| | DECEMBER 20219CIOReviewWYSIWYG content management systems, people wonder why they would need to hire a designer or developer at all. "38 percent of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive" ­ (Adobe)2Gone are the days when designing for the web was mainly making superficial, cosmetic dressing. Web designers have morphed into user experience (UX) designers. The qualified UX designer will not only have a traditional art background with technical coding skills, but also have knowledge in business and marketing. They will use the acumen of design thinking and data research to target the right audience and successfully design a website that reflects your brand to those specific users in an engaging, accessible and enjoyable way. It is the difficult task of balancing design novelty with usability. How Design Impacts ConversionsA well-designed website can help with conversions in many ways. These are the top three key areas:1 ­ Ease of UseIn modern design, websites are cleaner, simpler, and to the point. Clear navigations on all devices will help get the user to their destination in the shortest time possible.2 ­ ToneThe tone of your website directly affects how the user feels about your brand. The colors, imagery used, graphical elements, tone of the copy and typography evoke certain responses in the brain. Understanding the theory behind this will help create a design that can provide an enjoyable customer experience.3 ­ Call to ActionDesigning effective call to actions can guide or drive your user's attention to where you want them to go. This is especially important in generating new leads.A successful website with these key elements will see engagement and conversion rates go up because users will more likely come back. The odds are that you will have a better chance of converting repeat users to paid customers. More often than not, repeat users who have had delightful experiences will share and help you spread the word, which is the cheapest and best form of advertisement. To achieve the above key elements, it is a wise return in investment to hire UX experts who can deliver these user-centric goals. Don't look for a "web designer" because we are no longer designing for the web. Instead, look for a UX designer because we need to design for the user
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