Best practices in web design is a common topic of conversation here at BEM, not only amongst our internal team but also with clients. As web development, technology and the internet continue to evolve, old “best practices” are re-evaluated and new ones added to our list of requirements. There are of course some best practices that rarely change and have become the benchmark by which we evaluate every new project. So let’s talk about a few of these.

Content Strategy

“Content is king.” If you didn’t catch that, let me say it again, “content is king.” If your content does not speak to a direct audience, provide some benefit, valuable information or entertainment, then chances are your visitors will scan your site quickly and then move on. The structure of your content is also important. People do not “read” pages on the internet like they do a book. They skim, looking for keywords or phrases that answer their particular question, address their need or otherwise draw attention. As you plan for new content or evaluate your current content, keep in mind that strong headlines with short paragraphs tend you yield better results for user engagement. Quality will always win over quantity.

Define and Prioritize Your Objective and Call-To-Action

Even scaled down to this size, the Call-To-Action is easy to spot.

What is the primary purpose for your website? Are you selling products, is it for lead generation, or strictly informative? Regardless of which category your website falls under, you should always have one primary goal that should be achieved with your website. If you are selling product, then people should be able to quickly begin the selection process for purchasing, or if it is a single product then visitors should immediately see the option to purchase or get a “Trial Download”. If it is for lead generation, then you should have a clear call to action that is viewable to every visitor as soon as they hit your page with a strong message and clearly defined button. If your website is informative, such as a news page or blog, then your most recent articles and posts should always be at the top of the page.

While the discussion of “the fold” is a bit antiquated with the implementation of the scroll wheel to the mouse in 1996, the rule does apply in terms of prioritizing your content and your call to action. The priority will vary by website and the business objectives, in which case the method of interaction will vary. But overall you will find that the most important items should always be within the first viewable page length.

K.I.S.S. Forms

Let me just get this out of the way, I really dislike forms, particularly long ones. So when it comes to adding forms to websites, I like the “Keep It Simple Stupid” method. As a business, if you want to collect visitors information, start simple. What’s the most basic information you need in order to begin an interaction with a potential customer? No, you don’t need their title, date of birth, blood type and social security number.

Start simple. Offer two forms, one simple form that only collects the most essential information to reach them and then an optional form that gives the more interested users an opportunity to provide more information. Use a simple form to collect their name, email address or phone number, making only the name, phone or email required. Then have your staff follow up quickly with any leads.

I’ve seen way too many forms that require too much information. You may be saying, “well, we only want folks that are seriously interested.” How many sales opportunities began in either casual conversation or from a simple question? If every lead matters, keep your initial point of contact simple.

Wrap It Up

Best practices are based on research, website analytics and many other feedback methods. Over the years I’ve noticed that some of the most basic “best practices” can fall by the wayside for one reason or another. They are not always hard lines, but are certainly the benchmark for evaluation each time you begin the website development process. It’s time to refresh our memories a little and focus on making your website as successful as possible with a few simple solutions.