Building a virtual environment with missing ingredients is always going to result in an unsavory, sloppy mess. And no one wants to eat the mediocre cake—we want the eye-catching one with colorful sprinkles that makes us say, “mmm, yes, please.”
Imagine walking into a supermarket that is totally disorderly. The food isn’t in the correct aisle, and it seems like a confusing labyrinth of empty shelves or one big shelf with everything on it?! You’d walk straight out and never look back. Unfortunately, this is the same reaction users have to a poorly built website.
To create your perfect virtual environment, mindful design and language are fundamental elements that should drive the planning and building process.
No one wants to face the cost of a poorly built Shopify store. So let’s look at how you can stay digitally mindful so your customers don’t run a mile at first glance of your online store.
Conduct audience research
If your online store is a little messy, don’t count on your visitors to stick around. Your website has to connect with your brand’s audience; otherwise, they’ll hit exit before even checking out your products.
It can be beneficial to conduct some audience research to find what works and what doesn’t. Get to know your target customer and discover their likes and dislikes and what has them hooked. Who are your competitors? How are sites inspiring for your target audience? This is a great way to play it safe when creating your own DIY website with Shopify or other website platforms, but be careful not to lose originality. You want to find what works for your potential customers and then cater your unique, authentic design around this.
Principles of web design
Designing your store well calls for a keen eye for web design and UX. Understanding what different designs you can play around with and finding a style that reflects your brand and speaks to your audience.
Nailing your design by carefully adding fonts to your Shopify theme, colors, high-quality imagery, and photography and filters can be the make or break of your new online business. Not to mention, how to create easy navigation for your site is crucial in keeping customers from bailing before checkout.
Design can be fairly simple and strategic for a professional, but if you’re new to it, it can be tricky to choose the best approach. Experts like our team at JDP don’t miss a thing when it comes to design and makes sure every single site we build is unique and distinct from the last.
Choosing your Shopify theme
There are so many themes out there to choose from with Shopify, but which one is right for you? How to choose a Shopify theme depends on many factors such as what your top three features are (does it have a mega-navigation menu? Frontpage slide show? Image zoom tool? Once you have these pinned down you can get to work with which theme best works.
Also, considering how many products you’re going to sell and your overall budget for your site can be really helpful for choosing a suitable theme. You can get many themes for free but some Premium themes can cost between $140 to $180 dollars and typically offer more functionality.
Shopify offers many plugins and apps that can really help boost the success and functionality of your store. Choosing the right ones and not overloading your site with plugins can help you avoid the inevitable cost of a poorly running Shopify store.
How’s your copy?
Communicating with your audience is fundamental so forming your business language is number one. It’s all well and good to have an impressive design, the perfect theme, and great products, but if you don’t connect with your audience, it’s a wasted venture.
Build your brand’s voice and channel it through your copy, like your landing page and blog section. Create the conditions to start a great, long-lasting relationship with your customers, and you’ll see your store go from zero to hero in no time.
Work with JDP
GettingeCommerce web design right can be a difficult task, and if you don’t hit the mark, you’ll be missing out on custom and long-term success with your online store. With this at stake, it’s best to work with the experts and the people who know exactly how to capture your brand, business language, and style to showcase the perfect online store for you.
jdp is here to get your vehicle in motion. We specialize in connecting businesses with their customers so you can get the most from your online environment. Visit our website today and get a free consultation. Let’s get your business ball rolling
