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This Is Why Your CTA Is Not Converting (and How to Fix It)

Author: Eleanor Hecks

The calls to action (CTAs) on a website can make or break company revenue goals. Driving visitors to a page is only half the battle. Once people are there, the site must be engaging enough to move them toward the ultimate objective of converting from shoppers to buyers. If a brand has a CTA not converting, it’s time to check out the following factors and determine what changes are necessary.

Here are some of the principles designers should follow for the highest chance of success with CTAs.

1. Use Actionable Language

Vague phrases such as “Info” or “More” don’t encourage action. Instead, use actionable verbs, such as “Get Free Report” or “Sign Up” to drive engagement.

Stick to simple phrases or risk losing visitors with shorter attention spans. Try to come up with something that explains what the user will get when they take the action and why it’s specific to the brand.

Some strong action verbs website owners can use include:

  • Buy
  • Shop
  • View
  • Subscribe
  • Try
vrbo web page screenshot

Source: https://www.vrbo.com

VRBO uses a simple “Book Now” command to encourage site visitors to place a reservation with one of their host locations. The button is blue, which pops against the backdrop of black, white and gray. Each property has a CTA button that follows the user down the page, as they look at photos of the property or interact with the listing.

2. Check Placement

Is the CTA still not converting? Where it’s located on the page can have a huge impact on how successfully it sends users down the buyer’s journey path. Try different locations and use A/B split tests to determine which location on the page works best with a particular audience.

Some users want enough information to make a decision before seeing a CTA button. Others are ready to act as soon as they land and need an option near the top of the page.

3. Make an Offer They Can’t Refuse

Get people to click on the CTA button by making an attractive offer. Give them something free, for a limited time or offer a perk if they convert to a customer.

There are two schools of thought on offering free items to collect leads. Some believe it gives the brand a direct connection to people already interested in what they offer. Others think freebies just attract people who want something for nothing and won’t convert into buyers.

Try different offers and see how the results shake out.

inhub website screenshot

Source: https://inhub.thehenryford.org

A good example of offering something free so people can see what a brand offers is found on inHub. Note the “Join for Free” CTA button right at the top of the page. If the full signup process is rather lengthy, brands may take action to make a free signup for a trial or download simpler. Collecting only crucial information to stay in touch, such as a first name and email address, encourages users to complete the signup.

4. Increase the Size

For a CTA not converting, increasing the size of the button might improve conversions. A mere increase of 20% in size can draw user attention and improve sales. Try making the button easier to find. Move it around, make it larger, make it smaller and see what users respond to.

Every site and every offer is slightly different. What works for one site or even page on that website, may not work for another. Testing is critical.

5. Create a Sense of Urgency

Once users leave a site, they aren’t as likely to return. They may intend to but a million other things distract them from coming back. Whenever possible, create a sense of urgency to drive conversions while having their attention.

Utilize words and phrases such as:

  • Limited time
  • Ends soon
  • X left
  • Buy now
  • Hurry

One note of caution — if the CTA says something is only available for a limited time, don’t extend that time indefinitely. Users should trust a brand to stick to its word. If the CTA or text surrounding it says there are only two hours left to get an offer, it must disappear after that time. The company can create a new offer, but it should not be the initial one.

hulu website screenshot

Source: https://www.hulu.com

Hulu adds a CTA to the top bar of their site to really drive home the point that the offer is for a limited time. They even list the end date so users know exactly when the cost goes up. If one looks at the CTA buttons further down the page, they’ll see in small letters it shows how much the price is going up and why users shouldn’t delay in signing up.

6. Add White Space

One big mistake people make with CTAs is not adding enough white space around them. A bit of negative space sets a button apart and shows the user it’s something important they should pay attention to.

For mobile users, adding white space makes it easier to click on the button on a smaller screen. Since over half of internet traffic is now via mobile devices, it makes sense to create a responsive design.

