Researchers at Stanford University conducted a survey that showed that 46 percent of respondents form an opinion of a website based on its appearance and interface. If users don’t like the design, all the content seems inauthentic and untrustworthy. Here’s how to make your design better.
Avoid using stock images
Images undoubtedly beautify any web page and make it visually appealing. But the selected image can not only improve but also deteriorate the overall impression of the design of the entire site or a separate page. In this regard, there is one piece of advice – stay away from stock photographs. Of course, ready-made images are the most inexpensive and easy way to revive the page, but their use can bring more harm than good to the user’s content perception.
The images may look very professional, but sooner or later your visitors will realize that these are stock images, and therefore can lose interest and trust in your resource.
Original photos attract more attention because they are more realistic, organic, and unique. After all, some of the users may remember that they saw this picture somewhere else and come to the conclusion: you have not invested much effort in the development of the site, thus showing disrespect to your potential customers. So the point is it’s always better to use credible images, no matter how simple they may look. You can hire a professional photographer for photo shooting or take the photos yourself. Don’t forget that photos must be associated with other content on the website, otherwise, they will not be remembered by the user. Images should match the color scheme of the site, not interfere with the perception of other content, but complement it.
Illustrations
Another great option is to use illustrations rather than simple images. Choosing the right illustration makes the site lively. The job of illustrations is not just to fill a blank space, but to stir emotion and connect the user with the brand. Implementing fun character illustrations, authentic artistic style, and visual metaphors you can make a striking impression upon users and help them remember your brand.
Custom illustrations will make the website design eye-catching. They can serve as brand identification being original by default, as it is difficult for anyone else to replicate them. You can create illustrations to match your company’s style and include distinctive brand features and elements right into the image. This will accentuate the brand’s uniqueness and make the website more appealing. Illustrators are a great way to communicate company values and goals and capture the essence of your corporate culture through art.
There are no limits to imagination on where to put the illustrations: they can be in headlines, animated elements, or even combined with real photos.
At the same time, when filling the site with illustrations, it is important to remember to be uniform and not to overdo it.
Animation
Animation on a website is a spectacular but far from new technique. First, the animation was created using GIF, then – Flash. Both solutions slowed down the website a lot. Now, for the creation of animation designers use CSS-coding and JavaScript, which do not affect the performance so noticeably.
The animation can be full-screen or integrated into the navigation. Its main task is to help the user to understand the complex points, draw attention to the important details and retain this attention. Besides, it’s simply entertaining to watch the animation and interact with animated interface elements. But be aware to use this magic tool wisely, and don’t overload your design with animation, cause people can become annoyed by the constant flickering on the screen.
A great user experience is not just about providing useful information. But, even more so, it’s about the way the information is presented on your website. Improving the user experience with vivid, engaging, and memorable graphics will help your visitors to understand and admire your brand.
