We’ve seen it all last year. From minimalist home pages with liberal use of white space to avant-garde graphics that seem to follow your eye’s movement. In fact, this year, we’re bound to have a continuation of the popular interactive design. 

Expect to see dynamic elements toned down and used sparingly to accommodate a more pleasant user experience. Plus, a more personal design approach with the rise of the scrapbook aesthetic. 

Here are the top web design trends we expect to see in 2024. 

1. Video-Centric Hero Images

Bombay Sapphire Home Page

We’re currently experiencing a preference shift from images to videos. Because of that, you can expect to see more sites use videos in their home and landing page designs. This is either coupled with smart videos that change once a user has interacted with them or full video galleries to showcase a body of work. This example shows how videos can be curated to present a cohesive theme. 

2. Interactive Animation

Asana Home Page

On the other hand, we’ve got the micro-animation trend. This year, interactive design is more subtle and minimalist, with movement reserved only for elements that need to be highlighted. You can see this mostly in product animations, where items will move upon hovering above them. It’s a great way to show users what items they’ve interacted with in your sight. You don’t have to worry about having too much clutter and movement in your web design either. Here, Asana has scroll-activated motion elements that move ever so slightly when you shift you cursor. 

3. Text-Focused Hero Section

Shy Studio Home Page

Meanwhile, following the minimalist design trend, more and more small businesses are now harnessing the combined power of efficient copy and appealing type. A few sentences to describe the business, some highlighted sections, and a stark contrast between font color and background–it’s an easy recipe to make an unforgettable web design. 

4. Hand-Drawn Cartoon Illustrations

Fat Choy Home Page

On the other hand, small businesses are also embracing the human touch with customized illustrations. You’ll see this mostly in the food or beauty industries, but don’t be surprised if you encounter this in tech circles as well. These illustrations breathe life into a brand and help bring extra eye candy to overall web design. 

5. Full-Page Sliding Headers

Sweetgreens Home Page

The best and arguably easiest way to design an interactive and dynamic website is through full-page headers. Combine these with a sliding feature and you’ve got a simple and effective method to hook your audience in to view more. It gives the feel of a slide presentation without losing the professional look. 

6. Creative Loading Elements 

Recruit First Loading Page

Recruit First Home Page

Another great example of using micro-elements to elevate your site is to use creative loading elements to keep your site interesting. Keep it cute, keep it classy, but most of all, keep it in your branding. This is an amusing way to keep your guests entertained while they wait for something to load. Plus, you’ll kill your bounce rate with an interesting loading element. You can shock your audience with a sweet-looking homepage. 

7. Maximalist Overload

Beeswax Homepage

Meanwhile, these days the line between good and bad design is blurred. Logos and texts are getting more and more unreadable and the line between design and anti-design is increasingly being erased. That being said, the maximalist trend has trippy designs that give your eyes an exciting treat. 

8. Elevated Viewing Experience

Nomadic Tribe Home Page

Nomadic Tribe Page

You don’t have to just design websites for PC or laptop viewing. You’ve got to think of other possibilities for how your audience might want to view your content. Because of this, some sites offer a mobile and thumb-friendly design experience. Others, however, take it up a notch. They offer dark mode or, in Nomadic Tribe’s case, even an interactive storyline. 

9. Retro UI Design

NewJeans Website

Don’t stick to templated web designs and be a trend leader by incorporating vintage elements to your web page. It takes a lot of work to get here: most sites completely use out-of-the-box headers, assets, and other elements. Most likely, you won’t find this template anywhere else yet. However, the sites that do this, always stick out in our opinion, so it’s a worthy investment. 

10. Kitsch-Inspired Aesthetic

Virtual Gas Museum Home Page

Sites that take inspiration from kitsch like to touch on the eclectic yet elegant side. It mixes various modes of design–unexpected photo collages, questionable color combinations, and even has a childish scrapbook quality to it. Some may find it odd, it has a certain charm that makes it great for businesses that have quirky or cheeky branding. It’s best paired with moti 

Don’t Miss The Key Elements of the Website

Small adjustments can make or break your audience engagement. To make sure your viewers are interested, here are some extra tips to make sure you get the most out of your site. 

• CTA. A call-to-action spiel encourages your audience to explore more of your site and get to know your business. Take advantage of this small hack to get more promising leads. 

• Navigation tools. Give your customers ease of use by providing them with search filters and bars so they can easily find the pages they want to visit. It helps them save time and keep your site accessible to a wider audience. 

• Photos. In a visually-oriented culture, people will want images to get to know your brand better. This is great for e-commerce sites that need product photos to introduce the item. Plus, you can even optimize images today by adding captions and alt text. 

• Consistency. Keeping your typefaces, color palette, and font sizes the same throughout your site will help your audience become familiar with the environment. Even when you overdesign, make sure to keep some elements uniform so your audience has some visual clues to hold on to.

• Mobile-friendly. A majority of users now choose to access sites on their phones. Because of that, you want to ensure that your site is equipped for various viewing experiences. 

Read more: 7 Ecommerce Website Elements Every Designer Should Know 

Read more: 10 Best Examples of Website Design for Small Businesses

Websites offer a window to your brand, products, and services. It’s a key ingredient that everyone–from small businesses and corporations–has to pay attention to. So, play your cards right, and you’ll end up with invaluable brand recognition just because of how efficient your web design is.

So, if you want the hottest web design trends, you can collaborate with DotYeti designers to fulfill your website needs. 

Sign up today and get started for as low as $449!

The post Watch Out For These Top Web Design Trends In 2024 appeared first on DotYeti Design.

And there’s no doubt that web designers are now one of the most in-demand creative roles. With intuitive and user-friendly design on demand, there’s been a more pointed interest in tools that make designing more accessible.  

After all, aesthetic websites can drive higher conversion rates. 

Here are 15 essential web tools for beginners and pros. 