Figuring Out Why a CTA Is Not Converting

The CTA may not be converting for numerous reasons. Running tests to figure out what works with the brand’s audience is the number one way to improve conversions. Try changing the color of the button, the size, the placement and even the wording. With a bit of trial and error, designers will find the best combination for their audience and wind up with a high-converting landing page that drives growth.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.

Seven Components of an Elegant Website

Author: Eleanor Hecks

Creating an elegant website helps people see the value of a product or service. Whether a brand wants a more traditional look or something refined, there are specific elements to include for a sophisticated tone.  

What Are the Characteristics of an Elegant Website?

With around 2.3 million active websites around the globe. Around three new sites are created every second of every day. Sites range from funny to serious and everything in between. Designs can range from vintage to grunge to the elegant websites discussed in this article. 

Although people often know elegance when they see it, defining it is a bit more challenging. Fortunately, scouring the internet for examples turns up some patterns in the things included in a site to make it look luxurious and traditional. 

Here are the top seven components that make an elegant website appealing.

1. Luxurious Colors

The color palette a brand chooses can make it seem more elegant. Hues such as pink and purple may seem more modern. Blue offers a serious feel used often by banks and financial institutions. Luxurious color options include soft cream colors, grays, taupes and gold. 

Source: https://www.emmemobili.it

Emmemobili offers beautiful wood furnishings that are the height of Italian luxury. To show their more elegant side, they offer photos of staged rooms showcasing their furniture. Note the use of creams, earth tones and gold centerpieces to pull it all together. When used in a way that balances the color palette, gold can add a touch of elegance to almost any website. 

2. Words

The words chosen for a website design make an impact on how users view the page. Elegance is often associated with soft sounding words and traditional language. Stay away from slang or harsh sounding words. 

For example, instead of describing a food product as bold, look for a different word such as spirited. Finding a softer or more traditional phrase can add elegance to a design. 

3. Beautiful Photos

Images bring so much to any website design. They can tell a story, set a tone and create consistency. Using big, beautiful pictures grabs the user’s interest and engages their imagination. 

Source: https://www.schonbek.com

Schonbek offers beautiful crystal chandeliers. To highlight their beautiful designs, they share photos on their website where the focal point is the product. However, the images themselves are of elegant rooms and simple backgrounds. The product descriptions feature the chandelier on a plain background so the only focus is on the beauty of the piece.

4. Typography

Choose the right typography for your design. Elegance is often associated with events and weddings. Choose beautiful calligraphy-style fonts for headings. Stick with a serif font, which has a more traditional look than sans-serif. 

Limit the options to two or three typefaces and stick with the same one throughout for a consistent look. When in doubt about whether or not to use a font, check out how it appears on both desktop and mobile devices. Is it still readable in smaller sizes? Will there be any confusion over which letters form which words? If anything is unclear, choose a different option for your typeface. 

5. Background

The right background color can make or break your elegant website. If you want a regal look, stick with golds. Purple also adds a royal touch to any site and can offset the gold. Whatever your brand’s color palette is, look for ways to incorporate at least a few luxury hues. 

Source: https://www.brownhotel.com

The Brown Hotel is known as a luxury hotel. Notice the elegance of the images shared in the hero image. Their design features a dark background with hints of gold throughout the design. A gold call to action (CTA) button appears in a side slide. 

Brands wanting to add a bit more elegance to their websites can add in hints of gold or other luxury colors without having to do a complete redesign. Popups and CTA buttons are a good place to add a bit of elegance without having to do a complete redesign. 

6. Whitespace

Elegant designs often have ample whitespace within the design. Don’t crowd too many elements together as it can reduce the luxurious look of the page. Most people associate elegance with spaciousness and airiness. Keep things light and well balanced so the user’s eye goes to the key features on the page. 

7. Timelessness

Choose elements that aren’t trendy. Adding things that go in and out of style is a sure way to not have an elegant website. Instead, stick to the looks, fonts and features used repeatedly for decades. Embrace the basics of good design such as clear navigational structure, beautiful imagery and classic color palettes. 

