Introduction
In the modern world, where the world is composed of the physical realm we live in but inextricably intertwined with the digital realm, a business must have a strong offering with regards to their product or service; but of equal importance, the business must have a strong presence online as well. Whereas marketers in the past had access to a captive audience of television viewers, the modern audience uses a multitude of different devices, and a variety of different platforms to consume their content (Solomons et al., 2022). When gauging the efficacy of an online presence, four important factors to consider are the overall website design, the user experience (UX) that visitors have when visiting the website, created content available on the site such as blog posts, and search engine optimization (SEO) to funnel in more visitors.
Website Design
With regards to website design, having a simple, yet attractive design can help seamlessly guide viewers through your website. A powerful approach to website design is creating a path of least resistance that viewers can effortlessly glide down; such a path can incorporate a limited number of choices and use the visual design hierarchy of size and color to direct consumers to a targeted default option (Solomons et al., 2022). The default option is the target of choice for the marketer, and should be designed in such a way that it becomes the apparent choice to members of the target market. Some characteristics of the default could be that it is loaded with a large variety of products or services, to trigger loss aversion when compared to a more basic option; and the default can also seem to be the socially approved option filled with popular offerings and backed up with expert endorsement or approval (Solomons et al., 2022).
User Experience (UX)
A good website design should lend itself to a positive user experience (UX). A site with great UX could be said to offer an excellent overall experience including visibly appealing design, emotionally engaging and interesting content, interconnectivity with useful resources, and ease of use; all in combination with fast load speeds, mobile responsiveness, and timely updates (Solomons et al., 2022). An easy to navigate experience, that functions seamlessly and incorporates useful and interesting material; all targeted at a market segment that will find the content appealing and be attracted to the offerings available.
Blog Posts
A large part of a positive UX is created content, and a common and effective form of created content is the Blog Post. Some important things to keep in mind while writing an effective blog post are to keep your target audience in mind, consider the goals of your post, making sure you have a pertinent and current topic, keep your tone consistent with your goals and audience, and have a well-designed format (NAEYC.org, n.d.). Knowing your target market, having an interesting and current topic, having a visually appealing offering, and presenting it all in an appealing and easy-to-use format all play key roles.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
A website can possess a great design, provide an excellent user experience, have interesting and engaging content; and all of those positive aspects can be for nothing if the site is difficult for viewers to find. Search engine optimization (SEO) can be summarized as the practice of creating a website that has been designed in such a way that it will achieve the highest possible rank on the search engine results pages (SERPs) (Solomons et al., 2022). The original search engine was the yellow pages in the phone book, and tactics to optimized that old book included naming your company AAA or A1 to be at the front of the list when alphabetical order was of great importance. In the modern era SEO is much more complex, and is aimed at improving organic search results. The practice can be broken down into five general areas including creating a search engine friendly website structure, having well-researched keywords, including content targeted to those keywords, optimizing link popularity, and being inclusive of user insights (Solomons et al., 2022). Other important considerations are physical location, and mobile device compatibility.
In conclusion, having a competitive digital representation for a company or organization is of the utmost importance. Websites that have a great UX, an appealing and easily navigable design, interesting and engaging content such as blog posts, and a truly optimal SEO possess a competitive advantage. Providing an overall excellent experience for the websites target market, while optimizing SEO, seems to define the best website practices on a most basic level.
References
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Guidelines for Writing an Effective Blog Post. https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/public-policy-advocacy/guidelines-writing-effective-blog-post
Solomons, D., Kliphuis, T., & Wadley, M. (2022). eMarketing: The essential guide to marketing in a digital world (7th ed.). Red & Yellow.
Hi EJ,
I like the format of your blog. The visuals are engaging, and I appreciate your thoughts on these topics. I found the font and color difficult to read and focus on. It feels straining on my eyes in heavy text areas. Changing the font or making it bolder would help the darker gray stand apart from the lighter gray. It would make it easier for my middle-aged eyes to read and allow the reader to stay longer:) Overall, good work and great content! I especially like your header photo to this site.
Thank you for your comment and encouragement, and the constructive feedback, making the font adjustments needs to happen pronto.
E.J.
Love this post! Appreciate how you broke down the different website best practices—it really helps organize the big picture! Your explanation of creating a “path of least resistance” in design is especially insightful. Good luck navigating the chaos this term and refining your skills even further!
Thank you for your comment, feedback, and encouragement Taylor; and good luck to you as well!
E.J.
Hello EJ,
First of all, wow, I am highly impressed. Your page, blogs, posts, and everything flow beautifully together. Now I know what I am supposed to be doing. The format, layout, simplicity, and overall design are all amazing. It is well-designed and well-written. Also, the colors and graphics give it that creative, appealing look. You have mastered the art of blogging here, Sir.
Your site’s basic structure features clear categories and pages that flow together, creating an information architecture (IA) that effectively manages information and maintains a hierarchical structure (Red & Yellow, 2022, p.146). The page you have created here offers excellent functionality. It creates an attractive UX due to the aesthetics, visual appeal, emotional connection, accessibility, intuitive navigation, clear architecture, and consistency (Red & Yellow, 2022, p.135-147). You captured the importance of understanding the user needs and preferences. The only thing I’d like to add is the importance of continuous improvement, as it allows you to test, analyze, report, implement, and start again if necessary (Red & Yellow, 2022, p.161).
Respectfully,
Angelina Levario
Red & Yellow, et. al. (2022). The essential guide to marketing in a digital world. Red & Yellow Creative School of Business. https://www.redandyellow.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/eMarketing_2023_Red__Yellow.pdf
I am glad you enjoyed your experience on my blog Angelina, and thank you for your comment and the reminder about continuous improvement!
E.J.