1. Figma

Best all-around performance

If you’re working with a large team, Figma is the best way to collaborate and streamline your design processes. Users can access their whiteboard tool, FIGJAM, to map out design processes, prototyping visuals, and layout workflows for better collaboration. 

Apart from that, you can access animation, usability testing, and image editing tools. Figma is a free web design tool, but for organizations, it charges $45 per user a month. 

2. DesignModo

Best for static and simple websites

Sometimes you just need a one-and-done website. No need for fancy animations, elaborate layouts, and exquisite funnels. For some businesses, a simple slide and static site get the job done. 

That’s where DesignModo comes in. It offers various tools so you can build website templates and create static websites in a matter of minutes. Designmodo also offers simple hosting for their sites via static.app.

3. Vectr

Best free vector graphics editor 

Does it ever frustrate you when a vector graphic isn’t looking the way you want it to? Try Vectr. It’s a free tool that lets you design and customize vector graphics through its sleek platform.

Here, you can quickly create the icons and graphics you need with its AI-powered tools.

4. Marvel

Overall best option for beginners

Unlike other web design tools, Marvel is user-friendly and doesn’t have a steep learning curve. It has customizable templates and branding, making it the perfect option for students and beginners. 

However, Marvel’s animation features aren’t as smooth as other competitors, which is something that users may not like. Overall though, it’s a solid option that has free and paid plans. 

5. Canva

Best for content creation

Canva is best known for its content creation capabilities, with templates for just about every design format out there. To catch up with its competitors, it has recently released a whiteboarding tool that’s perfect for collaboration. 

Overall, this is a great tool for beginners to create quick and easy web design collaterals like icons and buttons. They also have a wide range of landing page templates for design inspiration.

6. Wix

Best for drag-and-drop web designers

When it comes to building sites with Wix, web developers can choose between the platform’s three website-building tools. If you want a quick and easy website, we recommend Wix Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI). 

Advanced users can use Wix Editor or Velo by Wix, their open-source platform that’s ideal for freelance web developers. Wix is great for its built-in tools for SEO and e-commerce, and you don’t need coding experience to get a site up and running. 

7. CMS Hub

Best for small business owners

If you want a web design tool that also manages your content, then this Hubspot tool is perfect for you. CMS Hub has all the basic features you need: website design, wireframing, and URL mapping, and even provides an SSL certificate. 

With its drag-and-drop editor, it’s a good choice for developers with no experience. Plus, they also provide a selection of templates and also integrate with other Hubspot tools. It can be a bit pricey though. 

8. Sketch

Best web design tool for macOS users

Are you irritated by cluttered workspaces? Maybe you’d like something that’s easy on the eyes, but with all the strong functionalities you love from other tools. Introducting: Sketch. It’s a fan favorite for its clean and sleek work dashboard. 

A caveat though—it’s only available for macOS users.

9. WordPress

Best for blogging or blog-heavy sites

WordPress powers over half of online sites, so it’s a safe option for any developer. But, if you’re looking to grow your site with a sleek blog design specifically, WordPress is the best tool for the job. After all, it has strong news and blog posting integrations and SEO-friendly features that can really drive up your site visits. 

However, while WordPress is a free tool, the cost of plug-ins can add up. You’d have to pay a hefty fee to really get a customized look with secure hosting. 

10. Visual Studio Code

Best free open-source code editor

Visual Studio Code is the web developer’s best friend. You can use it to write HTML and CSS code, collaborate with other developers, and build a website.

Users can connect VS Code to various extensions to expand its core capabilities.

11. Framer

Best accompaniment tool to Figma

Framer is another no-code site development tool that lets you create your own website from scratch. It’s a Wix alternative that lets you animate, design, and maintain your sites easily. 

But the best part is that you can copy and paste web designs from Figma to Framer without having to manually rebuild or use them. 

12. GIMP

Best for low-budget prototyping and photo editing

We know that GIMP is not the first choice that comes to mind when thinking about web design tools. However, its features can surprisingly be used for wireframing and even prototyping. It’s not as good as most paid options, but it’s a good place to practice and get your work going. 

That being said, we recommend GIMP to be used primarily for quick photo editing. If you need to remove backgrounds fast and do simple color-grading, this is the tool for you. 

13. Bootstrap

Best for mobile-friendly sites

Bootstrap is our top choice for creating sites tailored for mobile use. This tool specializes in front-end web design and has useful features like a grid system and a components library to guide developers.

You can find anything from buttons to navigation bars in the library. Plus, Bootstrap provides customizable templates for easier design.

14. Adobe XD

Best for UX web designers

Adobe XD is a great option for designers who are already familiar with Adobe’s creator suite. While most designers would first gravitate toward Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, or Illustrator, this new tool has strong UX features that designers should check out. 

For one, it has a modern and sleek web prototyping tool that is friendly to use. Apart from this, it also has a repeat grids tool and provides UI kits from tech brands for better content design. 

15. WebFlow

Best for making micro-animations

Meanwhile, another up-and-coming free web design tool is WebFlow. This tool provides end-to-end website support to help you design, create, and launch sites.  It’s a drag-and-drop website tool with useful features like calendar and campaign management.

We think this is suitable for designers who want to experiment with making scroll-based and multi-step animations.  

How To Choose The Best Web Design Tools

There’s not a single product that can cater to all your web design needs. That being said, there are some ways for you to find a tool that doesn’t disappoint. 

• • Scalability. Can this tool work even when you’re collaborating with multiple designers? How many projects can you work on per month? These can determine what tool you’ll end up choosing
  • Experience level. Are you working with a seasoned professional or a beginner in the field? This will help you decide whether coding customizations or drag-and-drop builders are better for you.
  • Customizability. The bigger your business gets, the more unique and distinct you want your website to be. 

There are definitely other factors to consider, but these are just some of the few things to keep in mind. If you’re looking for reliable web design tools, there’s no one solution to make things easier. 

