The Challenges of Good Website Design
What Makes a ‘Good’ Website Design Today in NZ?
The ins and outs of good website design have changed radically over the years. Decades ago, building a website wasn’t such a massive undertaking – the techniques were simpler, and sites could be knocked together relatively quickly. Of course, even back then, what made the *best* website design was debatable, but it was still a different ball game!
These days, there’s undoubtedly a lot more that goes into designing an effective website, especially for businesses or e-commerce here in NZ. You’ve got to consider fancy graphics, slick user interfaces (UI) and user experience (UX), and the underlying web programming languages like CSS and PHP. These are all significant things to think about when getting a website built.
Key Considerations for Good Website Design Today
Based on current best practices, here are some crucial factors:
Compatibility & Foundation: Website Hosting
Whether you hire a web design company or attempt the build yourself, choosing the right web hosting service beforehand is smart. There’s a huge range of hosting options available in NZ and overseas. You need to ensure your chosen host is compatible with your website’s technology, supports necessary features or plugins, and provides reliable uptime.
Need for Speed: Website Loading Times
Website designers (and DIYers) sometimes overlook the impact of everything they add to a page on its loading speed. Yes, computers and internet speeds in NZ have improved heaps over the years, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore performance. You still need to ensure your website loads as quickly as possible – ideally in under 3 seconds.
Most people online have very little patience; the longer your site takes to load, the more likely potential customers are to give up and go elsewhere. Slow speed negatively impacts user experience and SEO rankings. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s performance.
Why Use Professional Web Design Services?
Professional website designers can handle all the heavy lifting involved in creating a good website design for you. Now, you *could* try to tackle the task yourself, especially with website builder platforms available. However, for a business serious about its online presence, bringing in professional web design services is usually the best approach.
Even if you have some design or technical skills, being the business owner can sometimes cloud your judgment about what’s truly effective versus what you personally like. Not to mention, your time is probably better spent managing other core aspects of your business rather than getting bogged down in the complexities of web design and development. There are many benefits to hiring professionals, including expertise, time-saving, and often a better end result, as discussed in our post on what makes a good website.
Good Design is Crucial & Worth Investment
In the highly competitive world of online marketing, good website design is more crucial than ever for NZ businesses! Will hiring a good website design company cost money? Yes, almost certainly. But it’s usually best to get the perspective and skills of experienced professionals like the team at RANK to ensure your website performs well and achieves your business goals.