29 Aug 6 Steps That Make Your Web Design Future-Proof

In this digital age, a business without a charming website is at a disadvantage.

A corporate website that is both functional and pleasing to the eye helps potential customers finalize their transactions.

Why would a customer choose your company if the site is shabby?

Before making up their minds, consumers research the products, services, and companies they are considering.

The information available online and the website itself helps them decide whether they should proceed with a transaction.

They use the site to form their opinions about the trustworthiness and professionalism of a business. Therefore, companies should seriously consider having a strong online presence.

Regardless of whether it is an entity’s physical presence or its online presence, evolving according to industry standards, is a must. While small businesses might not have sufficient resources to change now and then, they don’t need to be hopeless.

There are a few actions that entrepreneurs can take to make their web design evergreen.

Here are some essential tips that you should consider to ensure a superior web design.

1.    Use the right CMS

CMS or content management systems are used to create and manage digital content. There are different types of CMS available in the market, some being more user-friendly than others. Any platform that does not give you the freedom to make changes to the site is a waste. Therefore, the wrong choice can prove to be a nuisance.

Most websites of the world use WordPress to solve their website woes. In fact, out of all the websites powered by a CMS, 60.2 percent are powered by WordPress. This preference for WordPress can be attributed to how it outshines other platforms due to its superior performance and modifiability.

The platform you choose to run your website should ideally be both functional and flexible. After all, what use is there of a CMS that does not allow you to keep your website updated? Ultimately, business owners should be able to update the content or add new features to their website without any hassle.

2.    Make sure it is responsive

A business owner would never want their investment on a web-design to prove pointless.

There are several reasons why a website may not generate leads, and one of them is unresponsive web design. People choose to abandon sites that aren’t responsive or device-ready. Why wouldn’t they?

Good user experience is a vital ingredient to achieve the desired outcome. Think about it: how would a website woo its audience if it isn’t responsive?  In today’s world, people spend more and more time on mobile phones, and sites need to account for this reality. If optimizing the desktop experience is necessary, so is optimizing the mobile experience.

Since 70 to 80 percent of people research online before finalizing a purchase, it is essential to have a robust online presence. Any business owner planning to launch a website should make sure it is responsive and device-ready.

3.    Build an easily maintainable codebase

The website should have a codebase that can easily be maintained or tweaked when needed. Everyone does not have code knowledge, but that doesn’t mean that managing the code should be unnecessarily complicated. Adaptable code is a must. After all, there should be freedom to update the website.

Someone will be in charge of updating the site. Either you will hire an employee to update the website, or you will utilize a web design agency’s services. Some web design agencies deliberately implement a complicated codebase to tie their client to the agency’s services. Therefore, being vocal and asking for a simple and low-maintenance codebase is essential.

A future proof website must have an easily maintainable codebase. How would someone update the site the future otherwise?

4.    Find the perfect web host

A website can only run on the internet if it has a web host. A web hosting service is a service provider that gives you storage space and makes your website accessible online. While the perfect web host is a blessing, a bad web host is a nuisance.

A bad web host could cause various issues like poor security and too much downtime. Due to these issues, customers can’t reach you when your site is down. Another issue such a service-provider would cause is slow loading times. It is unfortunate to have a website that doesn’t load in time. If a website doesn’t load within 3 seconds, 40 percent of people will abandon it

There are many options to choose from in the competitive web hosting industry. Naturally, it is no surprise that the dedicated web hosting market reached 5.72 billion dollars in 2018, according to Statista.com. There are many reputable names in the market, and it is advisable to never compromise on securing a great web host.

5.    Hire a reputable web design company

A website is a vital customer touchpoint that should flaunt professional branding. While freelancers can do the job, the quality of their work is usually not satisfactory. What is the use of a website that doesn’t attract customers? It is best to rely on a reputable web design company to create a gorgeous website.

Branding is an inevitable reality of today’s marketplace. Since the website is being built to be future-proof, there should be no compromise on quality. In addition to web design services, businesses should also use professional logo design services to reach the desired brand image. It is magical how a professional logo design defines the small business perfectly

The pro web designers are aware of new design principles and can incorporate them into your website easily. Ideally, the web designer should understand your vision and execute it.

6.    Invest in advance to upgrade the site

Businesses should consistently strive to improve the website’s functionality. Building a reliable web design foundation is just the first step. There is no such thing as a website that will never need any improvement. One step a business can take to make sure their web-design stays future-proof is planning for the future. After creating a perfect website design, you should convert it into coding. If you are not familiar with the development, professional PSD to WordPress services will guarantee that your design is properly rendered into code and your website functions as expected.

The long-term budget should have specific provisions to avoid an outdated web design. When you plan to update and improve your website, you will make the necessary arrangements in advance.

Even if your website works perfectly now, there is no guarantee that it will never need to be updated. The site needs to be in line with industry standards if it wants to make a mark. A time may come when you need to bolster the security or even redesign the website. Businesses should be mindful of this while drafting plans.

Final thoughts

Businesses are striving to incorporate updates whenever necessary. However, frequent changes might not be financially viable for small businesses. To ensure the wise use of scarce resources, entrepreneurs should invest in building a future-proof web design. There should be no compromise. The corporate website must be both flexible and fantastic… Hiring a good web designer, choosing the right CMS, and having a good web host is a good starting point.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Evie Harrison is a blogger by choice.  She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences and expresses herself through her blogs. Find her on Twitter:@iamevieharrison