DotYeti provides the fastest and most cost-effective alternative to agencies and freelancers by providing quick turnaround times, unlimited revisions, and comprehensive services. Get to know our scalable unlimited graphic design model today. 

Share your story with us so we can create a customized plan for you.

The post The 15 Essential Web Design Tools You Should Know In 2024 appeared first on DotYeti Design.

Being user-focused means focusing on what matters most—ensuring users have a great experience and find what they’re looking for. In fact, 79% of users won’t stick around if they don’t get the desired info on your website and go looking around other sites. 

How do you ensure they end up exploring your site and spending a significant time doing that?

By following web designing best practices to supercharge your user engagement—and we’re listing six such best practices in this article to help you do just that. 

1. Conduct a UX survey

A UX survey helps you gather insights from your customers or users and see what’s working for them and what’s not. Besides web designing, you can incorporate UX survey results in other digital products such as mobile apps, and prototypes at multiple touchpoints of your customers’ journey. 

Through a UX survey, you can your hands-on insights such as:

• Customer demographics
• Performance of existing products and features
• Exploring opportunities to introduce a new feature
• Validating your hypothesis on the subject matter

2. Create user personas to understand your users better

User personas are a great approach to understanding the mindset and buying psychology of a customer. The best personas out there are created using a balanced mix of data and educated guesses. Mind you, both pillars need you to perform thorough research and see a piece of information through multiple lenses. 

Here are some best practices to create powerful user personas:

• Create a user persona template beforehand that you can use for all kinds of personas. This will help you save time down the line. 
• Create at least 4-5 user personas to really get in-depth about how your ideal customer behaves. 
• Creating user personas isn’t a one-person job—invite your team members to contribute their viewpoints while creating a persona. 
• Keep editing the user personas as the picture keeps getting clearer

3. Take your UX writing to the next level

A website copy doesn’t have to be filled with jargon and written in sophisticated language. A language and tone that your visitors are easily able to grasp in one go is the best kind. 

When designing your website, it’s important to use the same tone of voice on your website as your social media. This will make the site feel more like a conversation than an informational post or sales pitch.

More importantly, before even writing a word, do your homework thoroughly, which involves:

• Understand the goals of your company and the product you’re showcasing on the website
• Go through the user personas and understand their pain points—what solution are they seeking when visiting your site
• Be familiar with the way they speak and converse in general—use that tone and language in your copy
• Learn about UX writing through courses, or workshops and create mock website copy before starting with the real deal

4. Create brand consistency through color, typography, and imagery

Source

Use relevant images

When creating an image for your content, it’s important to use the right type of image. If you’re writing about data visualization, it would be best to use an animated GIF or video. However, if your blog post is about the importance of staying organized in your home office, it’s better to stick with a simple photo of space without any clutter.

Images should fit the needs of users and their goals by providing clear communication that helps them understand what they need from their website experience.

Make icons work for your users

Icons make your site easy to navigate, but they aren’t enough on their own. You’ll still have users who don’t know where you’re pointing at in relation to your content or how many clicks away some links are from each other. 

Labels help solve this problem by instructing the user on what an icon does. So, even if someone doesn’t read through all of your text first time round, they’ll still know exactly what button or button combination should be pressed next time.

Use contrasting colors

When it comes to doing web design for user engagement, contrast is the king. 

Contrasting colors are a great way to increase user engagement and improve the user experience on your site. They can be used in many different ways:

• To highlight important information such as links or buttons
• To show that one part of your page has more importance than another 

Use readable font

Fonts are the most important aspect of website design. Without a good, presentable, and readable font, all your efforts in researching, UX writing, and designing will go down the drain.

• Make sure the fonts are readable in both a desktop browser and a mobile browser.
• Do not use anything overly dramatic—use simple website fonts such as Roboto, Lato, or Helvetica to keep it clean and amazing.

5. Have an intuitive navigation system

Navigation is one of the most critical components of any website. It’s what helps users find their way around your site, whether they’re looking for information or trying to find an answer to a specific question.

• Have all the links clearly labeled and intuitively organized into categories. 
• Avoid using too many menus or dropdowns (or any menu at all), as this can make it difficult for visitors who don’t know what they’re looking for—and even more confusing if there are multiple levels of menus within each page.
• Ensure every step after this one leads them back on track with their original path so that they don’t get lost along the way.
• Use clear calls-to-action (CTAs) so visitors know exactly what action needs to be taken next for them to complete their purpose.

6. Have a simple layout

Your site’s layout is a key element of user engagement. It needs to be simple, organized, and clear.

Make sure the most important features are easily accessible. Your users should know what they’re getting when they click on a link and don’t need to hunt for it. 

• Use a grid system for consistency. Use either CSS or HTML5’s grid system to create your layout—it will help ensure all important information is easy to find on the page and keep things looking neat.
• Keep it simple. Don’t clutter up your pages with too many graphics—this will make them harder for people who aren’t computer-literate or want something specific done quickly (like finding an appointment).

Read More: Top Web Design Trends of 2023

Drive your user engagement with spectacular website design

Designing a website isn’t just about making it look pretty—it’s about improving its usability for your users by providing clear pathways between pages. It is also about increasing the efficiency of search engines like Google and providing helpful information within each section of content.

Remember the goal is to help your users find what they need and get the information they want while ensuring it’s done in a way that fits your brand’s personality.

DotYeti is an unlimited graphic design platform that can address your web assets and landing page design needs. Book a demo today and find out how you can get

The post Designing for User Engagement: Best Practices for Web Design appeared first on DotYeti Design.

The best shopping sites have easy navigation, a simple checkout process, and accessible product inventory all at once. If you’re not sure how to go about that, read our tips below. 

E-commerce Website Elements You Can’t Forget

Don’t be fooled. Setting up an e-commerce website isn’t as easy as it sounds. Platforms like Shopify and Wix may have templates, but you still have to do your own elbow grease. 

One thing to remember in e-commerce website design is to understand what your customers want. The more you understand user intent and behavior, the better your site will look. But for now, here are 7 e-commerce website elements you shouldn’t forget. 

