Is your site outdated or boring? Would you like nice pictures, animations or even video? The majority of the companies that come to see us make this kind of request. The updating of a website goes well beyond a simple "refreshment".
The Concept of "Beauty"
The image of your business is important and you are right to worry about it. This is a determining factor in the process of acquiring your clientele. But it's not about having a site that looks like a piece of art to achieve the goals you've set for yourself.
Firstly the concept of "beauty" is subjective. What you like may not please your customers.
Second, beauty alone is no guarantee of a return on investment. Just because you use da Vinci's Mona Lisa as a header, doesn't mean it's a good way to sell accounting services. A beautiful image only works if it is well tied to your message.
Finally, even if it seems paradoxical, a site that is beautiful without substance can divert the attention of your target towards what was originally to be a "decoration". Instead, the design should keep in mind the importance of converting visitors into clients.
Photos, Animations, Videos?
Today, most sites present their content with striking visuals. Big pictures, animated illustrations, ... with a heavy tendency for the video. So why not you? Here are some things to consider :
- Is your product abstract (service, software, etc.) or concrete (object, location, etc.)?
- Is your overall budget big ($ 10,000 or more) or small?
- Who is your target customer? Socio-professional category, age group, habits, etc.
- What place does your website have in your overall marketing strategy?
- What message do you want to convey to your target?
- Do you already have elements developed for other media?
To summarize, the choices must be made according to the requirements of your business and the benefits you want to get. The tastes and desires of your team should, again, never interfere. Clearly, if you would like to have a full-page video on your website, you may actually need an illustration explaining your 3-step service concept! The constraints inherent to your project and your company must dictate your choices.
Too Much Information, Kills Information
Too many websites make the mistake, even today, to accumulate without restraint photos, illustrations, videos, as well as any "visual effect" supposed to add dynamism to their subject.
In fact, even if - as I explained above - these elements are important, the result obtained is often the opposite of the expectations of the company. Overworked, the visitor's eye "picks up" and the sale is lost.
In contrast, a measured use of these elements is likely to hit the mark. A good strategy will enable you to orchestrate intelligently and effectively the dissemination of the visual elements that you have, then trigger the emotion desired by the visitor at the right time and thus promote the process of conversion.
