To speak of the truth, most websites we come across seem to have an almost similar layout. They might be variations of each other but are coming from a similar origin without any doubt. Why is that so? And is that a positive or a negative thing when considered? Well, that requires a thought. With easy and seamless availability, around 37% of the total websites are now based on WordPress. And the free cost access to unlimited templates and stock images, WordPress is becoming the ultimate website choice. With WordPress, almost any and every individual with a basic knowledge of website development can create a decent and professional site as long as they have got patience and time. And the cherry on top is, it offers a seamless user experience at the same time. Though it’s difficult to stand out, I’ve put together some of the best ways to make your website unique and stellar in this blogpost.
The Key Features of a Standard Website
Well, we know that you are excited to learn the tactics that can help you stand out but before you begin to make your website unique and stellar, you must know what makes all the websites look similar, right? We must know the rules to break them, huh!
But wait, you don’t have to break all of the rules. The key is to analyze them rightly and reach up to the state where you can devise your own perfect rule and make your website unique and stellar.
Placement of Your Logo.
The majority of websites have their logos placed in the top left corner. This is because people from across the western world read from left to right, as Indo European languages are spoken over there. Thus, the designers are likely to adopt the consumers’ behavior and showcase the most important information where the consumers’ eye is to reach first.
For an instance, take a look at this amazingly popular website, ETQ Amsterdam, they too have their logo placed at the top left corner.
Navigation.
That’s another important feature of a website and most designers are likely to adept a similar navigation style i.e. horizontally oriented navigation bar. That’s because most of the users are friendly with this style. There are certainly more popular styles such as hamburger menus, dropdown menus, sticky menus, and sidebar navigations, etc. Most website designers are hesitant towards experimenting and incorporate popular styles to keep their websites fluent for the user experience.
Hero Page Visualization.
Hero page is the most highlighted section of your website, by default. Therefore, it must possess a striking and phenomenal visualization. For these visuals do not have to be relative to the brands’ products and services, most designers are likely to put-up attention-grabbing visuals on the hero pages that are mostly obtained from the stock photos, etc. and so, the chances of similar website hero pages are pretty high.
Typography.
A common belief is that the fonts on any website shall be captivating and so, most designers use legit bold and big typography to convey their central messages across consumers. Therefore, the websites look a lot similar to an outcome.
CTA Buttons.
CTAs are the most highlighted part of any website for they are the primary contributor to website conversions. In general, most designers tend to keep the CTA buttons highlighted, captivating, and centralized enough to create a sense of urgency across consumers. Also, a lot of websites seem to have repeated placements of CTA buttons throughout the website such as in the hero section, on the top right corner, and at the end of each significant section, etc.
Layout.
As we look at most website layouts, they follow an F pattern. The F patterns possess images in the top left corner with text towards the right, breaking down into bullet points. These are designed with the assumption that the consumers would be first attracted by the visuals on top and would follow through the F pattern to read or skim the text.
Negative Spacing.
Websites at large, incorporate the concept of negative spacing. That’s referred to as leaving space on your website that can of any solid color so that the consumers can seamlessly focus on the actual content without getting held with the distractions.
Color Schemes.
Considering the theory of color psychology, a lot of website designers seem to use colors in accordance with the possible human behavior attached to them. A very common example of this is the abundance of green and orange CTAs across websites.
Page Loading Speeds.
According to a report outlined by Google, a massive increase is noticed in the bounce rates when the page loading speed lapses above 3 seconds. Therefore, most web designers are likely to add a similar number of elements to their web pages.
Mobile Optimization.
Research indicates that 50% of the total internet traffic comes from mobile devices. And so, a web design must be mobile-friendly and optimized. Following the research outcome, most brands have got their websites optimized for mobile screens.
How to Make Your Website Unique and Stellar?
Now that you know the key features of a standard website, it’s time to make your website unique and stellar by bringing out the best from these features.
Dive in to burst your curiosity!
Stick to Yourself
First things first, you have to be yourself to make your website unique and stellar. You must have initiated your brand with some values and goals, right? Those same values and goals shall be overflowing from your website. Tough visuals that are used widely across most websites are common, your brand values must have the uniqueness your business possess. Thus, using visuals that represent your brand’s value is the best way to make your website unique and stellar.
Talk About Your Audience.
A great way to make your website unique and stellar is to talk about your audience and use them for branding. You’re selling digital services? A lot of other sites must be doing that. However, the feedback from your audience and consumers and their reviews about your services must be unique and no other competitor can have them. Thus, adding a section to your website where you can showcase the user-generated content can bring a lot of uniqueness to your website. Tada!
Experiment with the Visuals.
Visuals are an integral part of your website and the best you can do to make your website unique and stellar is to experiment with the visuals. For an instance, it’s not necessary to use static images and visuals that are captivating on your hero page. You can also experiment with the visuals and create product or process videos to use on your hero pages. Also, you can completely forgo the idea of images and videos, and instead, use colorful and attractive illustrations to speak about your brand over the hero page, etc.
Use Your Brand Colors.
Yes, we all believe in color psychology but this should not drive you to ignore your brand colors. It’s not necessary to use a color theme that’s specific to your industry or niche, instead, you can go out and experiment with new colors that speak for your brand and complements your website design at the same time. Take the example of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, they both are the leading beverage companies yet their color scheming is entirely different.
Showcase Insights.
A great way to make your website unique and stellar is to showcase something extra on your website such as insights from the business. Doing so can create an added value for your audience and grab a lot of their attention.
Compact Yet Business Related Copy.
Apart from the layout and visuals of your website, your copy also plays a crucial role in making your website unique and stellar. It shall be complementing the over visuals and layout of your website. In case your colors and visual scheming are fun and casual, the tone of your copy shall also be the same. Adding a formally tuned copy into a casual website can make it awkward for the audience without any doubt.
Responsive Yet Less Common UI/UX.
In the end, the most important feature which can make your website unique and stellar is a highly responsive yet less common UI/UX design. Experimenting with something new always comes up with challenges, however, you’ve to take the risk to stand out.
Pick Out Your Way – Either Stick to The Rules or Make A Unique and Stellar Website
Well, we usually don’t have the right answer to all the queries in life. And with design, uncertainty comes as if it’s divine. So, there’s no definite decision you can make about either to stick with the rules or to make your website unique and stellar. However, there’s always a third way and that’s to combine the first and second. Just go with a balanced combination of what your brand complements with and what the basic rules of website design say. However, if you really want to stand out of the crowd, a go-to option is to hire some website branding services from a renowned professional digital agency in Pakistan.