Source: https://www.godiva.com

Godiva does a good job keeping things timeless. The chocolate display features butterflies and florals–themes that repeat every spring. The CTA button is gold. The background for the header is black. One won’t see bold pops of accent colors on this site other than in a few images. The main elements stick to a tried and true palette and the accents are from nature. 

How to Build and Maintain Elegant Website

To keep a site on the luxurious side, consider every feature on the page. The colors should be classic, the fonts serif and scripts and the images ones people could see ten years ago, today and ten years from today. Stick with what is tried and true and the site will develop a natural elegance people will recognize. 

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.

7 B2C Websites We Are Completely Entranced By

Author: Eleanor Hecks

Most small businesses who sell to consumers (B2C) have a website today. Finding the best ones to use as examples requires narrowing down options to various categories and then comparing a variety of options. Amazon is often considered the gold standard in e-commerce B2C websites, but there are many other examples that help with the best design elements as well.

Top Examples of B2C Websites

The United States Small Business Administration estimates there are around 33.2 million small businesses in the country. Although not all are B2C companies, millions of small businesses cater to consumers and have an online presence.

Whether a brand always has a site and wants to improve it or is looking to create a new design, there are a few things that make the top ones stand out from the rest. Here are some favorite elements to include:

1. Crumbl Cookies

Source: https://crumblcookies.com

Crumbl Cookies uses a video hero image to immediately engage site visitors. B2C websites should keep the consumer interacting from the moment they land on the page. Since most people have faster streaming than in the past and reliable internet connectivity, utilizing videos within designs can ramp up the success of any site.

2. Brighter Lights Media

Source: https://brighterlightsmedia.com

Brighter Lights Media uses a perfect mix of white space on their site. Since they offer a service where they film events, such as weddings, they already include video clips and beautiful images. However, creating the symmetrical balance between text, images and white space is challenging.

The site is a good one to study to fully understand the ample amounts of negative space needed to draw the user’s attention to specific elements on a B2C website and help them navigate the buyer’s journey.

3. Praxxis Pro

Source: https://praxxispro.com

Praxxis Pro does an excellent job of including a brightly colored call to action (CTA) button. Consider the best location for a CTA. Some sites include it on multiple pages or mainly on the home page. The sales model for a B2C website will determine where the CTA gets the best traction.

Businesses can also use some A/B testing and see which locations, colors and wording users respond best to for the CTA.

4. Zappos

Source: https://www.zappos.com

Zappos is one of the top shoe e-tailers today. One thing the site does particularly well is choosing categories most likely to be items people are looking for. B2C website owners should thinkthrough the most likely things people who land on the site seek. Hunting through top keywords is a good indicator.

Narrow the options down to five to seven categories and create a navigational hierarchy that makes the most sense for the business’s potential customers.

5. Max & Lily

Source: https://maxandlily.com

Max & Lily pulls in the help of a countdown timer. When companies put a time limit on a sale, it drives customers to go ahead and make a purchase. Once the user bounces away from a website to “think it over,” the chances of them returning are greatly reduced. Entice them to stay with a discount valid for a limited time.

Another option is to use the scarcity rule to make something seem more enticing. One study used two cookie jars to prove people want what they think others prefer. With two cookie jars, the scientists left one with only a couple cookies left and placed 10 in the other jar. People almost always selected a cookie from the almost empty jar.

Show how many of a popular item are left to entice site visitors to order immediately. Add a timer to put on even more pressure and encourage them to buy now rather than later.

6. Grovemade

Source: https://grovemade.com

Grovemade features a highly intuitive shopping experience. Users can easily add an item to their cart and take it back out with single clicks. The system suggests items usually purchased together or sends you to the next step of checking out with some simple CTAs.

Test out any shopping cart system and go with the one that integrates with other systems, such as inventory management. However, make sure it is user friendly and mobile responsive at the same time.

7. Skullcandy

Source: https://www.skullcandy.com

Skullcandy uses a gorgeous color palette to pull customers into their design and make them want to purchase their items. Don’t underestimate the power of color to engage users and create specific emotions.

