Creativity is difficult to measure, especially because it’s more of a spectrum than a binary thing that you either have or you don’t. Everyone is creative to a certain extent, and people tend to specialize in different types of creativity.
When it comes to designing a website, creativity is a must. After all, anyone can build a website. So, if you want to stand out, then you need something special.
And to help you with that, here’s how to be creative in web design:
Know your audience
Rule number one of marketing is to know your audience. Every decision that you make should be based upon what you know about them. This covers both the content that you create and the way that you present it.
Understand the content
Your website’s design should work with the content that’s on there to help highlight it. On top of that, the visuals that you choose to display alongside your content should support it without being overwhelming.
As well as understanding the content and the audience, you should also understand why that particular type of content is being created and what it aims to achieve. Then, use the right design to support that.
Proofread
One study found that a single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half. That means that all of the creative design in the world won’t do you any good if you forget to proofread.
Peter Hoffman from AssignmentMasters says, “A big proportion of our work comes from webmasters who’ve noticed a spelling mistake on one of their pages. Inevitably, there are always at least a dozen more when we start digging into them.”
Simplify
The trick to being creative is to know when to show restraint. Sometimes, the simplest designs are the best and the greatest designers know when to pare the design down and let the content speak for itself. Remember, the goal of a good design is to support the user journey and to convert visitors into customers. Save the art for the evenings and the weekend.
Take your time
A lot of people make the mistake of trying to rush the web design and development process. It’s as though they hold back on making a decision until the last minute and, then when they decide it’s time to give the website a refresh, they expect it to be done overnight.
The best designs take time as well as multiple rounds of amends and refinements. No matter how tempting it might be to try to rush the process, stand by your guns and take your time with it. You’ll be rewarded for your patience when you see the end product.
Look elsewhere for inspiration
The best designers are good at what they do because they get their inspiration from everywhere. They go to art galleries, read books, and watch television shows with a critical eye. They try to learn what they like and what they don’t like as they go. Ultimately, the best designers never stop learning and go out of their way to introduce themselves to new influences.
Conclusion
The design of your website isn’t something that should be taken lightly. In fact, the design will impact everything from how well optimized the site is for a search to how likely it is that your visitors will convert into customers.
The best designers show some creativity by coming up with an eye-catching design that highlights the company’s values. After all, we’re all guilty of judging things based upon our first impressions. Make sure that your first impression is a good one.
See Also: Web Design Strategy: How To Give New Life To Your Site