Is it time to refresh your website's look? The start of the new year is the perfect opportunity to tweak your website or give it an updated design.
You don't have to make full-scale changes — a few simple tricks can have your website feeling new and attracting more visitors in no time.
Incorporate a Design Trend
Adding a design trend to an existing website is one of the quickest and easiest ways to create a visual statement. Just one trendy element can give your design a modern feel, providing something new for visitors who have previously seen your website.
Here are two easy options with a lot of impact:
Here are two easy options with a lot of impact:
- Oversized typography: A big, bold headline can entice users to look deeper at your website design. You don't even have to change the typeface — opt for a simple headline with a few words and bump up the size until it makes you almost uncomfortable. (This could be type as large as 100 points on desktops.)
- Bright colors: One of the big trends in design is the use of bold, bright color palettes. Incorporate a primary hue in the background or as part of the main image to draw attention. Chagli pulls website visitors in with a photo featuring a bright yellow background.
Connect Your Website to a Email Marketing Campaign
Every website should have an end-goal for users. This is likely supported by some type of email marketing campaign.
The first step is to collect information from users. Start with an email signup form on your website. Collect email addresses in exchange for a coupon code or ask users to provide an address in exchange for information or news.
You can then use this database of information to communicate with users on a regular basis and stay connected. Saltopia has a page dedicated to email newsletter signups. The page and form encourage users to stay connected with the company for news, information and even coupons.
The first step is to collect information from users. Start with an email signup form on your website. Collect email addresses in exchange for a coupon code or ask users to provide an address in exchange for information or news.
You can then use this database of information to communicate with users on a regular basis and stay connected. Saltopia has a page dedicated to email newsletter signups. The page and form encourage users to stay connected with the company for news, information and even coupons.
Check Social Media Links
Are your website and social media presences congruent? It's a good idea to check links to social media annually so that users aren't lost due to outdated or dead links.
Remember to incorporate images or hashtags from social media campaigns back to your website. This strategy will create a universal experience that your website visitors will appreciate. Bacon Boxes reminds users to share and interact with them using #sendbacon on social media. The hashtag is a fun engagement tool that makes the most of Bacon Boxes product while introducing the subscription service to new customers.
Remember to incorporate images or hashtags from social media campaigns back to your website. This strategy will create a universal experience that your website visitors will appreciate. Bacon Boxes reminds users to share and interact with them using #sendbacon on social media. The hashtag is a fun engagement tool that makes the most of Bacon Boxes product while introducing the subscription service to new customers.
Add a Seasonal Photograph
How many websites have the same photo on the homepage year round? Changing the photo with a seasonal option helps liven up your design.
Consider a beachy scene in the summer or snow in the winter. If a particular holiday is an important part of your content or sales plan, use appropriate seasonal imagery to boost engagement.
If you don't have season photo options, consider connecting a social media feed or hashtagged photos so that users can showcase their images in seasonal settings. This type of crowdsourced content can create a strong connection between users and your business, while keeping the design fresh.
Consider a beachy scene in the summer or snow in the winter. If a particular holiday is an important part of your content or sales plan, use appropriate seasonal imagery to boost engagement.
If you don't have season photo options, consider connecting a social media feed or hashtagged photos so that users can showcase their images in seasonal settings. This type of crowdsourced content can create a strong connection between users and your business, while keeping the design fresh.
Refresh Shop Items
The new year is the perfect time to do a little online housekeeping. Go through the items in your online shop and make sure inventories are updated, descriptions and prices are current, and popular items are featured prominently.
There are a few other ways to generate more clicks for your online shop:
Wax & Wane Candles has a modern shop experience that's clean and easy to navigate. Each candle has a specific name, price and photo visible from the main shop page. Further, individual pages include a full description, add to cart button and buttons to share the item on social media.
There are a few other ways to generate more clicks for your online shop:
- Update items with new images
- Add ratings from users
- Delete old items or reduce them for quick sale
- Remove old promotions (such as those holiday sales)
- Make sure every item is easy to find and search, and prices (and buying options) are clearly visible
Wax & Wane Candles has a modern shop experience that's clean and easy to navigate. Each candle has a specific name, price and photo visible from the main shop page. Further, individual pages include a full description, add to cart button and buttons to share the item on social media.
Conclusion
Simple edits and updates can reinvigorate your website design. The changes mentioned above make an impact and are easy to implement in a few minutes. Each one can contribute to the overall user experience, encouraging visitors to come back time and time again.
Carrie Cousins Carrie is a designer and content marketer. She works promoting the Roanoke Region of Virginia and has more than 10 years of media and marketing experience.
