Building a Website
Running a business and being an artist has its own set of unique challenges. Being in the arts industry means that aesthetics will always be a key part of all your brand communications.
At the same time, you also want to ensure that your website incorporates user experience (UX) design principles to drive traffic and increase engagement.
User experience understands the needs of your visitors and how they interact with your website. Is your site easy or difficult to navigate? Is it easy to find what you are looking for? Incorporating good design into building your website means users are able to navigate your site with ease.
You can have the most visually appealing website, but what good is it if no one can see it or if it’s too difficult to navigate for users who come to visit? You can also have a website that prioritizes functionality above all else, but if it’s dull, don’t count on your users to stay.
The good news is that there is no need to sacrifice aesthetics for functionality.
In this article, we will show you how to seamlessly weave functionality and visual design into your website, even if you don’t have a graphic design or coding background.
Always keep the user in mind
Put yourself in the visitor’s shoes. What do you want to see, and where do you want to go? How intuitive is the navigation? Consider their needs, intent, and online behaviours, and keep these in mind when designing your website. Bad design can leave users feeling frustrated, making them less likely to come back to your site.
Make use of website platforms
In combining functionality and design, many website hosting platforms (i.e. WordPress, Squarespace, Wix) easily allow you to customize your site without extensive coding knowledge. That being said, refrain from being too reliant on pre-set templates and always consider your business’s unique needs and goals.
Incorporate mobile and responsive design
Depending on your site, many of your users may be visiting from a mobile device. Having a website that automatically adjusts for screen size ensures a seamless experience for your users, no matter what device they use.
Use multimedia elements
As an artist, you want to showcase your work using visuals (images, videos) and audio that align with your brand. Ensure that these elements do not compromise your website’s loading speeds. Having a slow-loading website can increase bounce rate, which is the percentage of users who leave your website without clicking any links. After all, the goal is to get the user to stay and browse your site.
