Modern web design has become stale.
You've probably already noticed. Hundreds, if not thousands, of sites across the Internet give off a cookie-cutter appearance. How did we get into this situation?
One reason is ready-made templates. Sure, they're helpful. But every startup on earth — from San Francisco to Shanghai — turns to the same free web "design" and hosting companies.
These companies (you know the ones) offer the same templates to build a basic website. And when everyone uses the same basic design, of course they're all going to turn out just alike.
Search engines also share the blame, and we're not talking about just Google. Bing, Yahoo!, and others use similar algorithms. These algorithms demand specific SEO copy, meaning the same keywords for all similar sites.
Today's websites also have to be mobile-friendly to rank well — that's why you see an abundance of incredibly similar responsive web designs.
Ranking well for mobile is essential, but you can't do it the same way as every other Tom, Dick, and Harry.com, or yours will be just another boring website, too.
So what do you do to stand out from the factory-made fodder on today's Internet?
To get out of a web design rut, pretend you're actually designing
something other than a website — like a poster or album cover.
Templates and ready-made Web platforms are tempting. Most are free or very low cost: ideal for the startup. These platforms also feature a one-stop shop for web design, domain hosting, and related products and services to get a website up and running. Templates make it so easy that any user with an ounce of Internet savvy can develop a website: no development or coding required. But, if you truly want a website that stands out, you need custom web development. It isn't free, and isn't as cheap as a website that looks just like every other website in your industry, but it does offer far more innovation, functionality, and visual appeal.
A logo endows your business with an identity, wrapped up in a neat, easily-understood package. For example, have you ever been in the car with a preschooler? Far before they can read and write, they can recognize the tell-tale golden arches that signify yummy French fries, some chicken nuggets to stomp into the auto upholstery, and a toy that will likely break within the hour. The point is that a logo can indelibly establish your brand in your customers' minds. Like the Golden Arches, it builds recognition that goes far beyond a mere company name. Get a great one, and feature it prominently in your web design, email messages, social media, and all your business messaging and communications.
Color combinations are tricky. You either get beauty or something
a kindergartner wouldn't even ask Mom to hang on the fridge.
Another way to stand out from the masses is to use colors differently. Over the years, marketers have used color combos that work especially well. The problem is, those patterns have become quite predictable. If you want your web design to look different, step out of the box when it comes to color schemes. This, however, takes a keen eye and design experience. Without that knowledge and skill, your website will look more cartoonish than cutting edge.
Article after article suggests scouring the Internet for inspiration before building a website. For constructing a unique one, this is the last thing you should do. Get outside the digital world to get inspiration that triggers truly unique web design. The most brilliant designers find inspiration in nature -- flowers, wildlife, sea life, and even bugs -- or in exceptional design other than digital design -- awe-inspiring skyscrapers, intriguing works of art, and other brilliant design work.
While you're building a unique website that stands out, be sure you don't go so far out in left field that you leave your customers behind. Make the navigation and information intuitive and easy to find. The most interesting web design in the world is worthless if your site visitors can't find what they're looking for.
While you're building (either on your own or with an expert web development agency in Michigan), be sure you're building a site with growth potential in mind. You can learn how to do this when you check out our free Growth-Driven Design Playbook. Go ahead. Check it out. Make our day (and yours too)!
Make sure to connect with us on LinkedIn to get valuable insight on the latest news in marketing and website design. Follow us here: