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Category Archives: Web Design

inclusive web design
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Web Design

How Inclusive Web Design Can Benefit Your Business

Accessibility is a legal obligation in some countries and a human right. There has been a significant rise in lawsuits relating to web accessibility. Designers are now beginning to understand the importance of inclusive web design. In light of this, here are just some of the ways making website design as inclusive and accessible as possible is a plus for your business.

What is Inclusive Web Design?

Inclusive web design refers to website design that doesn’t rob visitors of their UX experience regardless of their demographics, impairment, or other temporary or permanent conditions.

Accessible web design is crucial in making a website inclusive and it means removing any obstacles for people with disabilities.

There are many things to take into consideration when building an inclusive website experience. To make sure you’re not standing in a way of a visitor from fully using or experiencing a website, here are some factors to think about:

  • Physical limitations that affect hearing, vision, or dexterity
  • Mental conditions that affect speech or cognition
  • Situational limitations that hinder the user from using the product to its maximum potential
  • Technical barriers such as equipment, internet access, and computer literacy
  • Geographical and language limitations
  • Various demographic factors, including age, race, and gender
  • Social and economic divisions

Now that we’ve solved what’s an inclusive web design, let’s move on to the benefits it can bring to a business.

Inclusive Design Lets You Reach a Broader Market

Did you know that over a billion people in the world have a disability? Many people omit that fact from their minds, even though there are barely eight times more people on the planet in general.

So, inclusive web design means you’re making sure you’re catering to these people. It’s a chance to reach a broader marketplace, consisting of both abled and disabled people.

Everyone deserves a maximum of their UX experience, and inclusive web design is one way of making sure that happens.

inclusive web design Demakis Technologies

Inclusive Web Design Improves SEO

In short, Google’s algorithm favors inclusive websites. If you implement elements of website accessibility to your business, Google will reward you for your inclusion effort and optimal UX.

When Google’s crawlers index your website, they will rank you higher just for the accessibility (if everything else is in place, of course). This is your chance to stand out, as many websites sadly still omit website accessibility from their web design.

So if you’re looking for ways to rank better and lower those bounce rates, a good SEO marketing method would be to pay attention to inclusive web design.

Inclusive Design Fuels Teams and Their Optimism

A company that actively promotes diversity on its website is more likely to have an engaged workforce. The team feels happier and works harder if it feels it’s for a great cause. Deep down, we all want our work to have value.

People who find purpose in their work are more likely to stick with their employer, according to research. It goes beyond people who are only driven by success or money. They are also more inclined to advertise their businesses, recommend them to other potential employees, and push friends and family to use the business’ services and products.

Inclusive Design Brings Up Brand Awareness

Everyone wants to feel included. People with disabilities, POCs (people of color), those who grew up in unusual or downright harmful family structures, people from the LGBTQIA community, and minorities – all want to feel welcome and included.

When a user finds your website easy to use, recognizes visual components that have meaning for them or reads language that validates their comprehension, they feel connected, which can give your brand an advantage over rivals who are merely aiming to appeal to the general market.

The greatest method to ensure that your brand remains in their memory the next time they require your services is to create a customer experience they will recognize and feel a part of. That is where we arrive at brand awareness.

Make inclusiveness one of your core values and principles, and connect with the audience on a personal basis with your marketing strategy. Brand awareness is a great long-term strategy since it brings growth and recognition.

Final Word

Try walking in the user’s shoes. Everyone has the right to access, view, and engage with the content you publish online. Don’t take that right away. Make your users happy by considering all aspects of site design.

Although this post scratches the surface of the accessibility topic, we hope that we were able to illustrate its importance and give you actionable tips for making your websites and digital products more accessible to all users.

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Color in Web Design
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Web Design

The Psychology of Color in Web Design

Colors are one of the visual cues that are the fastest in sending a message. Or setting an unintentional first impression. That is why you should pay special attention to color in web design.

To help you set the hue of your website and influence people psychologically when it comes to buying decisions, we prepared this color guide.

Let’s dive in!

What is the Psychology of Color in Web Design?

Designers of all mediums know that color is an important aspect of their work. They know their design can drive emotional responses just through color alone.

Color psychology has been used in different ways, both positive and negative. Colors can calm you down, ignite excitement, drive you to action, and much more.

That is why color in web design is a secret weapon for driving up sales, earning clicks, scoring leads, and more.

In the psychology of color, you have not only emotions but psychological reactions linked to specific colors. Let’s check them out.

