Clarity in Website design
As part of our website client onboarding process, we ask clients to provide us with three examples of websites they aspire to in terms of design. It’s a great question to ask, and you’d be surprised how much, as web designers, we rely on the answers given to read between the lines. I have to tell you with a smile that there’s a lot who say, “I want my site to look like the Apple website.”
As marketing professionals who specialise in the Care Sector, we don’t do many web designs for cutting edge technology companies. That having been said, we do design a lot of “apple” websites.
I “pare” the Apple responses back, pardon the pun, and translate the three things my clients are really telling me:
"I like Simplicity."
When you look at the home page of the Apple website, your eyes do not wander. There is no visual clutter.The homepage is focused and relevant. The menu and categories are clear and easy to use.The minimal but attractive design increases usability and accessibility. This is incredibly important in the Care Sector where many clients have accessibility impediments.
"I like Images."
The images on the Apple website are pixel perfect and take up a huge portion of the page. The website pages are not text-heavy and allow people to visualise information in a simple way that makes sense.
Professional grade images capture authenticity and not only show the visitor what you offer, but can also make them want to act. Great images make viewers “experience” a website, rather than just read it.
"I like Consistency."
Apple follows their brand guidelines to a T. Fonts, colours, styles, logos, layout. There is a cohesive look across the whole company, from products, to websites, to stores.
Consistent branding invokes a sense of trust and professionalism, and this is something most clients want their website to do – reflect their professionalism and reliability in the field.
About the Author
Kathy Bellingham
Kathy Bellingham is a Design & Marketing Specialist with CareCREATIVE. To contact Kathy, talk about apples or about getting your website designed or updated please call 1300 09 09 55 or email info@carecreative.com.au
