system they use. You can then either follow that trend or go your own route, but at least whatever you do, you’ll be doing so in an informed manner.
Choose a platform
Next, you’re ready to choose a platform on which you can build your website. There are a wide variety of different options, each one better suited to different requirements – some are better suited to ecommerce stores, others to sites that primarily want to provide information and drive traffic. If you’re going to design and develop the site yourself, it’s also important to choose one that’s user-friendly and doesn’t require too much technical knowledge to operate.
Consult a website design agency
While it’s possible to design and develop a website without outside help, there are alternatives. If you have the budget and want to end up with an optimally designed and speedy site, it’s often best to outsource your website needs to a web design agency such as Webheads.
A professional website designer will be able to assess your needs and help to predict future requirements, building you a fast site that shouldn’t run into unpredicted issues. It may be more expensive in the short run, but as an investment, it’s more often than not worth it, especially for businesses that want to grow without unnecessary limitations.