Why does a business choose a specific color palette? Hopefully it’s created to cater to the company’s target audience and reach them on a deeper level. CTA buttons should pop against the background but also grab the user and make them want to take action.

Look for ways to try various colors and pay attention to contrast between background and text.

Find Success With B2C Websites

Whether one designs B2C websites or owns a company and wants a do it yourself option, adding in the elements above creates more opportunities for success. Spend a bit of time checking to see if the business’ website matches the needs and expectations of users.

Find ways to entice them from the second they land on the page and keep them moving forward throughout their journey on the site. The better a brand understands its users, the more successful a website will be.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.


Starting an Ecommerce Business from Scratch: The Do’s and The Don’ts

Author: Eleanor Hecks

In recent years, the world has witnessed a growing surge in the popularity of e-commerce businesses. As more people turn to online shopping for convenience and accessibility, the opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to tap into this market have never been greater. Yet, for those looking to start their e-commerce business from scratch, it is crucial they launch it the right way.

Numerous challenges can come with establishing a new business venture, as the online world is highly competitive. However, every decision you make will significantly impact your venture’s growth and profitability.

Consider the do’s and don’ts of starting an e-commerce business from scratch, as they will ensure you build a solid foundation for success.

The Do’s of Starting an E-Commerce Business

Explore the essential do’s for launching a successful e-commerce business, as they will guide you through the key steps in building an online store.

1. Conduct Thorough Market Research

Market research is a vital first step in starting your e-commerce business. By conducting research thoroughly, you will gain valuable insights into your target audience, industry trends and potential opportunities. 

Additionally, a deep understanding of your niche allows you to tailor your products, marketing strategies and overall approach to cater to your customers’ needs and preferences. To ensure you conduct the right amount of research, invest time studying your competitors, identifying gaps in the market and analyzing consumer behavior. 

Utilize tools like Google Trends and social media platforms to capture current demands and emerging trends. Staying informed and adapting to market shifts will enable you to make well-informed decisions to get your business started.

2. Use the Right Packaging for Shipment

The right packaging for shipping plays a vital role in delivering exceptional customer experiences, as it impacts the product’s presentation and protection during transit. Research shows that businesses with high customer satisfaction have 5.7 times more revenue than their competitors. Therefore, investing in high-quality packaging that reflects your brand’s commitment to excellence is essential.

The best types of packaging should be lightweight, durable and water resistant, as these make an ideal choice for shipping various products. Your packaging should also be able to protect your items during transit while reducing shipping costs. 

Additionally, consider incorporating eco-friendly packaging materials and visually appealing designs that resonate with your audience. When you use the right packaging, you create memorable unboxing experiences. As a result, you bolster your customers’ satisfaction, encourage repeat purchases and enhance your company’s brand reputation. 

3. Focus on User-Friendly Web Design

A website’s design in e-commerce greatly impacts your customer’s shopping experience and conversion rate. Ensuring your website is clean, professional and easy to navigate will be more crucial than ever — as it allows customers to find products quickly and seamlessly.

Additionally, a user-friendly design lets customers complete their purchases with minimal friction. Consider prioritizing usability and aesthetics to create a positive first impression. For example, suppose you create a website banner to promote a sale. The right size can determine whether it will capture your users’ attention.

For instance, many consumers shop on their mobile devices, so it would be crucial to maintain 320×100 pixels for a responsive design.

Moreover, it is important to implement reduced page load times and streamlined checkout processes to accommodate mobile users. With a user-friendly web design for your online store, you will improve search engine rankings and customer satisfaction.

4. Choose the Right Products to Sell

The right products can directly affect your ability to attract customers and generate revenue. When selecting products to sell, consider aligning them with your passion and expertise. Doing so will make it easier to create compelling marketing campaigns and provide exceptional customer service. 

Additionally, it is essential to evaluate market demand, profit margins and the level of competition. That way, you can determine whether they will have any potential to yield a sustainable income for your business.

