A Beautiful Website Doesn’t Cut It Anymore

In today’s digital age, having a website is essential for any business looking to succeed. However, simply having a website is no longer enough. With the growing competition in the online marketplace, businesses need to ensure that their website stands out from the rest. This is where professional website design comes in. Skimping on professional website design can lead to several risks, including lost business opportunities and a damaged brand reputation. In this article, we will discuss why you shouldn’t skimp on professional website design and I shall be citing real-life business examples to illustrate the risks involved.

Poor User Experience

Skimping on professional website design can lead to a poor user experience. A poorly designed website can be difficult to navigate, slow to load, and unresponsive, causing frustration for users. This can result in a high bounce rate, meaning that visitors leave the website without taking any action. For businesses, this translates to lost opportunities for lead generation, sales, and customer engagement.

Abercrombie & Fitch Website

As an example, let’s take a look at the website of the popular clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch. In 2013, the company redesigned their website to focus on a mobile-first approach. The new website had improved navigation, faster load times, and a responsive design. As a result, the company saw a 17% increase in online sales compared to the previous year, proving the importance of professional website design.

Damage Brand Reputation

This approach can damage your brand reputation. Your website is often the first impression that potential customers have of your business. A poorly designed website can give the impression that your business is unprofessional, outdated, or unreliable. In today’s digital age, customers expect businesses to have a modern, user-friendly online presence. If your website fails to meet these expectations, it can harm your brand reputation and cause customers to look elsewhere. Let’s take a look at the website of the popular airline company United Airlines.

United Airlines Website

In 2017, the company faced a public relations disaster when they forcibly removed a passenger from one of their flights. However, their website also received criticism for its outdated design and usability issues. This further damaged the company’s reputation and highlighted the importance of professional website design as a reflection of a brand’s values and credibility.

Hampers Search Engine Optimization Strategies to Soar

Skimping on professional website design can hurt your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). A well-designed website can improve your SEO by making it easier for search engines to crawl and index your content. On the other hand, a poorly designed website can have technical issues that negatively impact your SEO efforts. For example, slow load times, broken links, and duplicate content can all hurt your ranking in SERPs.

Domino’s Website

Let’s take a look at the website of the popular pizza chain Domino’s. In 2010, the company faced criticism for their pizza quality and customer service. However, they also recognized that their website was not optimized for SEO. They redesigned their website to be more user-friendly and search engine-friendly, resulting in a significant increase in online orders and organic traffic. This example shows that professional website design is not only important for user experience but also for SEO.

In conclusion, skimping on professional website design can expose your online business to several risks, including a poor user experience, a damaged brand reputation, and hurt SEO efforts. Real-life business examples have illustrated the importance of professional website design for generating leads, improving customer engagement, and boosting online sales. Businesses need to invest in professional website design to stay ahead of the competition and meet the expectations of modern consumers.