Color psychology in web design: practical uses

Here’s a look at some persuasive colors and what kind of message they send in web design.

Red

Red is the color of passion. In both negative and positive ways, it evokes confidence, authority, and raw power. It can make the user feel both big and small, depending on other elements on a website.

In marketing, we often see red used to advertise discounts and different promotions. Just recently, the luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo debuted a new name – “Ferragamo”. But more pointedly, the brand opted for a striking red background for the signature. And when we take a look at some brand giants like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, we see a bright red that’s hard to miss.

It’s no wonder people call it the Call-to-Action color.

Color in Web Design Blue

Blue

Fun fact – did you know that even at the beginning of the 20th-century pink was referred to as a color for boys, while blue was deemed girly? Trends tend to change, so keep that in mind while reading the article.

But as of now, blue is linked to masculinity and competence. Moreover, it’s used to evoke a zen feeling, wisdom, loyalty, and security. It’s no wonder it does so since research found that looking at the sea or other big areas of water elicits feelings of calmness and strength.

The popularity of the blue color in web design also comes from its versatility – bright blue also evokes energy and freshness.

Yellow

This color immediately puts your mind into a happy stance. It evokes optimism, cheerfulness, and youth. You can soften it by using brighter hues to avoid looking spammy when using yellow on large areas of the website.

On the other hand, a stark yellow color is a godsend for bringing attention to CTA (Call-to-Action) buttons. Again, be careful when using it. Apart from feeling too spammy at times, it can remind people of cheapness and cowardice.

Green

Green has richness to it. It reminds us of nature, life in all its glory, balance, and growth. So it’s no wonder that rich deeper green shades are often seen on brands selling hiking equipment, for example. Other brands that can rely on the green are organic food businesses, too.

To simplify, green calls back to wellness and health. And in the hectic environment of today, consumers are eating it up, because they do want something to calm them down and make them feel as if they’re relaxed and saving the planet.

Another benefit to using the green color in web design? It moves visitors to action. It evokes decisiveness, so you’ll see lots of green CTA buttons on websites, too.

White

The history of the color blue is a perfect example of how culture and history periods impact the way we see color. The same goes for the color white. In Western culture, it evokes purity, birth, and innocence.

Apart from that, you will often see it used in the healthcare industry, for it seems clean. Media companies also love it because it gives websites a crisp feeling and a callback to printed newspapers.

But if you overdo it, you may end up seeming stark, boring, and too stiff.

Color in Web Design

Black

Black is a statement color. It’s a bold color that you should use in subtlety without going heavy on it.

People often see black as a sleek and elegant color, so high fashion often uses it, along with other luxury industries. High-end consultation also resonates greatly with potential clients.

But if you overdo it you may seem too dark, evoking horror and gothic themes.

Final Word

Color psychology should be used by web designers to boost conversion rates. By giving the visitors a satisfying and memorable experience, they can enhance conversions.

Keep in mind that color psychology is crucial to any website design because it has an impact on the site’s success. So if you want your website to be successful, get familiar with color psychology!

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Professional Web Design
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Web Design

5 Reasons Professional Web Design is Crucial for Your Business

Professional web design is just as crucial to your business as content and images are. It’s a beautiful tool for one very useful thing – navigating the user through your website.

First impressions count, so your website can play a useful role in swaying potential customers your way immediately. You don’t want a website with a design that doesn’t suit your industry at all, because users’ brains will register that they’re in the wrong place, or in the hands of someone who can’t adequately help them.

So in this article, we’ll go over all the reasons why you should focus on telling a compelling story to users and offering a journey fitting to their needs and your industry.

It’s Where You Sell Your Product or Service

In a pandemic world, having a store that’s not solely brick-and-mortar is a must. Also, having a physical location for a store or service business can suck you dry, money-wise. Don’t get us started on the regulations and compliances.

Your website should be done by a professional designer, and that doesn’t always come cheap. But having a redesign once every 3 years isn’t a hefty investment spent unwisely. On the contrary. Good website design with a welcome look can retain customers and help you sell your product or service.

A well-branded website that is easy to navigate is much appreciated these days, especially as people are buying more and more via their smartphones – which leads us to the point that you need a mobile-optimized website.

Professional Web Design ui ux

It Builds Brand Trust and Reliability

Let’s expand a bit on first impressions. Modern website design leads to trust and the feeling your business is up to date. Or even better – looking into the future.

So instead of having users question your legitimacy due to poor design, you can aid your brand’s consistency by having users immediately spot your logo, colors, and style. Help yourself by reflecting on your brand and showing people they’re in the right place.

