55% of consumers will perform online research before making a purchase. And that’s not surprising. Since the internet has become the go-to resource for everything, it’s only natural that people turn to it for information about which companies to buy from and which products best suit their needs. In this article, you’ll see the top 5 tips for non-designers building a website.
Unfortunately, many companies still haven’t completely transitioned into the digital world, with around half of small businesses operating without a website.
But while many are scared of the costs and challenges associated with building a site, savvy marketers are discovering that it can be done by almost anyone, including people with no prior web design or coding experience.
So, if you need help getting started with your first website project, here are some essential tips.
Don’t Worry About the Domain
One of the first obstacles you’ll face when building a site is choosing a domain name. For many, this obstacle becomes the single biggest challenge that prevents them from moving forward.
After all, picking a name for your online brand can be overwhelming since you’re committing to a name that would be inconvenient to change later.
Even if you already have a business name, you must ensure the domain name is available. If not, you will either need to fork over a large sum to acquire it or go with another name altogether.
However, most of those worries are largely unfounded.
If you ask any successful entrepreneur, they would tell you that while the name can play a role, having any name is better if that means your site gets made and launched faster.
You don’t have to worry about spending thousands of dollars, either. Even the cheapest domain names will be just as effective if you’re willing to get creative with the name, use useless common extensions, or simply add an extra word that gives you many more options.
Moving past this hurdle shouldn’t take more than a few days. If you’re feeling stuck, get proactive and ask your friends or family for ideas – you will likely find that they will come up with plenty of original and catchy options for you to consider.
Make Your Site Easy to Navigate
If you want your website to be convenient to use, you must think like a designer when structuring it. This is a great tip for non-designers building a website.
Each part of the overall browsing experience must have a purpose and must lead the site’s visitor to the next logical step in their journey.
Think about the structure and the hierarchy of the content on various pages, considering the natural journey you want the reader to take and providing clear guidelines for where to click next.
Having a logical structure is also essential for SEO since Google will need to understand what your site is about and how it’s put together if it is going to rank your pages for various keywords.
While there are many potential ways to structure navigation, it’s usually better to stick to simple solutions and avoid overcomplicating things with flashy graphics. While they may look pretty, various effects can worsen the user experience and cause device compatibility issues.
Go Minimal: Tips for Non-Designers Building a Website
Just as with navigation, your website’s design should also be as simple as possible. Every unnecessary detail will serve as little more than a distraction. While you may want to explore the available possibilities, you should try to be very vigilant about what ends up making the cut.
Simple, neutral backgrounds for the text are essential, as you want reading to be a pleasant—convenient experience rather than a chore that’s by overlapping visuals.
You should also consider the fonts you use, choosing a size and style that’s common and easy to read on any device.
Choose the Right Platform
When you have no prior experience as a web designer or developer, you need to make your process as simple as possible. The good news is that there are plenty of options for designing a beautiful website, even if you’re entirely new to it and are figuring things out as you go.
If you’ve ever researched website platforms, you’ve probably come across WordPress more than once. With 27+ million users, it is by far the largest and most popular platform globally, powering over a third of all websites. As a result, it is an excellent tip for non-designers when building a website.
Working with WordPress provides the perfect balance between simplicity and advanced features. The platform allows you to customize the site yourself or simply use various themes and templates, which do most of the work for you.
If you opt for a premium WordPress theme, you can instantly gain access to advanced functionality and find a design that perfectly encapsulates your business.
To explore options, look into Wix, Squarespace, or other all-in-one website builders. However, consider that while they may be more user-friendly in some cases, They will also come with limitations and a higher price tag.
Continue to Optimize: Tips for Non-Designers Building a Website
When designing your first website, going through hurdles and trying to launch quickly is your best approach. If you don’t want to stop in the middle of the process.
However, once you do launch, it’s important to remember that it is your first website. Which means that you probably won’t get everything right immediately.
To avoid providing a subpar experience to your audience. You should take a proactive approach and seek out feedback. About what your site does well and where you could improve.
By conducting surveys, asking for feedback from your list, or even looking for issues yourself, you will probably find many ways to make steady improvements, especially as you’ll be gaining more experience and a better understanding of what works best.
Tips for Non-Designers Building a Website Final Words
Creating your first website can seem like a daunting task. But with the tools available today, even complete beginners can create a functional website that serves its purpose well.
If you follow the steps listed above, you should be able to move past most hurdles and launch a website. You can then continue to work on it until it becomes the powerful online marketing tool that it can be.