1. Image and product descriptions

One thing you shouldn’t ever forget when setting up your e-commerce website is adding relevant details and information in your product listings. Add a variety of product shots to help your customer know what they’re buying. It’s also great if you can add product reviews from previous purchases to get feedback. 

2. Customer support tools

In the digital space, you don’t really get a lot of chances to interact with your customers. That’s why it’s so important to provide tools to help you address concerns and answer inquiries. The easiest way to do this is to build a FAQ page on your website. Other than that, you can also optimize your chat to include templated messages for easier communication. 

3. Call to action spiels

Don’t be shy in promoting your newest products and latest promos using landing pages and other pop-ups. These call-to-action spiels are especially suited to homepage design. These promotions may seem corny, but they guide your customers to the best deals you have to offer.

4. Security and privacy

Make sure to build your website on a trusted and reliable platform. You’ll be getting your customer’s billing information, which is sensitive and private data, so make sure to get an SSL certificate for security. Not only that, add a disclaimer to your customers that their information

5. Search filters and navigation tools

Most of the time your customers visit your site with already a product in mind. It’s nice to let them see the whole inventory of your products. But if you have a lot on your inventory it’s wise to add a search filter so visitors can easily get to the item they want. Apart from that, make navigation easy by using simple buttons and straightforward layout designs.

6. Payment and shipping options

You want to make sure that your customers get an easy checkout experience. One great way to do that is to give them options by adding various means of payment and different shipping options. Pro tip: Some e-commerce sites suggest the best option for customers for the best shipping cart experience. Try to unlock this feature.

7. Store information

Just because you have an e-commerce website doesn’t mean you’re a company that doesn’t have a story. Most visitors will recall your brand when you tell them about your missions and goals. Here, you can even add some fun facts about your brand, your pledge, and your story.

Tips to Build a Friendly E-commerce Website Design

Not everyone wakes up with the magical ability to design an appealing website. That’s why we’re here to guide you through the best practices for e-commerce websites–with simple and actionable steps. 

The first secret is to develop wireframes for your website. You want to get a feel for your site’s UX using wireframing features. This helps you look at how user-friendly your overall e-commerce website design is before you launch. 

Next, you want to optimize your site for search engines. Add alt text to your images, use keywords for your links and descriptions, and use external and internal links to boost your page’s SEO. If you do this consistently, your customers will be able to look you up faster.  

Finally, make your website mobile-friendly. Some online shops make the mistake of designing only their web applications. The truth is, more and more customers are coming from mobile phones–it’s in your best interest to optimize your site for phone use.

Need some more web design inspiration? Read our blog on the best website design ideas for small businesses. 

And there we have it, e-commerce website elements to take your shop to the next level. Dotyeti offers unique website assets, custom branding, and illustrations for small businesses. Sign up today and you’ll get unlimited designs for only $449 a month!

The post Add These 7 E-commerce Website Elements For More Leads appeared first on DotYeti Design.

When you throw the design aspect into the mix, it gets even more confusing. Not to mention time-consuming. If you’re not sure how to go about it, this must-read design guide will help you learn the ropes.

Graphic Design Portfolio Website Examples To Spark Your Imagination

The best web portfolios don’t feel templated. Instead, they use a variety of techniques to appeal to their audience. 

On one hand, you can make your case with a strong user experience and design. Layout and motion are important elements you can leverage to your favor. However, some artists prefer to appeal using their color palette and typography. Using the same elements, you can reference your personal brand through repetition.  

1. Pawel Nolbert

Aside from Pawel Nolbert’s striking paint aesthetic, his portfolio will greet your eyes first. You can see how he has positioned his work so that colors slightly reference each other as you scroll down. It’s a great way to show that you have a strong personal design style.  

2. Aries Moross

If you want to go the edgy and modern route, follow in the footsteps of Aries Moross. In their portfolio, street and hype designs are laid out in seemingly random areas and even placed on top of each other. It’s a welcome treat to the eye, and a good reference to their punk aesthetic. 

3. Maria Marie

If you want to emphasize your brand identity, it’s best to look up to Maria Marie. From her home page to her portfolio, you’ll get an unmistakable pastel color palette. Anything from light pinks, lilacs, yellows, and greens–she’s got it. Her consistency really pays off.

4. Ryan Askins

Meanwhile, Ryan Askins is keen on riding the anti-design wave. Be overwhelmed with his intentionally abrasive design choices–loud fonts, contrasting colors, moving elements, and more. Rather than showing off his work, you’ll be more immersed in his design choices–which is really just a way for you to keep exploring his site. 

5. Brandon Perez

A good way to make your mark as a graphic designer is through repetition. If you want to be remembered, it’s always a good idea to reinforce your brand. Brandon Perez does an amazing job of designing his graphic design website portfolio using this strategy. With his green text borders over a gray graphite background.  

6. Tobias van Schneider

However, if you don’t want to be boxed into one style, you need to see how Tobias Van Schneider made his portfolio. It’s comprised of various aesthetic elements. Not only that, but he also frequently changes his typography, background, and other assets. It’s proof that creative work doesn’t always need to play by the rules. 

7. Alex Trochut

Are you a multimedia graphic designer with lots of projects under your belt? It can be challenging to show your work without confusing the audience. Thankfully, this portfolio by Alex Trochut gets it done in a clean and user-friendly way. Each of his projects contains tags and is separated into columns, so you can easily navigate the site. 

8. Victor Valiente 

Meanwhile, if you’re a motion graphic designer, you can take some cues from Victor Valiente. His site is filled with short video clips of his work, but it’s his design choices that really pop. The ingenious use of yellow borders with his 3D-rendered motion designs really brings out the dash of playfulness his art embodies. 

9. Raul Urias

Raul Urias has a striking visual style that will take your breath away. But what makes his web portfolio so effective is his choice to fill your whole screen with his artwork–a visual tapestry at its finest. He also separates his work projects from his personal ones, something more designers should do. 

