A memorable design is a tool that will help create this user connection.
1. Make an Impression
Users will remember the first thing they do on your website, as well as the last thing they do. It’s important that the memory is a good one.
Strong visuals on the landing page and a seamless finish to an action are key.
2. Tell a Story
A website is your gateway to the world. It’s an opportunity to tell people who you are and why you matter. Whether the story is that of a brand or a travel blog, effective storytelling is the thread that keeps users hanging on.
Telling that story is a two-part process:
Strong text to tell
Interesting visuals to show
You’ll need both elements to put together a complete package.
3. Use Color Effectively
Too much color and a design can cause users to abandon the site, too little color and the design can be forgotten. Right in the middle is an interesting mix of color that will stick with users.
The trick to color is to create a palette that works for your content but also contrasts with a lot of the other things users come in contact with regularly. (Just think of how many websites you click on every day that have the same color blue for the background.)
4. Do Something Fun
What comes to mind when you think “fun website?” A game? A movie preview? What about design techniques such as color, imagery and typography?
Any of these elements can make your design feel like fun.
Smiling faces in images or video
Bright, saturated colors
Something to do (a game)
Light, playful language (particularly in a similar typeface)
5. Engage the Senses
It’s all about the writing and imagery when it comes to connecting with a users’ senses.
One option is to interact with users and provide feedback. For example, a user inputs something into the website and something else is returned. (Think of it as a back and forth that happens in the same way as texting a friend.) Another option is to entice them into thinking about your design.
6. Mix It Up
Some websites are designed to have new content all the time, because they do connect with a repeat user base. (E-commerce is one common example, as are news or magazine-style websites.)
Changing the content or tweaking the design can provide new an interesting experiences for users that encourage them to think about your site more often and return to it. The key is that the new experiences should still feel like your content and design (so this can be pretty tricky).
7. Remember the Finish
You’ve got a plan to delight designers with your homepage, the visual are stunning, there’s a great call to action, but don’t forget the finish. Just as important as the first impression is the final impression. Knowing how to design this can take a little more work because users might leave your website from a different location than where they enter (at least you hope they do).
Dig through your analytics and find the page where most users are leaving and make that experience a good one. Create an offer to give users something – a good discount or printable/digital element – or lasting memory of the best part of your website.
Memorable website design is one of those tricky areas because it almost happens to users subconsciously. Do you ever stop and say “I’m going to remember that website!”? It’s doubtful.
But you do tend to remember some of the elements of what makes a website good.
Courtesy of DesignShack
