All of us can relate to the idea of feeling welcome. Whether it is our own home or someone else’s, an office space or a hotel lobby, there are distinct features of a space that compels you to remain where you find yourself. Be it comfort, familiarity or a pleasurable ambience, environment is everything.
When thinking about your online space, these same ideas apply. It begins with a first impression and carries over to whether or not your space is inviting and appealing. Does it engage the visitor, or stimulate their senses? The following are some ideas to consider in order to keep that visitor at your place, feeling welcome, comfortable and happy.
- Just as you would set out some great baked goods or irresistible appetizer trays, give your viewers some useful information or appealing goods to sample. Depending on your business, this could include some helpful tips, some nice clickable images or previews of what your services include. All of these things should be pleasant to digest and not overly complicated. Simplicity is fleeting in the world of web today, and it’s an undervalued asset.
- Make sure your ‘space’ is visually appealing. Consider all the effort that goes into home décor and try to mimic those guidelines in a way that is applicable to the web. This includes using color in a tasteful, and pleasant way. A drab site will have little chance to inspire or excite a multi-click visitor, let alone a return viewer. Try to make each page on your site just a little different, as each page should offer something new and exciting, while still keeping in mind the ‘flow’ of your site. Try to demonstrate a cohesive atheistic as it’s important to create that special ambiance. The idea here is that a viewer will want to see what you have behind door number one, two and three. Using images, artwork, and visually pleasing icons are always a great way to brighten up your space and keep a possibly fickle web-surfer stimulated.
- A great way to make this possible is to use the simple, yet attractive layouts that WordPress provides. With the thousands of designs that they offer for free, all of the small nuances of creating an inviting online space becomes an easy task. For simple instructions on how to set up your own site on WordPress, follow the link: Blogging How-To.
- No one wants to spend time in a place that looks and feels just like all the rest. Being unique gets you points, and if you get creative with your layout or your content, visitors will likely see the value in spending time in your space. This does not mean that your site should turn into a circus of ideas, rather you should consider what makes you, your services, and your expert reputation unique, and play on that. Every opportunity you have to stand out from the crowd is one you should seize.
- Lastly, be strategic about every aspect of your site. Just as interior designers gain inspiration from design books, and other people’s homes, don’t shy away from replicating a style or idea you see elsewhere, simply put your own spin on it so it best serves you. Be fearless in exploring the possibilities of what your space could be, and strive to make it that ‘dream site’ that your business deserves. These days, your website is the face of your business, so do it justice, and in turn, people will want to stick around.