It is also important to strike a balance between following your interests and catering to your customers. Consider conducting extensive product research by analyzing the best-selling items in your niche. It also helps to keep seasonal demands in mind while exploring untapped markets.

Remember, the right product mix can be the key differentiating factor that sets your e-commerce business apart. Therefore, investing time in product research will be the greatest step in driving its growth.

The Don’ts of Starting an E-Commerce Business

Consider the don’ts of starting an e-commerce business, as they highlight the common pitfalls to avoid in building a thriving online store.

1. Neglect Customer Service

While it is easy to focus on the tangible aspects of your e-commerce business, neglecting customer service can harm your brand’s reputation. Exceptional customer support fosters customer loyalty, improves retention, and promotes positive word-of-mouth referrals.

Avoid this pitfall by prioritizing responsive and helpful customer service. Consider offering multiple channels for communication, such as email, live chat and social media. Train your support team to resolve issues effectively and empathetically, ensuring each customer interaction leaves a positive impression.

When you value customer service and consistently go the extra mile, you create a loyal customer base that may become your biggest brand advocate.

2. Ignore Marketing and Promotion

Avoiding marketing and promotion altogether is a common mistake that new e-commerce owners make, and it can especially hinder the growth and visibility of their business. With tons of noise and activity in the online world, actively promoting your brand and offers is highly crucial. Doing so will help you establish a strong online presence while reaching a wide consumer base.

Without marketing and promotion, your business may get lost in a sea of competitors. Therefore, ensuring your e-commerce store receives the attention it deserves is important.

Consider investing time and effort in developing a robust marketing strategy. Use social media, content marketing, email campaigns and influencer marketing to generate awareness and interest in your offers. 

Additionally, paying close attention to search engine optimization (SEO) to improve your website’s visibility in search engine results is essential. In turn, this tactic will drive traffic to your store and increase the likelihood of converting visitors into loyal customers.

3. Underestimate the Power of Customer Reviews

Today’s online shoppers rely heavily on reviews and testimonials to make purchasing decisions. It is part of their decision-making process, as positive reviews instill trust and serve as social proof to show customers why they should choose your products over competitors. 

Take advantage of the power of customer reviews by encouraging satisfied customers to leave feedback. Provide incentives, such as discounts or exclusive offers to persuade them to share their experiences. 

If you get negative feedback, consider addressing these customers to show that you are listening and are committed to resolving their issues proactively. Valuing customer feedback can create a strong foundation of trust and credibility, which can take your e-commerce business to new heights.

Start Your E-Commerce Business on the Right Foot

After exploring these do’s and don’ts of starting an e-commerce business, it is evident that a strategic approach with diligent execution creates a path to success. Focus on the right way to start your online business while avoiding the pitfalls.

The journey of building a successful e-commerce business may be challenging. Yet, hard work and the right guidance will help you land better results.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.

How Good UI Can Reduce Eye Fatigue

Author: Eleanor Hecks

People who spend a lot of time on the computer can wind up with eye fatigue. However, designers have an opportunity to reduce visual strain with a few changes toward excellent user interface (UI). When the UI is better, the user experience (UX) naturally improves in many cases.

Can Eye Fatigue Be Reversed?

According to The Vision Council, around 60% of people who are online more than a few hours a day suffer some digital eye strain. Eye fatigue occurs from viewing harsh white backgrounds or difficult to read text. People also can develop poor habits, such as not glancing away from their screens every few seconds.

Eye fatigue usually lessens within a few hours of stopping use of digital displays. Long-term, people may want to turn to methods such as dark mode on their mobile devices and only spending so much time a day on the computer.

Designers can help people avoid eye fatigue in the first place by implementing these tips.

1. Choose Dark Backgrounds

While not always the case, a good rule of thumb is that darker backgrounds/designs create less eye strain than brilliant white or pale yellow backgrounds. Of course a lot has to do with the combination of text and background and how much contrast you choose.

To reduce eye fatigue look at some dark mode designs and how they look both on a desktop and on a smartphone. If you can’t stare at them more than a few seconds without your eyes hurting, the color ranges likely need more work.

