BMD Insights

The Use Of Colors And Negative Spaces On A Website

mwalker@brandedmind.com (Marvis Walker) — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 00:05:03 GMT

It is common for websites to have vibrant and colorful pages in an effort to impress their visitors. However, this approach often falls short of producing the desired outcome. Effective web design requires a harmonious blend of colors and negative space, as outlined below.

What Is Negative Space?

When people use the term negative space in art, they mean the space between and around two objects of an image. We use it in a similar way when we talk about web design.

Negative space is any unused space on a website page. You may have heard it as white space, but it means the same thing. Another definition could be that negative space is anything that does not catch the users' attention. If we use the second definition, negative space does not have to be white space but can be a background, an image, or a color.

Negative space has only two elements that are known as micro and macro. The micro negative space includes any space between small elements like letters, words, and lines. Macro negative space is space between bigger elements. Both micro and macro negative space are important when we build a website.

How To Use Negative Space

Use Negative Space To Break Up Your Pages

Websites that are saturated with information and lack adequate spacing can be overwhelming for visitors. It becomes difficult for them to comprehend the various components of the website. Negative space, however, can be used by web designers to create a visual break between the components and information on the website. This allows visitors to focus on one component at a time and better perceive the information. It's important to ensure that there is equal spacing between each component to establish a great website structure.

Improve Readability

Negative space helps the visitors to read the content of your posts and pages. There is negative space between words and paragraphs that make the content easier to read. Good readability can improve the performance of every part of your website. It will generate more conversions, attract more visitors, and increase engagement rates.

Create Visual Hierarchy

Achieving a balance between color and negative space is crucial for web designers to establish a visual hierarchy. This approach helps emphasize the key elements of your website and directs visitors to the appropriate pages. Additionally, it's impossible to create an efficient website layout without proper spacing between various elements.

Direct the flow of a page.

When you visit a landing page, you expect to see the headline, and then there is some content or call to action. If you scroll down, you will see more content, images, and calls to action. We need to make good use of negative space to direct the flow of the page. This process will help the website owners to get more conversions and the visitors to get the information they want.

Conclusion

While colors are important on any website, you need a great use of the negative space to keep a balance. If you use too much color or too much negative space, it can harm the user experience.

A Guide for Churches to Build Websites

mwalker@brandedmind.com (Marvis Walker) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:25:40 GMT

Constructing an effective website for your ministry requires a user-friendly interface that replicates physical interactions. This guide provides all the necessary information to help you achieve your goal of attracting visitors, engaging with your church, and spreading the message.

Let's begin.

WHO, WHAT, WHY, HOW?

Who is your audience/s ( Refer to our guide on digital evangelism)

What are you trying to tell them?

Why is it vital for them to know

How will it improve/change their life?

These questions are of utmost importance as they influence every aspect of your web development, including visual imagery, color design, and content.

After gaining a thorough understanding, the next step would be to proceed to the planning and design stage.

Before going deep into the design process, you must ask the following question.

Would you like your website to be welcoming and accessible to everyone? I've noticed that some churches create websites without considering the needs of all visitors. Even though the church's message is that everyone is welcome, this may not come across on their website. It's important to examine whether your website is accommodating to those who are color blind, have hearing impairments, are visually impaired, have dyslexia, or if there is video content. If your website doesn't meet the needs of all users, it can be difficult to reach a wider audience.

What's on the Menu?

Take some time to consider the key information you want visitors to be aware of. I can suggest a list of menu items that should be included, but I will only focus on the most important ones.

About us: Mission, vision, history, belief statement, leadership, Ministries
Events/Calendar
I'm new here/on the visitor's page.
Giving/donation
Prayer request
Services request
Virtual Church/ Streaming
Kids portal
Youth Portal
Membership Portal

Let's discuss the Call to Action that we will include on our website and determine their placement.

The homepage is a crucial element of your website as it serves as the gateway for visitors. Therefore, it is essential to utilize the space wisely. To entice visitors, the homepage should have a visually appealing design with a clear and concise narrative that provides high-level information about the church. Additionally, it is important to introduce other pages on the website and include well-distributed call-to-action buttons throughout the layout.

Does your website have the capability to gather data?

Modern digital technology has advanced to the point where it can gather essential information from visitors in a discreet manner. We no longer have to rely solely on web forms or lead magnets to obtain critical data. Through the use of integrated marketing and AI-powered systems, we can monitor visitors' activity from the moment they arrive on your first page until they depart from your website.