10. PinkPonyCreative

Finally, we have the design tour de force that is PinkPonyCreative. Aside from its use of bright pink, it’s also a master class in introducing your projects without overwhelming your audience. With every project, you get a sneak peek at what it’s about to save you more time. 

Tips To Make A Portfolio That Lands Clients

Now you’ve seen great graphic design portfolio website examples. But if you don’t know what else to add to your graphic design website portfolio, you’ve come to the right place. We’re also letting you in on awesome tips to get your site noticed. 

Make a case study

Case studies are a great way to pick a designer’s brain. If you want to tell more about your process, it pays to explain your design journey for a project or two. Your future clients may find your process interesting.  

Add your experience

Most designers often forget to introduce themselves. But it’s imperative to let people know your work experience and educational background. Remember: you’re a person before you’re an artist. People want to know more about the person behind the design. 

Mix up your gallery

It’s also extremely important to add variety to your portfolios. Have you done packaging for brands, illustrations, and book covers? Your audience wants to know! Mixing up your gallery can indicate that you’re a flexible designer with various talents. 

Mind the details

Finally, any designer worth their salt should know that the devil is in the details. Little things like the favicon, your alt text, and captions can make or break your site’s bounce rate. Try to polish your portfolio as much as possible and make sure you leave no stone unturned before you publish. 

Consider a blog

Blogging isn’t for everyone, but if you want to optimize your site, this is one of the best strategies to take. You can write about your works, and inspirations, or just give insights as a designer. 

Don’t miss out on the latest trends for your portfolio, Get the best designs in the market by signing up for DotYeti’s monthly subscription plan starting at $449!

The post 10 Graphic Design Website Portfolios That Rock appeared first on DotYeti Design.

Think of your website as your storefront in the online world. It needs to represent you, what you do, and what you can offer to your potential clients.

So, entrepreneurs and freelance creatives, don’t skimp on your website design! After all, it’s a great way to show off your portfolio and give people a more professional Find the best website design ideas for your niche below.

Why You Need To Build A Good Website

Having a strong and professional online presence exudes credibility. It’s your way of saying, “This is me!” to the world.

But you can’t just go into it without a battle plan. You have to figure out some things first, like how you want your website to look, how many landing pages you’re planning to have, etc. 

After all, customers usually stay for less than a minute on most websites. You want to find a way to keep them discovering your site for as long as possible. To do that, you would need an engaging user experience that keeps your viewers coming back for more. 

Don’t know how to get started? You can take a look at these brilliant website examples so you can also stand out from the rest. 

1. Sarah Fischback Photography

For photographers, we recommend that you show your strongest and most striking photos in a simple and neat way, like this example here!

Sarah Fishcback Photography, a wedding photography business, provides an awesome website design template that you can take inspiration from. From the get-go, you can clearly see the types of services the business offers, their unique ‘light and airy’ editing style, as well as details on how to book.

The curated gallery of photos has variety and shows various locations, which reflect the photographer’s experience working with couples in various locations. Best of all, their website is intuitive, so you won’t have a hard time checking out their availability and contact details. 

2. Ocean Bottle

Meanwhile, if your goal is to convert customers, you can never go wrong with a strong landing page. Ocean Bottle has a striking holiday message for its visitors.

The marketing strategy is bold and subverts expectations. It reflects the brand’s environmentalist message while promoting the product, which is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

Play around the website a bit and you’ll see the company provides some impact numbers. If you’re in sustainability, it’s best to show some numbers and reports so your customers know your impact.

3. Wildwood Bakery

Here’s something that will take your breath away. Wildwood Bakery’s homepage is a wonderfully illustrated spread that’s an ode to the classic children’s fairytale book.

Their website is a neat combination of playful elements and drool-worthy food images.

Now, these intricate website design ideas may be difficult for small businesses to execute, but you can include moving illustrations and other quirky graphic design elements to start.

4. Sweet Dreams

Selling a new line of products? Make them the hero of your landing page!

Your product photography can sometimes be the groundwork for your website layout design. Just take a look at My Sweet Dreams’ lilac-tinged dreamscape.

The surreal and fantasy-like composition of their product photo seamlessly blends with their website layout design. Scroll through the page and you will find similar purple tones combined with strong product photography and simple line illustrations.

It’s proof that you don’t need fancy coding skills to create amazing website design templates.

5. The Boiler Room

Meanwhile, if you’re business is focused heavily on video and films, The Boiler Room’s website is an example of a brand that gets it right. 

Their homepage looks like an edgier version of another video-heavy platform Youtube. This isn’t a coincidence though.

The video previews, gallery-type carousels, and simple sans serif type are meant to evoke the same feeling as scrolling through a Youtube page. For small businesses, you can follow a familiar layout format as major platforms so users can navigate your site intuitively.  

6. Aroz Jewelry

At first glance, Aroz Jewelry looks like any other retail brand out there. But what makes it one of the best website design templates is its moving and animated text. Elements slide on the page or appear out of nowhere, creating a slight movement that entices the eye.

Their design aesthetic already follows the modern and chic vibe, so this extra subtle detail brings out an even more sophisticated feel. 

7. Disco Cheetah

If you’re worried about mixing too many colors and elements together, Disco Cheetah will teach you that there’s no such thing as too much.

This funky Korean food truck brand is not afraid to bring its groovy personality to its site with funky typography and colorful featured images. Consider this site as a coordinated splash of colors and typography.

It’s proof that you don’t have to play it safe when it comes to coming up with website design ideas.

8. Notion

A lot of people like to joke about the banality of the 2D corporate illustration website design template. Notion, however, has some tricks up its sleeve so they’ll keep you hooked. First off, they have black-and-white character designs that look straight out of a short Disney film.

They don’t overuse this concept and go straight to business.  When you scroll down, you can immediately see the Notion templates that are ready for users to copy and paste. Small changes like this can really amp up your design page. 