2. Utilize Proper Lighting

Don’t forget design for things such as manufacturing systems. Engineers sometimes complain about the design of the computer screens on pieces of equipment. The designs can often create eye strain because they tend to be on a light background with tiny text.

Better lighting can help improve the situation and reduce eye fatigue. The best lighting for computer readouts on machinery as well as visual inspections of parts is steady and reliable so light changes are from the parts and not from anything else.

3. Use Larger Text

Tiny text is sometimes the reason for eye strain. Making the font slightly larger can have a huge impact on how readable the screen is. Larger text can also reduce the amount of white space on lighter backgrounds.

Bolder, darker, bigger text is much easier to read than tiny little letters you have to strain to see.

4. Create Responsive Pages

By 2025, mobile app revenue will hit $613 billion, with new apps appearing every month. To grab user attention in a crowded marketplace, you have to design an app that not only functions as expected but has an excellent design interface, right down to not causing eye strain.

Create responsive pages that adjust to different screen brightnesses and look as visually appealing on desktop as smaller screens.

5. Turn to Warm Colors

If the overall design doesn’t allow for a darker-mode theme, you can also use warmer colors to reduce some of the eye strain people experience. Studies show blue light is part of what messes with human circadian rhythm and creates vision issues. Warm colors use less blue light, so designing with a warm yellow or earth tones may help.

Of course, people can also set their phones or computer screens to filter out blue light or buy special glasses, but many don’t think of it or won’t bother. You can fix part of the issue with your designs.

Good UI Is About More Than Functionality

The user interface of any design is a complex beast. Not only should every link, button and action work the way the user expects, but the entire aesthetic must come together for a visually pleasing experience. Since eye fatigue is part of the visual process of visiting a site, making just a few changes in your design means helping users not experience the pain of harsh designs on their eyes.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.

How to Get People to Interact With Your Business Website

Author: Maggie Bloom

Websites like Facebook and Twitter have made it easier than ever for your business to keep in touch with customers. And while the Internet is a vast and scary place, it’s also a very useful tool we can use to our advantage. In today’s society, if you’re not online, you’re missing out on potential customers every day! Here are some best practices for getting people to interact with your website.

1. Make it Attractive

Your website should be professional looking and easy to navigate. You don’t have to break the bank to hire a designer, but you want your site to look good. While flashy graphics may look cool, they don’t convert well or help you attract customers. A simple design that’s easy on the eyes will make it easier for your customers to find what they are looking for. Making it attractive creates trust right away.

2. Establish an SMS Blast

With an SMS blast service, you can send texts to your customers. While most people associate this with news alerts, they can also be used for other things. This is a great way to remind customers of sales, contests, or any other special offers you may have. You can also use text blasts as a notification service so that when you have new products and services available, you can let your customers know immediately!

3. Social Media Integration

This is the most common way businesses keep in touch with their clients. If you haven’t already, you should create a Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn account for your business. The most important social media to focus on is Facebook, which has the largest audience and can help your business grow.

4. Update Regularly

You need to keep in mind that your website is a representation of your business. If it has not been updated in over a year, then people will think your business needs to be updated or relevant. You should update your site frequently, so people don’t feel like they’re visiting an outdated front page. For instance, post your pricing on the blog and your Facebook page if you change your pricing. You don’t have to update every week, but keep it fresh for your customers.

5. Offer Special Offers or Promotions

There are many different ways you can offer special deals to your customers. You can offer discounts on items and coupons or even give away free products as prizes on your website. You can even offer a small percentage of your total order regardless of size. For instance, you could use your website to offer a 20% off coupon to a customer that buys two items. Offering promotions like this allows you to reach out and interact with customers while they’re online.

6. Send Out Emails

Without email, Facebook and Twitter would be boring and useless, IMO. By sending out emails to customers, you can remind them of upcoming sales or specials that are coming up in the future. You can send out an email newsletter to inform them about blog posts you wrote or any other news regarding your business that you think is relevant for their customers.

