The overall digital population has crossed 4.57 billion. This fastest growing digital population has led to an increase in the need for content. Recent industry trends say that the emerging companies invest 25% of the overall marketing budget in content creation and marketing. Now the question here is, can good content perform on a weak web design or is it just content that achieves the goals? The answer is simple; content alone cannot do what it can with a good web design. We cannot deny the fact that online visitors interact on sites that are pleasant to the eyes, approachable in content and great at performance. So, whether it’s content marketing depends on the web design or vice versa, businesses cannot afford to overlook any aspect of the game. Content is a critical part of the puzzle and can only yield results when placed nicely on the web, visible to all age groups and seamlessly synced with the user journey.
What is Content Marketing?
Content Marketing is relatively new to the digital marketing landscape, yet the scope and potential are immense. It is one of the most effective strategies that many digital marketers’ cash in as their sub-strategy for Search Engine Marketing. Content marketing is all about publishing content that does not directly advertise a product or any specific brand but creates interest in those things by providing helpful and relevant information on the topic – For example, Pet Food. A good Pet Food company will dedicate a section on their website where different pet food techniques, ideas, DIY Pet Food Cooking recipes etc., are shared to create user engagement and invite more pet lovers to come and visit the site. In return, the visitors believe that the site is credible and is the most trustworthy resource for Pet Food Guides and Tutorials. However, the challenge is not yet over – 38% of people stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive. It is one of the reasons why we see video integrations, carousals and infographics in the middle of the content to keep users engaged in the journey. Now that we know how content can help market the products and brands, it is equally imperative how a web design backs the content. We know that content may fail because of a poor web design, it is why we explore how does web design impacts content marketing and why is it necessary to hire a professional custom web design agency for your business.
Enhances the Content: You must have noticed on a few websites that the text content on the website is good, but the way it is displayed on the web triggers the user to leave and move to another site. The reason is simple, no matter how good the web copy is, it cannot yield results if the content is not placed nicely on the web. A good agency or a professional web designer takes care of small details and offer custom services to ensure your web design supports the visual and contextual appeal of the content and vice versa. From the font size selection to industry-relevant colour palette, vectors or the background; everything must come together in the best way possible.
Keeps it Visually Appealing: Professional web designers are aware of the ‘F’ and ‘Z’ patterns; and when to incorporate them in a text rich or visually guided web layout. In text-rich websites like search results, blogs, articles directory, or content-based websites, web designers prefer using the F-pattern. Whereas, on the business websites where users are required to interact with simple text and more visuals for action, web designers opt for the Z-pattern designs. It motivates the eyeballs to behave in a certain pattern and ultimately leads to the desired action required on the website.
Leads to Quick Conversions: If you ask what a web design has to do with conversions, we say everything! According to a recent record, it takes about 50 milliseconds for a user to form an opinion about a site they are visiting. In 0.05 seconds, they decide whether to stay or leave the site. It is why web layouts are purposefully designed to trigger productive actions. Whether it is about sticking around on the website or making users buy the offered products, thoughtfully crafted web layouts are designed to ensure that the user journey ends in a meaningful conversion. The better the experience is, the faster the conversion is expected to happen. Jason Goldberg, the founder of fab.com says that he paid extra emphasis on the user experience of their website, and it seemed to pay off quickly. In just two years, they reached $150 million in annual sales.
Reflects Brand Loyalty: No matter how brilliant a copy is, it will fail to produce results if the design doesn’t support or integrate brand elements to validate the involvement and support of the brand. It is why web designers are required to focus on building visual connections of the copy with the design. No matter how big or small a piece of content is, the overall environment and layout must back it with the brand identity, elements, fonts and visuals etc. Loyal customers and visitors have expectations, and they always judge the trustworthiness of the copy with the overall display of it. If a website looks outdated or aesthetically inadequate, customers may find it hard to consider it a valuable or credible resource.
As the world is transforming into a digital economy, it is important to emphasize on both the aspects – web design and content to keep the audience engaged and responsive throughout the process. So, whether the website is a text-based blog or a simple business portfolio, the web design is the key to the overall foundation of a good site. If you have any questions regarding your website, feel free to share them in the comments below. Or write to us at info@webroyals.co. We’ll be more than happy to assist you further.