9. Regenerative Travel 

When you’ve mastered your branding, you don’t have to do a lot of elbow grease when it comes to thinking of website design ideas. Regenerative Travel’s website is a great example of how typography can elevate even the most basic and cookie-cutter website layout.

Because small businesses often have limited tools at their disposal, a simple landscape photo, powerful copy, and a clean variation of typography can be enough to catch the attention of customers.

10. The Original Denver

What makes The Original one of the best website design examples is its thick borders. Though their website design features minimal text and elements, it’s clear as day that they’re leaning toward a retro and vintage diner vibe.

The best part is that this art deco meets retro aesthetic and can be applied in different industries that have a similar throwback feel.

Where To Find Designers for Your Website

Completing your website should always be a priority for small businesses. Other than social media marketing, it’s one of the best ways to reach your audience in a custom and unique platform.

If you want to have amazing website design ideas for small businesses, consider checking out DotYeti’s unlimited design subscription. Access all creative services on demand for just a flat monthly fee…no more hidden charges!

Get started now, and you’ll get unlimited designs for only $449!

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That’s right—contrary to popular belief, customers still prefer your website for online information. In fact, having a store locator on your website is more than essential for any business for various reasons. And integrating it into an omnichannel yields positive results. Indeed, around 75% of customers make their own online research before heading out to a physical store. As you know when customers are driven to buy something, time is of the essence. Store locators are a great way to provide updated, relevant information to customers instantly. And to this day, store locators can become more than an address book.

Image Source | ThinkWithGoogle

Omnichannels Should Have a Store Locator

Despite the existence of external tools, potential customers turn to website pages to confirm your business details because they perceive it as trustworthy initially. The towering amount of search results from Google still has a reputation of being erroneous, and so these customers turn to your websites. Indeed, online information often drives customers to your physical stores. It’s a common myth that online search results lead only to e-commerce sites and online shopping carts. Online information includes business hours, holidays, location, product and service listings, and local amenities (like location-based pre-order bonuses). That’s why it’s important to update this information. Although your customers may not always rely on your pages, when they do, they often define trust.

Business Omnichannels Should Have an Integrated Store Locator

Image Source | Nielsen

It’s no strange thing to have a website, a mobile page, and a mobile app. Businesses nowadays often thrive through omnichannel and Nielsen reports prove success in having them. An estimated of 3million people use smartphones globally and 70% of those use store locators. Often, most of these customers check store locators when commuting—meaning on the go. Consequently, it is vital that these customers get answers fast, and a network for your omnichannel will make that both easy for you and your customers.

Other still use store locators on tablets and computers while at home. They prefer them when they check prices and reviews, review products lists, write their own reviews. But when it comes to using store locators, smartphones take the cake with smartphone use leading against tablet.

The Business Benefits of a Store Locator

Image Source | Vector Stock

Having a store locator is not just adding another page reference for your customers. In many ways, it indirectly affects your branding, customer loyalty, and overall revenue. While a store locator can appear differently for many businesses, here’s how they can help you and your customers.

It makes you more searchable

Customers would often search for local store locations online. In fact, this is one of the most common searches on Google. In addition, having business details like your name, phone number, and address allow your customers the prerogative to engage with your business however they choose. But having store locators enriches your content even more. The key for searchability is having essential content. And more content means more customers. Thus, a store locator surely upscales your business searchability.

It saves time and money for both your and the customer

Products lists allow customers to canvas for their desired price range of products. This is a time-efficient habit that customers employ when shopping. However, price ranges, sale offers, and store bonuses may differ from one store to another. Yet a store locator can solve that problem easily. By having a page dedicated to store locations, and linking them to their local pages or local numbers, your website saves time for both your business and your customers. In fact, this extended amount of convenience solidifies customer loyalty.

Store locators can also help customers find out if the item they want is available in their local store—again, saving time for your customers. It’s much better than having no choice but to go there, only to find out the items isn’t available.

It increases trust and overall branding

A store locator makes everything convenient for your customer. And by providing them with digital presence and personal convenience, your customers get the answers they are looking for anytime, anywhere. Online shopping then becomes extra convenient for your customers as they can check local store inventory items 24/7. This builds trust and good branding for your shoppers and would make them more loyal to you, inciting more trust in your business.

It makes your website more important

Google, Youtube, and all the other search engines make information more available than ever. In addition, social media imposes more accessibility for all types of customers—especially to those who aren’t necessarily tech savvy. But generally, store locators add something to your website that others can’t: value. Your website becomes an online storefront, but a store locator directly gives them what they want and need. Your website becomes the go-to place of information for customers before anything else.

It optimizes your physical store functions

Physical stores can accommodate only so much customers. With the possibility of multiple queries and fast inventory updates, a store locator can help physical stores provide service better by starting online. Reservations for items can be made online before coming into stores. Item availability like color, size, and quantity can be made through store locators and if not, the availability of calling local numbers is right up on the same page. These two business channels would work in harmony often relying on each other for business transactions. Optimization, indeed.

It allows market research for your business

Just like any other marketing tool, customer data can be gathered from store locators. When customers use your store locator, the system can log customer activity which you can analyze to figure out store locator trends and common customer needs. You can gather information they used if applicable like promo codes, zip codes and track the date and time of their visits. These data can be used to optimize the best time and place to launch your campaigns, and overall improve your customer service.

It centralizes your business

Having a store locator would require a centralized data. This can be done by placing data on a spreadsheet and all your store locations can be managed easily using the store locator. Utilizing this feature supports your retail stores, especially if you have more than a few people could manage. Data management can be secured easily from one location, and can be managed from there on.

Keep Your Store Locator Feature Updated

Your store locator will deliver its promise when you update your information. If not, then you’re wasting a valuable asset that would boost your business. The symbiotic relationship of your online presence and offline stores are so essential that it shouldn’t be taken for granted. Store locators, once set, become a passive marketing tool that strengthens your overall omnichannel. Most successful stores have it (and are famous for it). There’s no reason why you shouldn’t either.