7. Sign Up for Social Media Alerts

Many people use social media alerts from companies to stay updated on their favorite websites and blogs. You can sign up for these alerts by sending a direct message to the company account. With this service, you will get a notification via email when your company’s Facebook, Twitter, or other social media account publishes new content. Just make sure you have the proper permissions to use the service.

8. Offer a GIFT CARD

On your website, you can offer a gift card for specific items, such as spa packages or gifts from your business. Gift cards hardly cost anything to administer, and many people like them as gifts. It’s been said that if you give someone a gift card for their birthday, they’ll be more likely to come back for future purchases rather than receiving cash as an individual gift.

9. Share Useful Resources

One of the best ways to grow your customer base is to provide helpful tips and resources on your website. Suppose you have customers looking for information on using something in the industry or have a question about the content on your site. In that case, getting that information out there ASAP is important. Not only will it give your customers more knowledge and make them more loyal to you, but it’ll also look great on your website and show that you’re an up-to-date business.

Conclusion

The Internet is a great way to stay connected with your customers, but small businesses need help to keep up. By following the best practices above, you will get more visitors and customers on your website. When potential customers visit your website, they should get an experience that will help them make a purchase decision faster.

UI Trends That Will Not Be Going Away Any Time Soon

Author: Eleanor Hecks

Your user interface (UI) can make or break your website or app. It only makes sense that developers constantly try new tactics to improve experience. Trends have a tendency to come and go, but some stand the test of time and stick around for years.

What Is the Future of UI Design?

Although UI design has changed drastically in the past five to 10 years, there are still some workflow issues that need to be addressed. For example, code and design sometimes don’t work together as well as they should, slowing down developers and creating design snafus.

Zippia estimates there are around 7,714 UI designers in the United States. As more people throw their hat in the ring, new trends emerge. Knowing which ones to stick with and which ones are passing trends isn’t always easy.

Here are some that just make sense for UI design and won’t be going away any time soon:

1. Dark Mode

Dark mode has been around for years now, but it keeps gaining popularity. The darker design not only is visually appealing but it reduces drain on the battery. Since many people use their mobile devices to browse the internet, it’s vital to offer little things that create a better user experience through the UI. Dark mode accomplishes improvements in battery life and viewing.

Even if you don’t love the look of dark mode, you may want to embrace this trend for the improved UI.

2. Drag and Drop

One area a lot of developers run into trouble with is drag and drop zones and creating a workable UI. For example, if it isn’t clear what can be dragged and dropped, then the user may feel uncertain about working in the environment of any software you create.

Let’s say you have lists with movable parts. How does the end-user know which parts are going to move into which columns? You can do things such as color-code boxes with where they can be dropped. Drag and drop isn’t going away anytime soon, but there are still a lot of limitations in creating them and a lot of bugs you’ll need to work through.

3. Micro-Interactions

Engaging site visitors is vitally important in a crowded marketplace. Advanced micro-interactions add high value to a website or app because they pull the user in and have them complete tasks that keep them engaged along the way. Think of adding features such as slideshows, buttons that change color as the cursor hovers over them and so on.

4. Mobile First

Already, mobile traffic accounts for more than 50% of all internet browsing around the world. If you aren’t designing for mobile first, you may miss out on a lot of opportunities to engage users. The way an interface works on mobile can vary greatly from the way it works on a desktop due to size and responsiveness.

You want to ensure buttons are easy to click, forms simple to fill out and any other interactions will work on a small screen.

5. Metaverse

Something we expect to see more and more websites embrace in coming months is the metaverse. This is a virtual reality world where users engage on headsets. However, expect phones to become more and more capable of offering virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences.

Your UI must be ready to jump onto this trend, particularly if you’re in the e-commerce stratosphere.

More UI Trends on the Way

As technology changes and trends come and go, pay attention to the ones that make the most sense for your industry. Which ones are beneficial to your customers? Focus on building a highly usable, pleasing experience and you’ll gain customers and loyal fans for your efforts.

Author Bio:

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.