Sleek Sites: 5 Key Elements of Modern Website Design

As technology becomes more accessible, people are spending more of their lives online. In fact, according to MIT research, the average person spends 24 hours per week online.

Yet despite this staggering statistic, people tend to bounce off of websites at a rapid pace.

That results in more than lost traffic to your site’s other pages. Fewer visitors means fewer opportunities to grow your business.

That’s why it’s so important that businesses emphasize clean, effective web design.

Looking to reverse your high bounce rate? Here are five of the most important modern website design trends you’ll need for your site.

1. An Immediate Value Proposition

The biggest reason why visitors leave a website is that they feel as though it has nothing to offer them.

Be it a coupon, information, or a free item, giving your audience something is a surefire way to grab attention.

With that said, not only does a value proposition need to be effective, it needs to be quick.

If a site doesn’t make its value proposition clear within the first 10-20 seconds, the user is likely already onto the next site. Aim for clarity and speed as you and your team create your proposition.

2. Usability

What good is a website if it’s difficult to navigate?

Usability is by far the most important elements of a website. Without clear navigation, fast loading times, and an intuitive design, you’re better off not having a website at all.

Always design with the visitor in mind first and foremost and you’re likely to experience higher and repeated traffic.

3. Mobile Integration

As popular as smartphones and tablets are at the moment, they’re only going to get more popular. As it is, 57% of all web traffic comes from a mobile device.

The sooner a company implements mobile functionality, the better.

Make sure that customers can get the full browsing experience, even if they’re away from their desktop. It’s okay to shrink or alter elements in a slight fashion but always aim for 1:1 parity with your desktop site.

4. Search Engine Optimization Compliance

Of course, not all elements of web design are for your visitors. Take search engine optimization, or SEO, for instance.

And while SEO is a massive, ever-growing field, on-page SEO is easier than you may think.

Here are a few easy ways you can improve your site’s SEO compliance:

  • Tag images
  • Use strong keywords with a proven ability to rank
  • Post great content on your blog
  • Include hyperlinks to other areas of your website throughout your copy

Taking the time to make your site SEO friendly is always worth it. A great SEO strategy can help your website rank higher on a search engine, allowing for a boost in traffic, so put in the work.

5. Identity Design

If nothing else, a website should give the visitor a clear idea of who you are and what you stand for. This is known as identity design and often shines through in a company’s mission and values statement.

Your mission and values should always have a presence on your homepage, as they foster feelings of personification and familiarity among your audience.

Use your mission statement as an opportunity to not only introduce your company, but to also reassert your value proposition.

Final Thoughts on How These Five Elements Factor Into Modern Website Design

Modern website design demands more of website owners than ever. But incorporating each of these great elements of web design can help you ensure that your website is one your customers will keep coming back to.

Looking to improve your current site or build one from scratch? Get in touch with us and let’s work together to build the best site possible.