Your target market needs to be able to pick your brand out of sleight of others if needed. That is why redesigns need to be carefully done. You don’t want to lose your brand identity in the process, thus lowering your brand’s authority.

It Helps Establish Relationships with Customers

A relationship with another person needs a variety of components to be successful. You must interact with them and must be able to see them in some way. Additionally, you want to get to know them and make sure they get you.

The same thing happens when customers develop a relationship with your brand. Your potential consumers discover you and then explore your website to learn more. Through the content of your homepage, blog articles, and service pages, you communicate with them.

And your potential users should also have the feeling that you can truly recognize and meet their needs. That is why you need to know your target audience very well and pinpoint their wishes.

It’s Good for SEO

The most effective SEO strategy can have multiple positive outcomes for your business. And one of them is professional web design. Did you know that Google takes into account multimedia page elements in its ranking algorithm? You can also add relevant tags and coding elements to pages to maximize their visibility.

Enlisting the help of proven web designers can get you closer to that goal, as well as that coveted first page of Google results. They can factor in both on-page and off-page elements that can help your website’s standing.

A well-rounded code and a good SEO strategy that uses good quality content affect how Google and other search engines crawl and index a website. If the website is nicely designed and frequently updated, visibility won’t be that unreachable.

It Helps Keep Ahead of the Competition

Rest assured that your rivals are already enlisting experts to get that professional web design.

To remain in the game, your website should be in top-notch condition. As the pandemic changed our buying habits, people aren’t accessing services the same way as before. They want better, faster, and easier websites to spend their money and meet their needs.

With professional web design, transitioning into a new business reality can be much easier, and you’ll stay ahead of the competition!

Final Word

Stop wasting your time trying to learn a new skill as web design. You can be focusing on getting more clients. Your business revenue can skyrocket thanks to responsive and modern web design.

A professional-looking and credible website form the basis of your longevity. It also ensures that your brand identity is seen and heard. Whether you are searching for a cost-effective website design service for your blog or e-commerce store, many designers can help. You can browse through them and choose the one you feel will serve your needs.

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redesign of your website
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Web Design

When is the Right Time for a Redesign of Your Website?

The reward of a successful website redesign is immense. From increased revenue, more satisfied users, and increased lead generation, all the way to more peace among your team. A chance to reinvent your brand is one you should take. But when is the right time to redesign your website?

The answer to that question lies in the question “Why should you redesign your website?” There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Rather, you should do assessments once in a while, using data and analysis continuously done. And if you find that your website is outdated, has subpar SEO, and unsatisfying UX (user experience), you need to make room for a redesign of your website.

Here are things you should keep in mind to find out when you need a website redesign.

You’re Ignoring the 3-Year Rule

It may seem as if we’re going against ourselves now. We just said that it’s more of a “Why” than a “When” question. But there is a general rule of thinking over your website if you haven’t changed it in three years.

That is because, in today’s tech environment, improvements and innovations happen a lot. And many things happen in three years. Aesthetic trends, compatibility changes – these things can signal that it’s time for a revamp.

Assess your website to see if you’re following trends such as these:

  • Interactive and vintage fonts
  • Fewer images
  • A one-page website devoid of too many links
  • Humor-infused websites
  • Using linework

As you can see, there are loads of options; all you have to do is figure out which ones best suit your company.

You’re Not Following the Ever-changing SEO Rules

The SEO race is akin to chasing the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. It never stops. Sometimes you catch it, then it slips your grip, the rules change, and the race continues.

Your website has a better chance of appearing in search results if you evaluate your rankings, the competition, and the website more frequently. Always be on the lookout for new Google updates and have someone on your staff who can implement the new rules of the game.

It is Google’s responsibility to provide the most important results to the searcher at the top of the page. For instance, let’s say your website was updated years ago, whereas a competitor’s website is updated frequently, and they had a huge makeover six months ago. In that instance, Google will probably rank the recently updated website better than websites that aren’t updated often.

redesign website

Your Mobile Compatibility Is Insufficient

A fully responsive website needs to be easily accessible from a smartphone. It needs a mobile menu that is simple to understand and content that can be read without zooming.

If you’re unsure if your website is mobile-ready for 2023, ask friends and family members to browse your company website from their phones. Ask for feedback – were they confused? Did they understand your services? Did they find what they were looking for? Does it look modern to them?

Ask your staff, too. Gather feedback and assess if it’s time for a redesign of your website.

