You’ve no doubt heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. While there’s truth to that popular adage, the reality is that the quality of the picture factors into how much the picture is worth.
When creating a website for your business, it’s important to have a unique value proposition for the demographic you’re after. One reason to hire a web design firm specializing in graphic design and search engine optimization (SEO) is that the service provider will know how to ensure every component of your site is well thought out so nothing’s wasted.
Considering there are north of 1.1 billion websites, your online storefront will be a needle in a haystack unless you have a professional website and incorporate a strong SEO strategy. Graphics, photos, and images are parts of SEO that are often overlooked.
Here are six things you’re probably getting wrong about website graphic design.
- Ignoring Mobile-Friendly Design
One source says 92.3% of internet users log onto the internet with a mobile phone. It adds that 65.6% use laptops or desktops to access the internet. Pew Research Center, meanwhile, says that 98% of Americans own some kind of cell phone — with around nine in 10 owning a smartphone. That’s up from a mere 35% in 2011.
Americans are not just using their phones to watch cat videos, read the news, or check the weather either. Statista, for example, says that mobile devices facilitated north of 43% of e-commerce retail sales in the U.S. in 2023. It adds, moreover, that the percentage could go to 50% by 2027 as more and more people use their smartphones, cellphones, and other mobile devices to patronize their favorite retailers online.
One of the takeaways from these findings is that companies can’t treat mobile users as afterthoughts. Graphic design considerations for desktop computers won’t necessarily translate properly on smaller screens — and that can scare away consumers. Don’t be one of the many businesses that build websites but fail to consider mobile-friendly design. Again, it can’t be an afterthought. It should, instead, be well thought out.
If your website isn’t optimized for mobile users, you’ll alienate a substantial portion of your target demographic. Consumers have many options these days, so they may patronize retailers offering a better overall experience. So, don’t neglect smaller screens. It could cost you.
You must consider properly scaled images, avoid too much clutter, and ensure any accompanying text is readable. If you hire a reputable web design agency, they will ensure all your customers and visitors have a good online experience regardless of how they access the internet.
- Low Quality or Overused Stock Images
Yet another mistake to avoid is using low-quality or overused stock images. You’ll do your business a great disservice by employing stock images that are used and reused by many companies in your industries and others.
Say “no” to generic, blurry, and pixelated stock images that hinder rather than help your business. Such pictures will look cheap and may stand out for all the wrong reasons. While you’ll save money using lower-quality images, reputational harm could be the result of going that route. Website visitors will judge a book by its cover since first impressions matter. So, if your website has a cheap feel or a chunky aesthetic, that could be enough to scare off consumers from your target demographic.
When working with a reputable web design agency, you’ll have help to secure original photography, high-quality stock images, and professional graphic design elements that align with your brand.
- Overloading with Colors
Yet another thing to avoid is using graphics that overload with too many colors. Trying to be creative is no reason to overwhelm someone’s sense of sight. You should go with a properly balanced color palette that reflects nicely on your products, services, and brand.
A web design firm can help you use colors strategically, rather than overwhelmingly, to attract your target demographic and increase the odds of them purchasing what you have to offer.
- Not Optimizing Images for Speed
Another thing to consider when focusing on graphic design is the loading speed. Your graphics and pictures must be optimized for speed. Large image files can force visitors to wait longer than they may care to.
Google says that consumers are 32% more likely to leave your website if the page loading times climb to three seconds from one second. Yes, a three-second wait might be enough for some website visitors to call it quits, throw in the towel, and see what your competitors have to offer.
If you’re loading your website with graphics, the time it takes for the pages to load might be enough to jeopardize your company’s sales strategy.
A web design firm will employ strategies like compressing images to improve load time, help SEO rankings, and appeal to consumers who don’t have the patience to wait for your pages to load.
- Neglecting Call-to-Action (CTA) Design
Yet another mistake you might be making is neglecting to consider a call-to-action (CTA) design. The CTA isn’t just about using the right words. You must also be mindful of the design and placement. CTAs should stand out visually so they’re easy to spot without being intrusive.
- Ignoring Accessibility
You also need to ensure your website is accessible. Consumers who fit the parameters of your target customer may have disabilities or special needs that make it harder for them to patronize you online.
So, you can unintentionally alienate consumers if you don’t use alt text for images, offer keyboard-friendly navigation, and ensure there’s enough color contrast. As concerns graphics, alt text, short for alternative text, refers to a short, descriptive text serving as a substitute or stand-in for visual items on webpages. It’s easy enough to do, but not all companies do it.
If you’re making any of these mistakes, your website won’t perform as well as it otherwise could. It’s a good idea to retain the services of a web designer specializing in graphics design to get the results you need — if you get the picture.
