3 Tips to Make Your Website Impactful
How to tell your story with impact on your website
We all live in our own little digital corners of the world, where we share our stories, businesses, and experiences with one another. It’s easy to think we live in a little bubble. However, the digital space has become so vast, and people can (and often do) stumble upon sites all the time. The second that someone new stumbles on your page, you want to make sure they are immersed into your world for the moments you share—to help them get a glimpse of the system you live in, and the universe you occupy. Here are a few tips to ensure that when they do, your story, vision, and mission, shine so bright they couldn’t miss it.
The second that someone new stumbles on your page, you want to make sure they are immersed
into your world for the moments you share.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Define Your Values
The most important thing to realize is that: Values drive community. Your values are what make others feel connected to you and like they can rally behind your cause.
You want your people to be able to understand:
The impact you make
Why you are passionate about what you do
How you bring people together
How you impact the greater ecosystem
It’s also important to note that your values should 100% align with your vision and mission. If anything is disjointed, your whole business platform crumbles.
2. Align with your brand strategy
Telling your story is a matter of aesthetics meets function. Your brand strategy is the most important piece to helping you understand who you are, and is the visual roadmap for how to connect with your audience on an aesthetic level. It’s important to establish your branding and strategy to uncover who you serve and how visuals connect with them.
Ensure that your web design:
Meets a need, rather than just being a “pretty” layout
Holds symbolism that tells a story
Is cohesive throughout pages on your website (and further, your print/digital/social)
3. Think of the visual paths
When a viewer stumbles on your page for the first time, they immediately have a gut reaction to how they’re going to navigate your website. It’s crucial to think about the visual journey - how the viewer is going to use their eye to browse your site.
The standard viewing paths include:
Left to right, top to bottom — make sure your content follows this format, just like we English speakers read!
Visual hierarchy — ensure your copy that is the most important is largest, and those of lesser importance hold less real estate.
Call to Action’s (CTAs) — (aka. your buttons) be sure that your CTAs’ copy is impactful and that they stand out, so your audience wants to click through.
The big question to ask when evaluating visual paths is: Will the viewer see the most important information first? If the answer is yes, you’ve done your job. If not, reevaluate your placements.
To start tackling your site, begin by focusing
on the small changes that make a big impact.
Remember, your website is meant to be a space to get a high level glimpse of who you are, who you serve, and your overall mission.
And if you find yourself in need of large-scale restructuring, reach out! We’re here to help you strategize your site, your mission, and how to best connect with you audience. We look forward to hearing how we can help you and your business grow.
