Web development is an industry that has been rapidly evolving over the years. As a website owner or a developer, you cannot give any excuse if you are left slacking off. It is quintessential to constantly educate yourself and better your skills, especially if you aspire to stay on the top and lead the trends game. Honestly speaking, if you are like the other developers, the first thought that may have struck your head is analyzing your code and trying to perfect it. Of course, practice can get you better over time, but as a web developer, you can do several other things to lead the pack.
Remember, regardless of where you stand in your career, there is always a scope for betterment. Bear in mind; beginners can work on their skills to get better at their craft, and experienced developers must always optimize their code for maintainability, performance, and readability.
In this article, we will discuss five of the most valuable tactics in web development. Let us address them one by one.
Purpose and target audience
‘For a website design to qualify as good, it should cater to the user’s needs. To do that, you need to know and understand what your users are looking for. What do they need – entertainment, information, transact with your business, or some kind of engagement? Every page on the website must have a precise purpose and cater to a specific need of the users effectively and efficiently,’ comments Gargi, an educator who offers the best online Python courses.
At all times, for a developer and a website owner, the users come foremost, even prior to starting a new project. You need to try to find out how they access your website and what is easiest for them because they are the end consumers/users of the project.
Let us understand this with an example.
See, if you develop a website keeping Android users in mind, you may have to create more versions than in the case of iOS or Windows. Why? The number of Android versions available today is endless. Your focus should be on the end-user, and all your projects must be designed to keep them in mind.
Please keep it simple
This applies to everything from the design, appearance, and theme of the website. In a study conducted by Google, it was concluded that users do not appreciate visual complexity. What does this mean? The higher the complexity of the design, the less beautiful the users perceive it to be. Now, let us understand how you can proceed with it.
- Redesign the sidebar– Today, almost every website is ditching the sidebar and are making a shift to the single-column design. A single column certainly means fewer distractions and curtails the focus only on the content.
- Stick to the standard layouts – Users love and appreciate familiarity. They tend to get put off when they come across a non-standard website design. Hence, it is always preferred to stick to the design that the users are familiar with. But that does not mean that you cannot stand out.
Acknowledge the need for speed
In a study conducted by SOASTA, a website development company involving eighty-eight percent of Americans concluded that customers have a negative association with a company that has a buggy app and website. Of this, eighty-three percent of people stated that it is the website’s slowness, which triggered this reaction towards the company or brand. More so, twenty-eight percent of people said they would prefer switching to a competitor’s website if the initial webpage takes too long to load.
‘Every website developer and the owner must ensure that their site runs smoothly. For this, they should optimize the images and videos for faster downloads, keep their software update, and host the website with a platform that can handle their bandwidth demands,’ comments Tanya, an educator who offers online do my programming assignment services.
Aesthetics
Having a beautiful-looking website is essential.
‘As a website developer or a site owner, you must bear in mind that you do not have more than ten seconds to cast an impression on the visitors and understand their following move,’ comments Joseph, an SEO expert with EduWorldUSA.
Let us explain what Joseph just said here. See, when a website is visually appealing, it tends to evoke some feelings in the viewers. This is majorly an emotional response and could be anything, such as happiness, calmness, frustration, or trust from your potential customer. Similarly, the design and colour scheme should be compelling enough to ensure that the visitor stays, or better yet, converts. As a general rule of thumb, it is best to pick the perfect design and colour scheme for a website after considering the brand’s essential elements, such as branding, company’s niche, target audience, and how the design or colour scheme complements the brand’s logo.
Brand Consistency
When we speak about any brand, we primarily refer to its logo, the name, or the overall visual element associated or used to represent any brand. However, there is a lot more to a brand than its visual elements. So, what is this broader aspect of the brand?
‘Brand implies the psychological or emotional associations consumers have with your product, service, or business,’ comments Nathan, an educator who offers online programming homework help services.
We agree with what Nathan just said and would like to add that branding is something that you cannot do without. It is pivotal for your business’ success. Everything from the colour scheme, fonts, logo, and portfolio should all be consistent across all the platforms. This is primarily for audience engagement, establishing familiarity, and driving greater sales. Hence, brand identity must be a part of every web development strategy.
So, these are the five essential tactics to employ in web development. Have any more such tactics to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.