Looking for creative ways to boost your business awareness? DotYeti offers unlimited graphic services to aid your business’ content marketing needs. We offer video editing, animation, custom illustration, web landing page designs, presentation designs, and more. Sign up today and get started for as low as $449 a month!

The post 7 Reasons Why a Store Locator Improves the Way You Do Business appeared first on DotYeti Design.

Hertz, an American car rental company, sued Accenture for $32million worth of damages in web development services.

Hertz called the website ‘defective’ and ‘vulnerable’, as reported by The Register, saying that the website development company cost them millions and millions over additional charges to complete the project. The car rental company hired Accenture back in August 2016 and the project was expected to launch by December 2017. However, Accenture pushed the project back to January 2018. And until recently, Hertz decided to call it off, lacking faith that Accenture could still deliver a completed project.

The Challenge of Website Development: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Any website development company knows that web development service is a tough project to handle. From home pages to cybersecurity, to user-friendly interfaces to eye-catching web design, web development takes an intensive amount of testing and retesting to assure its success. In line with this, a website acts like a storefront or a marketing device for a company. In this day and age, the Internet of Things (IoT) is used by people in their day-to-day activities and this opens possibilities of a big market, possibly even global when customers use computers, laptops, mobile apps, and other devices like tablets.

Hertz said that they asked Accenture to revise the failed project, however, Accenture mentioned that this would be fixable with a fee. Hertz then filed the lawsuit. Tech Spot reported the list of things Hertz complained:

What Actually Went Wrong

First, Hertz stated that Accenture did not scale down its web page to a medium-sized version. Successful websites often scale to any device so it would be accessible to all customers and all types of devices and not to mention, there is a rise in conversion rates among tablets and smartphones in recent years. Practical Commerce reported that a reason mobile apps aren’t converting well was that most pages are tailored to a desktop version only. In addition to that, mobile app and page designs have poor interface and navigation. Accenture created Hertz’s web pages for computers and mobile phones only. This alienates other devices to would need a medium-scale page, considering that Hertz is a global brand.

Accenture also reportedly ignored requests for the common core of libraries so Hertz could have a way of sharing files across brands for all apps and devices. Hertz stated in their suit:

“Accenture deliberately disregarded the extensibility requirement and wrote the code so that it was specific to the Hertz brand in North America and could not be used for the Hertz global brand or for the Dollar and Thrifty brands.”

Source

Web Development Failure Among Other Things

Accenture also asked Hertz to buy licenses for software called RAPID that they did not know how to use, making the whole web development project costly that it should be. They also used a code that posed cybersecurity issues that Hertz said left the company website unstable and vulnerable.
Accenture also failed to follow the Java standard and failed to test the website they have developed forcing Hertz to discover the mistakes themselves.

The lawsuit isn’t the only thing that Accenture is currently facing. Big Law Business reported multiple internal issues like firing an employee based on age among other things. Accenture said: “We believe the allegations in this lawsuit are without merit, and we intend to defend our position. Because this is an ongoing legal matter, we decline any further comment.”

Website Development Is Crucial for Business Image and Reputation

Website development services are crucial to small and big companies alike. The home page acts like a welcome page to all customers visiting them. Conversion rates also depend on how easy it is to navigate your page, in addition to other things. Examples would be multiple payment methods, easy accessibility, and customer-catered interface and updates. Consider these things when you negotiate with a web development company.

Successful websites would allow customers to get to know your business more, cater to their needs, and allow to avail of your products or services in the most convenient fashion.

The Best Website Development Companies Don’t Work Fast, They Work Smart

Web development companies that make successful websites would know how to avoid these. Web developers should take note of what the company’s goal, audience, and needs are before proceeding. It should also contain protective cybersecurity measures, should allow easy updating, and should be fully functional before its launch.

EOI Digital and its digital transformation web development service perform based on results. EOI has a well-developed team that could create groundbreaking and eye-catching designs and content, optimize searchability, and emphasizes online presence. Our website development company also creates mobile and tablet-scaled apps and pages to allow more conversion. By integrating the needs of the client and the customers, EOI can help your websites gain traction and conversion.

Looking for a place to get your website professionally made? DotYeti offers web page design as part of its unlimited graphic design service. Sign up today and get started for as low as $449 a month!

The post Hertz Sued Accenture Over Website—Why Web Dev’t Is Important appeared first on DotYeti Design.

With so much options and trends, it may get overwhelming to know which options will give you the best effects. Read on to see each option you have and how each will benefit you so you can choose wisely.

1. Better Navigation

website navigation

When users arrive on your site, you want them to be able to use it with ease and move about easily. It will be a big no-no on your part if you allow them to struggle in finding the information they want from your site. Poor navigation, this will add to that and may lead them to leave your page and go on your competitors. It would be a big waste if you lost leads simply due to this reason.

In order to improve this, you have to test your pages to check how people can easily find the information they most likely need from the site. You can also get volunteers from friends or family to find a page on your site and test how long it takes them to do so. This can help you gain a viewpoint from someone who is unfamiliar with the site and how they’d navigate it on their first try.

If you notice that they are struggling with it then your site may need a redesign that will help create navigation that’s simple to use and easy to understand.

You may want to categorize your content onto different tabs so that it will be easier for them to find their needed information. Having generic headings that can fit several subcategories per tab is the best option.

For example, if you have sell a particular product with different styles like Lash with Love, you can categorize it per occasion so you have an ‘occasion’ tab. Within this you can have weddings, birthdays and the like. This will break down all the categories to subcategories. Thus, your audience has easier access. A website redesign will provide your brand navigation that will keep leads engaged longer and lead to more sales.

