{"id":2926,"date":"2015-05-06T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-05-06T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lcn.com\/blog\/?p=2926"},"modified":"2021-07-09T14:28:33","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T13:28:33","slug":"7-tips-to-make-your-website-look-more-professional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lcn.com\/blog\/7-tips-to-make-your-website-look-more-professional\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Tips to Make Your Website Look More Professional"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your business can have the best domain name<\/a> and have huge potential, but if your website<\/a> is second-rate, potential customers are unlikely to be engaged and won’t stay on your site for long.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, if your website looks unprofessional, it makes your company look unprofessional, which can seriously damage your reputation and business plans.<\/p>\n[Tweet “7 simple ways to make your business website look more professional…”]\n

So how do you make sure you project the right image?<\/p>\n

While there are no fixed rules, there are some simple ways to create a good impression and keep visitors on your site for longer. Here are seven simple web design strategies to ensure your business is seen in the best possible light.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Select the Right Font and Background<\/h2>\n

A font can set the tone for your whole website. Cheap-looking fonts will give the impression that your products and services are also cheap, and hard-to-read fonts will send your bounce rates<\/a> through the roof.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"never<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sans serif fonts (without the curly bits) are easier to read on a computer screen, and black or dark grey fonts on a white or off-white background are easy on the eye.<\/p>\n

Also take inspiration from big-brand sites that use a lot of white space around text to create a sense of luxury and clarity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Upload a Favicon<\/h2>\n

Favicons are the little icons that show up by your website name in the browser tab and to the left of the website name for a bookmarked website.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"favicon<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As well as strengthening your brand’s image, they help your website stand out when someone bookmarks your site.<\/p>\n

It’s fairly straightforward\u00a0too – check out our simple guide to adding a favicon to your website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Use Larger Images<\/h2>\n

Apart from text, it’s images that can turn an ordinary-looking page into something more special and memorable.<\/p>\n

The growing trend of larger images on business websites tells a story; consumers today are more engaged when they see clear imagery that is aligned to a brand’s overall message. The Apple site is an excellent example of this.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"apple<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If your budget allows, instead of using stock images, team up with a professional photographer.<\/p>\n

It’s a worthwhile investment when you consider how this could impact your credibility in the eyes of potential clients.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Keep It Simple<\/h2>\n

Having a professional-looking website doesn’t mean you need to add flashy elements to the site. In fact, as with many high-end designs, less is more.<\/p>\n

Just take a look at any luxury retail store; compared to a budget store, there is usually less on display and plenty of space to draw attention to the valuable products on offer.<\/p>\n

The same principle can be applied to websites.<\/p>\n

Keep it organised and clutter-free to convey a sense of professionalism.\u00a0It will also help to direct the visitor’s attention to the things that really matter on each page.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Choose Your Colour Scheme Carefully<\/h2>\n

Much like fonts and backgrounds, colour schemes can have a huge impact on brand image and the immediate appeal of your website.<\/p>\n

Many quality brands avoid vibrant colours and high-contrast colour combinations. Subtler shades tend to look more professional and less “cheap”.<\/p>\n

If you want to browse through various colour schemes or create your own, free online tools such as\u00a0Adobe Kuler<\/a>\u00a0are perfect for professional and amateur designers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Don’t Forget Small Screens<\/h2>\n

Catering to the mobile consumer is more important than ever before, especially since mobile friendliness is now a ranking factor for Google<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"adapt<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With many more people accessing the Internet via smartphones, mobile responsive designs are crucial in the battle for consumer attention.<\/p>\n

If your site doesn’t look good on small screens, you’ll simply look old-fashioned and unprofessional.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Work With the Right Design Agency<\/h2>\n

Unless you’re a professional, making design changes to a website can be tricky. One small mistake in the coding can wreck a whole page. Thankfully there are many tools out there, such as WordPress, that make site creation a possibility for an amateur.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, if you really want to engage your audience, it may be worth investing\u00a0professionally designed site that people will want to stay on for longer and return to in the future.<\/p>\n

When choosing an agency, make sure they listen to your business goals and check out their portfolio for previous work.<\/p>\n

While it may cost more initially, a professional design could\u00a0benefit your business in the long run and you can have a website that you can be proud of.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

In summary, choose your fonts and colour scheme carefully, use larger images, optimise for mobile devices, work with a design agency that understands your business, and remember that simple designs are often the best.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, it’s the small changes you make to your website that have the biggest impact on your image and reputation.<\/p>\n

Make your website look more professional and you can attract the right audience, build a loyal following, and ultimately increase sales.<\/p>\n

Designing a website?<\/a>\u00a0Give it the best possible home with LCN website hosting<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Your Say!<\/h2>\n

What do you think makes a website or page look unprofessional? Is there anything on a sales page that would instantly make you abandoned the page and not complete an order? Let us know!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

First impressions count, none more so than when potential customers first land on your website. So make your site look more professional with these 7 tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":2939,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,26],"tags":[4],"class_list":["post-2926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-branding","category-design","tag-beginner"],"yoast_head":"\n7 Tips to Make Your Website Look More Professional - LCN.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"First impressions count, none more so than when potential customers first land on your website. 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