Your User Engagement Is Low

There is no reason not to make the best of interactive elements of a website. When potential customer lands on your website, they are not there for reading huge blocks of text. They are there to be engaged.

Making your website more interactive and user-friendly is one of the easier parts of the job. Here are some things you can do:

  • Decrease loading time
  • Have a prominent search box
  • Use internal linking a lot
  • Simplify navigation

For instance, if you decide to work on your Search box, add filters to make searching easier for users.

Your CMS and Integrations Are Outdated

If the website’s technology is starting to become your enemy, it’s time for a redesign of your website.

You don’t want the tech being the thing that hinders your site’s ability to perform well. The code, the CMS (the content management system), and the third-party integrations need to make a foundation for a healthy performing website. Without those three, you won’t be able to provide a seamless user experience to your potential leads.

Final Word

Your business objectives and future lead generation are all impacted by website redesign. Early project planning is key to getting a new website with the least amount of problems and the greatest payoff. Working with an agency that can help you navigate the process can greatly help the process. Not only will someone be at hand to guide the project, but that will also give you time to focus on aspects of business closer to your expertise and experience.

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IoT solutions
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Tech Trends, Web Design

Why Is UX Research Necessary for IoT Solutions?

People tend to think about websites and software when talking about UX. But with the age of IoT (the Internet of Things) upon us, UX design is expanding to new horizons. Our devices will be interlinked more than ever in upcoming years, so it’s time to think about how the popularity of IoT solutions will affect UX research.

There are a few basic UX design principles to keep in mind when conducting research for IoT. Read on to find them out.

The Importance of UX Research for IoTs

UX adds value to the Internet of Things devices by making them user-centric. While IoT are developed, UX research is performed to comprehend the ideal user and their needs.

The initial phase of UX design includes research, whether you’re designing for one website or a network of devices.

And one of the basic principles when researching is to think about the value an IoT device can offer your users and your business. When diving into IoT UX design, you’re not dealing with products anymore. You are now building services and experiences that have the potential to make users’ lives better. So a thorough qualitative analysis is vital for moving on with your UX design.

UX research should focus not just on attempting to make the product look pretty but also on providing users with seamless communications, high usability, and easily accessible customer support.

UX Challenges to Research for IoT Solutions

To develop an effective product, UX design for IoTs must mix several design disciplines. They are difficult to handle individually, let alone combined.

UX for IoT solutions needs to keep track of a variety of things – from standard paths to structures. And, a change from standard UX design will be this – you won’t just be designing the actions users want. You also need to make these products customized on a user basis and able to connect to different IoT devices. 

IoT solutions UX

UX challenges in the IoT sphere include:

  • Lack of efficiency – Embedded systems are still heavily ladened with expenses. You need to do proper research to figure out how you can minimize costs and further drive the development of various digital elements.
  • System security – Security is always an imperative. But it’s a special kind of challenge when you need to provide an excellent user experience for embedded systems. Taking a product from prototype to deployment will have a lot of security bumps to solve along the way.
  • Emerging standards – Some devices might be unaware of the presence or capabilities of others on the IoT network because their manufacturers have designed them to work exclusively with those of specific providers. The main challenge for developers is dealing with the potential interference of such different devices.

3 Key Components for UX design for IoT Solutions

Good UX design for IoT solutions has three components:

  1. Great technology functionality
  2. High usability
  3. Compatibility with human psychology

We’ll go over each in more depth.

Great Technology Functionality

To no surprise to anyone, you should focus a lot of your effort on successfully delivering a product. That is because you can’t just expect to sell your product solely on great marketing. Whatmore, false advertising can hurt your brand for years to come. Especially if a user’s first introduction to your product is a negative one. You should align your marketing messages with your product and the needs of your users.

High Usability

No matter if your user is highly educated in using technology, or just a novice, they should be able to set up your product. Operating and maintaining IoT should be even easier than non-IoT solutions.

Compatibility with Human Psychology

IoT should seamlessly go with human psychology. New tech should offer massive payoff for users to get them out of their comfort zones. UX design for IoT solutions should also strive to win the trust of users by making them rely on their devices for safe and simple actions.

Another thing the human mind will register as trustworthy is offering a user experience that pays attention to personal privacy.

Final Word

IoT is on track to become one of the most dominant technology trends. It will disrupt the scene and easily impact our everyday lives. IoT solutions are already present, so our interactions with tech devices are already evolving. And all those interconnected devices need detailed User Experience design. The key elements we have listed in this article can guide your UX research when designing for IoT.

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