SearchEffective Website Design
www.hanselldesign.co.uk/effectiveWATCH OUR INSIGHTFUL VIDEO AT...
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WE ARE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME REALLY USEFUL TIPS AND PRACTICAL ADVICE THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO YOUR OWN WEBSITE.
Effective Website Design
We are going to share with you some really useful tips and practical advice that you can apply to your own website.
We’ve selected three key areas to focus on, these are:
Understand your Audience
Be your User Experience
Test, Go Live + Stay Live
These topics are all connected and equally as important. By addressing all three, you will deliver a far more effective web experience for your target users and see strong improvements across all your digital marketing activities.
Hansell are a Creative Agency that offer services such as website design, wireframing and user experience guidance to clients including Brighton Fringe and Search Seven.
EFFECTIVE WEBSITE DESIGN
A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR AUDIENCE IS A POWERFUL TOOL.
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Effective Website Design
Lets assume that you already have a good understanding of your audience types, they could be supporters, stakeholders, patients or partners - basically any individual you want to experience your content.
However, when it comes to effective digital marketing a far deeper knowledge is a powerful tool - we always start our approach with the question “What does your Audience actually want to do?” rather than “What do we want them to do?”
It may only sound like a subtle shift of focus, but it’s not. Remember, individuals come to your website for their own particular actionable reason and whilst you can try to divert their attention - if instead you match their interest and meet their needs you will increase likelihood of conversion; such as them making a donation or signing up for the next charity event.
UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE...
What does yourAudience actually want to do?
UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE
...BE MORE LIKE FRED
UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE
Effective Website Design
HOW DOES FRED‘S MARKET STALL TRANSLATE INTOEFFECTIVE WEBSITE DESIGN?
Prioritising your Navigation
Provide an obvious and simple Call to Action
Ensure sign-up procedures are simple (making for a painless next step)
Deliver Descriptive and engaging content
Be more like Fred by:
We have likened this approach to that of ‘Fred’, a market stall owner. He’s secured an awesome location in the market, lots of people walk by every day and he ensures he has strong visibility. Not only this, Fred has done a lot of research, he knows that there are two main types of customer that he can attract; the loyal weekly browser and the in-a-hurry offi ce lunch breaker.
To serve both audience types he’s organised his stall so the browser can easily see all that’s on offer, whilst the in-a-hurry customer can access the products they want super quick.
Before setting out his stall he took the time to study and understand his core audience. Rather than just trying to sell all the products he has in a way he assumes will work, he is tailoring an experience to what his audience wants and needs. Coupled with Fred’s super quick customer service and engaging topical ‘shout outs’, he’s absolutely nailing it.
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BE YOUR USER EXPERIENCE
Effective Website Design
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EVERYTHING YOUR AUDIENCE EXPERIENCES WHEN CONNECTING WITH YOUR BRAND.
But that’s really just the start...
BE YOUR USER EXPERIENCE
User Experience, is about ‘Everything your Audience experiences when connecting with your brand’. In the case of digital marketing, this includes things like; tone of voice, imagery, video content, brand identity, colour palette and lots more.
It’s generally accepted that advertising a static ‘do this’ type message isn’t enough to encourage your audience. Marketers talk about ‘engaging an audience in conversation’ rather than just ‘speaking at them’. That’s not to say off-site advertising is ineffective, far from it - instead it’s about how you utilise these platforms.
This is where ‘Be Your User Experience’ comes into play it is really all about delivering an immersive, brand focussed and authentic website. In its simplest form, it is ensuring your website is designed with your brand colours and visual styling.
ACTION
LOGO
COLOURPALETTE
BE YOUR USER EXPERIENCE
WWW.SEARCHSEVEN.CO.UK
LocalityLocality
Charity FocusCharity Focus
PersonalityPersonality
Rich TextRich Text
LocalityLocality
Charity FocusCharity Focus
PersonalityPersonality
Rich TextRich Text
LocalityLocality
Charity FocusCharity Focus
PersonalityPersonality
Rich TextRich Text
LocalityLocality
Charity FocusCharity Focus
PersonalityPersonality
Rich TextRich Text
It’s distinctly ‘in brand’ and reflects your culture
Contains a rich textural experience with clear signposting
Rich Content full of your Personality
Is Immersive and low effort for your audience
SIGNS YOUR WINNING AT USER EXPERIENCE,WHEN YOUR WEBSITE DESIGN:
BE YOUR USER EXPERIENCE
Lets assume that you’ve got a website, you kick ass at search marketing and you’re using Google Grants to its fullest, you’ve also invested in a strong brand identity, you understand your audience and have prepared your website content.
