We don't have to be obsessive, but a little care and clarity will make a difference.
It's no secret that great design means quality, whether it's a website, packaging, or artwork: and you have to know that these three steps will be essential to improve your sales.
The website is the beginning of the process, and the work of art displayed on your client`s house will be the final goal, but don't neglect the in-between steps of the process.
For the full selling experience, the most often cited example is Apple, like buying an iPhone, but the Inditex products (ZaraHome and Massimo Dutti) are another great example.
Even in something as usual as food, we can enjoy a magnificent flavor presented artistically, so start observing and collecting ideas. Sometimes it's not something that sophisticated but more for the smartly practical that will provide you the AHA moment.
These precautions define your market, impacting people's perception of quality. A bad design will undoubtedly turn people off and can cause fewer people to buy your art.
We don't have to be obsessive, but a little care and clarity will make a difference.
How do you ensure a pleasing design aesthetic? You start with an idea of how you want it to look.
Sketch or write to make it clear how you want to present yourself. (yes, I mean it the old fashion way, with a pencil or pen. Your brain, your heart, and your hand connected, working together!
Don't forget to do some research to find out what others are doing. Don't copy or steal ideas: Get inspiration!
During your research, I suggest you create a mood board of 3-4 sites where the aesthetic would express your brand style well. Be objective: don't be carried away by the palette of colors or perfect images. How well does the customer understand the message behind the brand? Is it consistent? Again use a pencil and a sheet of paper to record your observations. Take a break and come back the next day. Start over. Are the conclusions still the same?
Balance: Don't waste a year on this; Don't do it within 24 hours. Look for an offset where you can make thoughtful and equilibrate decisions. Remember that sincere and kind friend we talked about many times? Ask for his opinion.
I advise you to opt for the site's free version before launching and try three different templates of what you imagined to check if they work in real life. Try different website builders like Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, or others.
I don't advise you to do much more, or at a certain point, you will be confused, blocked, and unable to make decisions.
Limit yourself a little. Sometimes having some limitations can help you make decisions and move forward faster.
Choose and adapt an existing template available on your website developer platform.
Only build a website from scratch if it's essential. Examples? You have plenty of money: to hire a web designer (and maintain it) or time: you know how to program and want to think about all the details.
The number and quality of website templates and online stores available are significant, so there's little need to reinvent the wheel and create a website from scratch.
A high-quality website design and construction will still cost you a minimum of €2500, while some templates are free, and the ones you need to buy range from €40 to €250.
Even if the template doesn't fit 100% what you want, small changes will help give your site a more personalized touch. I've written small, so don't overdo the changes, or it will look unbalanced and with a "model design drift."
The way to avoid this design deviation is first to understand that everything in the model was chosen very carefully; text size, spacing, image formats, etc. This means that you should adapt your content in the template rather than modify the template to fit your content. So we go back to the beginning: be clear about what you want and need before selecting a small number of templates. Test them all and only then choose the one you prefer.
Image proportions are essential and are the most significant oversight when choosing a template. When selecting a template that works, be aware of whether your images are predominantly landscape, square, or portrait. Ask yourself what this model will look like with the aspect ratio of your images, which can be variable. And once again, if you decide to change the font, don't forget to choose a legible one.
Stay focused on your goal and what you want at the different stages of your path.
Check the price, the ease of use (update or bug fix), and the presentation adapted to your content.
What precautions did you take when choosing your website? Let me know in the comments.
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