Does your website design represent your brand? Does it provide potential customers with an overview of your products or services? Most importantly, do you love your website? If the answer is no to any of these questions, then it’s probably time to review your current web strategy.

We live in a digitally expanding world, and your website is the hub for your digital presence as a brand. It therefore needs to leave a positive impression on those who visit it, and offer them the best possible experience in finding the information they are looking for. Having a website doesn’t have to be hard work, and requires little upkeep when designed and developed correctly. At Mackman we create structured, clean and cohesive designs that keep maintenance to a minimum, whilst still allowing room for growth.

Website Design | Mackman Branding and Marketing Agency

building a digital presence

A website can be a great starting point in building your brand’s digital presence. Your website should introduce your brand, highlight your USPs, and offer a seamless user experience. Some key features to keep in mind when developing a website include:

  • a private and memorable domain name
  • contact details and calls to action visible on every page
  • an outline of the brand’s history, ethos, and key differentiators

To maintain interest in your website, consider offering fresh content such as:

  • up to date client testimonials
  • an integrated company blog
  • connections with social media

A company website acts as the heart of a brand’s digital existence, directing the user to and from any social platforms or blogs. Users are likely to browse your social channels before getting to the website, or vice versa, so creating clear links between platforms for projects, connections, services and products is a must.

Today, social media is an essential component in a company’s marketing strategy, helping you to connect with customers and raise the awareness of your brand. Not only is it crucial to establish a strong social media presence, but also make sure to list and link social platforms to the digital hub of your brand, your website.

integrating your brand identity

If you already have the fundamentals of your website developed, then try asking yourself, is my website a true reflection of our brand identity? The product or service you provide should take centre stage, with a clear message of what is on offer. Maintaining your brand personality through your website is achievable in the same way you remain on brand with other company items such as stationery and marketing collateral.

Displaying your established logo and brand identity can offer a quick link to your brand. Your website content should also use a consistent tone of voice that matches your brand personality. Personalise your website blog to include articles, imagery and news updates that represent your brand. Remember, accuracy and consistency are crucial when building a brand identity that customers will buy into and trust.

keep with the times

Usability is another important consideration you should take when reviewing your website. UX (user experience) design is an ever-changing practise, especially in our rapidly changing digital world, so if your website is edging on a decade old, you are likely well overdue a renovation. An outdated website design is not only unfriendly to users, but could be sending an outdated or completely wrong message to your customers, which no longer represents your brand identity.

While having a website blog or linked social media accounts can be a great way to attract customers and maintain interest in your brand, it is important to keep up to date. If your content is out of date then clients may not stick around to read more.

Outdated websites are likely to be incompatible with smartphones, and trying to open a
website that is the wrong scale for your phone or does not work altogether is very frustrating. As we live in a smartphone society where many people spend more time on their phones than a desktop device, having a mobile friendly site is critical.

Website Design | Mackman Branding and Marketing Agency

current web design trends

We have listed some exciting web design trends for 2021 – if you are looking for something fresh and innovative, reading about current design trends can be a great starting point.

3D Colours

Colour gradients in websites have been around for a couple of years now, but we are seeing an evolution of this fluid colour palette. Moving away from the pastel gradients we have seen before, websites are seeing saturated and 3-dimensional colour palettes that are accomplished through rounded shading. Compared with previous gradient trends, designers are using more natural shapes, and bold, blended colours that resemble Expressionism.

Abstract Compositions

The combination of abstract shapes, whether they be geometric or organic, can portray a minimalist and restrictive design palette that is simple to work with, and does not distract from imagery or written content. This style pairs well with imagery, that can take on the form of abstract shapes. Some websites have taken on a more playful, Kandinsky-esque energy to this trend, which results in vibrant colours and an expressive website. Check out our work with Sandersons if you would like to see this trend in practice.

Website design for good

Over the past year, the digital world has become a place of refuge, with businesses, charities, and societies alike making the move towards a heavily virtual way of surviving as the pandemic continues. Designers have played a valuable role in helping businesses and organisations to showcase their unique offerings throughout the past year, and we have seen brands place focus on their ethical qualities, such as charitable involvement, sustainable impacts and political campaigns. This has caused a rise in websites creating awareness for social causes and shared values that bring people together.

Calming Colours

Working in a digitally expanding world does come with its difficulties, and with many people spending so much time at a computer, eye strain is very common within the workplace. Some designers have been considering this when creating websites, using comfortable, gentle colours that are easy on the eye. Using soft greens, pastel blues, warm browns and light pinks is less harsh than a solid black or white background, and offers the user a steady, calming site to navigate. Head over to our Llevelo project to see how Mackman can create a fresh website design that’s easy on the eye and plays with the natural tones inherent in garden design.

Website Design | Mackman Branding and Marketing Agency

SUMMARY

While a website redesign can inevitably be a complex and time-consuming process, it is vital to remind yourself of the importance of a website. When developed and produced in the correct way, a website is a key tool for promoting your business. A streamlined design allows your customers to develop an understanding of your brand’s identity and personality as well as demonstrate why they should pick your brand over your competitors.

Our portfolio of website projects demonstrates our thoughtful creative process and valuable expertise on the subject. We bring a freshness to tired-looking websites, creating cohesive yet impactful designs that fit your brand image. If you want to find out more about our creative process and determine if we would make a good fit, then please head over to the Website Design & Development page to find out more, or alternatively, you can leave us an email with customerservice@mackmangroup.co.uk.