How Design Complements Content

By now, most businesses have a general understanding of the importance of content marketing, but do they understand each aspect involved and its significance in driving more traffic, leads and sales? You’ve no doubt heard ‘content is king’ a million times, but have you ever heard about how design complements content? Here’s why your design serves as much purpose as your content.

Show, Don’t Tell

There are a number of website design elements that can instil user trust, the most prominent being that people trust what they see, not what you say. A great way to showcase this is through providing customer testimonials. Clean designs, simplified layouts, and basics like privacy statements and terms and conditions can ensure your users that your brand is reputable and honourable, a great example of how design complements the content. Using white space can also be a handy element in not overcrowding your website with unnecessary clutter.

Confidence in Functionality

How many websites have you left due to a lack of clarity and functionality? Site navigation and user-friendliness is key to keeping consumers on your site. The organised design is more appealing to consumers and therefore, more likely to keep them on your site longer and increase conversions. Design function communicates the right intent, and the designer should be establishing an emotional connection while simultaneously imparting an easily digestible message. The navigation of your site needs to be clear, concise and straightforward –   try asking someone who has never seen your site before to navigate their way around and ask for feedback. Content is what drives people to your website, but the design is what enhances that content and keeps them there.

Psychology of Shape

A lot of research has gone into the psychology of shape, colour and space in regards to visual grammar. Think about company logos and what their business represents. A fine example is the Apple logo, with the curve of the apple portraying flexibility and adaptability. Or how Microsoft’s squares correspond with their stability and consistency. Additionally, full circles and ovals represent community, friendship and unity and are often viewed as feminine in nature. In opposition to this, triangles are commonly associated with power, science, law and tend to have a more masculine bias. Just be careful with lines, as horizontal lines exhibit tranquillity and calmness, whereas vertical lines are associated with masculinity, strength and sometimes aggression.

Converting with Colours

Another reason why design is as important as content is that of colours ability to convert. Many studies have been conducted into the psychology behind the reasons why colour can affect our mood and emotions. According to Vertical Measure’s Erin Pritchard, ‘93 percent of purchasing decisions are based on visual perception, while 85 percent of consumers have cited color as a determining factor in their buying decision’. Research also shows that blue is the most used colour as it conveys trust, strength and dependability as well as increased readability. Specific colours on your website can show results of just how much design complements content. It would be useful to research colours and what they represent as men and women react differently, and each colour has its own signifier.

Lastly, you can lose the trust of your visitors with busy or complex layouts, pop-ups, hard to read fonts (including small text size), lack of pleasing aesthetics, and slow load times. Professional web designs are more likely to help your brand stand out, gain trust, instil confidence and increase your leads. Your content is what brings people to your page, but your design makes or breaks their attention, showing how harmoniously design complements content. It’s no good having valuable information if people have to squint to see it. Therefore, it’s essential you place as much focus on how your page looks as you do to what your page says.

Feeling stuck? Get in Touch with SponsoredLinX today on 1300 859 600 and speak to one of our professionals about improving your website design.

---