2. Brand Update

brand website rebranding

In order to allow your brand to keep up with the current trends, it’s important to always update it. Whether it’s your logo or your overall branding, it needs to be evaluated every few months or so. A brand that looks like it’s from the past stays in the past. A brand design from the 90s won’t be relatable and noticeable for your 2019 audience. You have to redesign the site to stay connected and current along with your audience.

If you’ve recently rebranded or considering it, your website has to match. Your site should be an accurate description of your business. If not, this inconsistency may lead you to lose brand recognition along with quality leads.

At the same time, the rebrand opens you up to an opportunity towards modernizing your brand as an online marketing move. In updating the visuals, design elements, and navigation, you create a website that’s appealing to a modern audience.

3. Lack of Leads

lead website upgrade

When you start to gain traffic on your site, the next you want them to do of course is to actually stay there. Your website, as we’ve discussed previously, is the first impression of the audience towards your brand. If people are leaving as soon as they arrive or without viewing other pages, it is a big sign to rethink your current design.

Losing traffic over poor design is common, especially for brands that’ve gotten complacent due to their products selling well previously. While that is a good sign of progress, your website looking well may even bring your brand a newborn boost that will bring new leads. If you’re a brand that’s getting traffic but having trouble retaining that then a redesign may be the next step for you.

By making your website modern and updated, you can gain more interest and create a bigger impact on your audience. You can also open more spaces for interaction as the best way to know what a customer wants is from the customer themselves. Doing so may help decrease your bounce rate and convert those traffic into business sales.

4. Slow loading speed

Source: https://www.eurovps.com/blog/reasons-for-slow-website-loading/

As people’s attention span becomes shorter and shorter, the worst thing for them is slow-loading pages. They want page access quickly and easily. If your page takes too long to load, along with its images and graphics, leads may end up looking for other sites with a quick exit.

The loading speed may be due to a lot of things such as your coding or your visual elements. With a website redesign, you can do better and start fresh. Optimize your site to run faster and better. From the very start, you have to optimize your images. Doing so will keep your site from bogging down. You can also load the content faster.

You may also host your videos on third-party sites like YouTube because these files are usually large and may be a big part of slowing down your site.  Double check as well that there are no extra code or blank spaces in your code. While these seem like small things, they have a big impact on how your site performs.

If you want better reviews on why your site is bogging down, you can make use of Google PageSpeed Insights. Through this tool, you can measure how quickly your site loads. From here, you can make the changes towards improving your site performance. You may also use the services of digital marketing companies like EOI Digital. You can invest in web design as well to be able to cover all aspects of your website.

By redesigning your website, you have a fresh start with a fresh site that’s easy to manage for any type of user.

5. Mobile Optimization

Being mobile friendly is a requirement nowadays. More and more people are dependent on smartphones and tablets when it comes to conducting searches and finding what they need. If you want them to consider your site credible and useful for them, it’s important to invest in responsive design.

It’s a completely different experience when comparing mobile and desktop. Accessing a desktop site via mobile gives you a struggle for an experience that you’d almost immediately look for an easier experience. The part of zooming in and out and ending up clicking the wrong thing happens too often and easily. Such an experience leads them to click away.

So what do you need to do in making a mobile-friendly site?

The best option for creating a mobile-friendly site is through the implementation of responsive design which digital agencies are experienced in doing. This lets your website to adapt whatever device it’s using. Altogether, it creates a pleasing and memorable experience for users on your site.

And that’s it! If you can relate to any of these reasons then we recommend a redesign so you can make the most of your website and highlight your brand the way it deserves to be noticed. Need help with your landing page design and assets? DotYeti offers unlimited graphic design services for your every creative need. Sign up today and get started for as low as $449 a month!

The post 5 Reasons to Redesign Your Website Annually appeared first on DotYeti Design.

Zero Trust Maturity Model

Zero Trust Maturity Model

Its main difference is that it isn’t like the former security models which allow access with certain parameters. Rather, the Zero Trust model immediately assumes that all traffic entering the network is untrusted and therefore, needs verification. This is able to lessen the likelihood of breaches and also prevent hackers from entering the networks.

Research Goal

The goal of the research was to find a way wherein businesses may let go of the Trust but Verify the principle and make use of the Zero Trust Principle. This is done in order to keep information security and cyber security safe. It was found that Zero Trust has concepts and measures related to the principles of the Zero Trust Architecture design. The measures showed that there are further concrete cybersecurity solutions that may still be done.

Cybersecurity Maturity Models

It was also observed to see whether existing cybersecurity maturity models morph into a zero trust maturity model. It was seen that there were eight maturity models found that can adapt to this. These models have characteristics that were reused in the creation of the Zero Trust Maturity Model. Based on the business size, its infrastructure and the strategies of its IT management would not be applicable. This is based on the inspection of specific capabilities and controls and even entire focus areas.

Objective Measurement

They also decided to see if it was possible to be objective in measuring the maturity of businesses in the Zero Trust Focus Area Maturity Model. From there, you see that all the controls are rephrased to yes or no questions. You may also give a Not Applicable answer for controls that are not available within the business. Through the use of yes or no answers in the assessment and by providing all the cybersecurity controls using the same mass, you are able to create an objective representation of the cybersecurity state of the enterprise.

Zero Trust Maturity Model Assessment

In order for a business to improve its cybersecurity, then may go through the Zero Trust Maturity Model Assessment. Upon finishing this assessment, it may be analyzed to see how much of Zero Trust implementation is happening within the company. From there, the enterprise may be able to define the controls that need to be taken. You can take specific steps to create a plan for improving cybersecurity maturity in the Zero Trust Principle.

Zero Trust Society

Conclusion

It is now shown how the Zero Trust Maturity Model can truly emerge as an effective and powerful solution. Cyber attacks are prevented in a much better way. Despite cyber criminals getting better and more in-depth at targeting your data in the network, this model can truly provide you optimal protection for your enterprise.

DotYeti offers comprehensive graphic design services to all enterprises. Get strong visual branding and compact brand identity just by requesting your design needs. Sign up today and get started for as low as $449 a month!

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