Where do you go from here? Well let’s take Search Seven for example, a Search Marketing company; they have a strong brand identity that’s visible throughout their website but this goes much deeper than just a colour palette
They are Brighton-based - and proud of it - imagery is therefore used to communicate this clearly.
Let’s be honest, there is a lot of very technical stuff that these guys know. But people buy from people, so using an honest tone of voice, they communicate they’re human - just like the rest of us!
Something unique about them is that they donate 7% of profits to charity - definitely something worth talking about - so they communicate this with an easy to watch video.
They’ve got lots to say and share with the world, plus, as an SEO company, know how to adhere to best practise. So let’s make all that text look awesome and in-brand using web fonts, headlines and strong typography.
All with this content being wrapped up in their company’s brand identity.
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TEST, GO LIVE + STAY LIVE
Effective Website Design
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EVERYTHING IS READY, ITS TIME FOR LAUNCH!.. BUT REMBER TO STAY REACTIVE & KEEP UP TO DATE.
TEST, GO LIVE + STAY LIVE
So you really understand your target audience, know what interests them, how best to speak to them and you’ve started designing a rich, brand-centred user experience. What’s next?
TEST: PERHAPS AFTER TODAY YOU THINK OF SOME ON-SITE ADJUSTMENTS YOU WANT TO TRY.
Most modern website platforms allow for A/B testing - where you can use audience sampling to guide website improvements.
For example: One idea you have is to pre-populate the donation amount field with £5 and an indication where this money would be spent. Let’s say some of your stakeholders are against this idea - rather than not doing it at all use A/B testing to identify what works and what doesn’t.
GO LIVE: DON‘T BE AFRAID TO MAKE THINGS LIVE.
Yes it’s vital to have the right technical backend but don’t fall into a overly long prototyping period and miss opportunities because your website wasn’t out in the world. Make sure you’ve partnered with the right suppliers, work closely with them and build trust so that the ‘live’ stage isn’t seen as the end game - but part of the process.
STAY LIVE: YOUR WEBSITE IS LIVE, GREAT NEWS!
But you think it could be improved or maybe a new, unexpected opportunity arises - perhaps something in the news which is relevant to your audience and your charity. With a well built website you should be able to respond to this opportunity in an immediate manner - ‘seize the moment’. However, make sure this doesn’t erode your brand experience or damage that hard earned audience trust. Keep all new content in line with your brand guidelines.
Donate Now
Donate £5 Nowto feed a family for a week
LOGO Donate NowHome Get involvedWhat we do
Volunteer
LOGO Donate Now
Donate Now
Sign Up
Home Get involvedWhat we do
LOGO Donate NowHome Get involvedWhat we do
Volunteer
NEWS
GO LIVE
GO LIVE
LOGO Donate NowHome Get involvedWhat we do
Volunteer
Donate Now
Donate £5 Nowto feed a family for a week
Donate Now
Donate £5 Nowto feed a family for a week
GO LIVE
GO LIVE
SO LET’S RECAP….
Effective Website Design
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UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE IS ALL ABOUT:
Building your site around a deep knowledge of your audience ‘types’
Reviewing website design work against these audience types
Matching your audience interests to your website goals (not the other way around)
Design and building your website around your brand identity
Delivering engaging and immersive content
Ensure credibility at every step of your website ‘be authentic’
A/B Testing using audience sampling
With a structure in place don’t be afraid to make things live
Keep true to your brand whilst allowing for effective fresh, topical content
BE YOUR USER EXPERIENCE BY:
TEST, GO LIVE + STAY LIVE BY:
GO LIVE
GO LIVE
BY DOING ALL OF THIS YOUR AUDIENCE WILL BE MORE ENGAGED, YOU’LL ENCOURAGE LOYALTY & INCREASE LIKELIHOOD OF CONVERSIONS.
SearchEffective Website Design
www.hanselldesign.co.uk/effective
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01732 743 455
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