I'm New Here

This webpage is crucial for digital evangelism. It serves as a space to help new visitors become familiar with your church. This section should include all necessary information, such as a welcoming statement, a simple breakdown of the top 5 or 10 things to know about the church, what to expect during Sunday services (including length of time), an honest demographic analysis of the church to attract the right people, and quick access to essential services like prayer, transportation, and other assistance. It's important to also mention the services available for children of all ages during Sunday worship, such as daycare/children's church and youth experiences. Additionally, creating a list of important topics that might be interesting to them will help with providing literature that visitors will enjoy reading.

One way to enhance this aspect is by implementing a marketing automation tool that generates personalized content for every user. This approach guarantees that each individual is presented with tailored information.

By prioritizing the satisfaction of children, you may also appeal to their parents.

Allocating funds for a website targeted toward children is crucial. The website should be visually appealing and engage children with carefully selected video, audio, and graphics. Regularly updating the content will significantly increase your website's return rate. Keep in mind that parents seek well-crafted Christian content for their kids to view daily without the need for constant supervision or concern.

Mobile Friendly

Many individuals utilize their smartphones to access your church's website, whether to gain information or submit tithes and offerings. Therefore, it is crucial that your website is c

5 Things To Consider Before Building A Website

mwalker@brandedmind.com (Marvis Walker) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:25:40 GMT

A website makes sure that your business has an online presence. It helps you to generate traffic, get leads, and grow your business. However, there are five things to consider building your website:

1. Know Your Target Audience and Your Competition

If you build a website to expand your small business online, you probably know your audience. But you need to think about what your customers do on the Internet. For example, they use some platforms, use ways to find information, and like a specific type of content. If you know this information, it is easier to find them.

You also need to be aware of your competition because you must find gaps in the market and figure out ways to do a better job. Also, some competitors have figured a few strategies that work, so you can take them and adjust to your needs.

2. Choose The Right Domain Name

The best option is to buy a domain name with the .com extension of your brand. However, any domain name can be taken. If another person owns your domain name, you need to find another alternative unless you own the trademark .

Most businesses use brandable domain names that are easy to type and remember. The .com extension is always a better option than the other extensions because internet users are more comfortable with it.

3. Plan Your Content Strategy

You need a content marketing strategy, so it is a good idea to plan it before building the website. Based on your content, you can decide about the design or the tools you will need.

A starting content strategy could include the first 15-20 pages of your site and how you will promote them. Then, you can start creating the content while you build your site.

4. Decide On The Design

The structure and the design of your site will affect your results. According to a study, 94% of internet users create their first impression based on the design.

The design will affect the user experience, website speed, SEO, conversions, and many more. Later, you will be able to make changes when a part of your site does not work, but it's important to do most of the work in the beginning.

5. Create A Logo

Your logo is part of your brand identity and affects the first impression of the visitors. People tend to remember the nice logos of brands and can help you separate from the competition.

You can easily create a logo with online tools or outsource it to an expert for better results. The logo must be easy to remember and relevant to the colors or the message of your brand. If your company already has a logo, there is no reason to create a new one.

Conclusion

These five things will help you build a strong foundation. So, it's important to do them before building and promoting your website. While you can later do some of these things, a website must have a domain name and proper design. An ugly website or a subdomain would create a bad image for your business.

7 Things to consider when building an E-Commerce website

mwalker@brandedmind.com (Marvis Walker) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:25:40 GMT

If your website visitors get what they want, you will have better results. They must be able to find the details they need and complete a purchase without problems. Here are seven things to consider when building an e-commerce website that will generate more sales.

1. Have Nice Product Images

The first thing that your customers see on your product page is the image of the product. If it is not visible when the page loads, you need to change the structure and move the image on the top. According to a study, 75% of online shoppers make buying decisions based on the image. So, you need beautiful images that show the important parts of your products.

2. Your Design Must Fit Your Products

The colors and the structure of your site must be relevant to your niche and products. For example, websites that sell smartphones have a modern and techy design. If you want to sell toys, you need happy and playful colors. The same applies to any niche. You must find the colors and images that your target audience expects to see.

3. Easy Checkout Process

If you make it hard for your visitors to complete a purchase, you will lose customers. People avoid websites that are confusing and complicated. An easy process means that there are not many pages between the product page and the checkout page. Also, you don't need to request too many contact details from your customers if not needed.

4. Have Multiple Payment Options

Some online shoppers want to use specific payment methods for different results. For example, many people choose PayPal for security and avoid sites that don't give that option. The more payment options you offer, the fewer chances to lose customers. However, your business needs to be comfortable with these payment options as well.

5. Create A Contact Page

A contact page allows your customers to send you a message and show them that there is a real business behind the website. You can add an email, a phone number, or social media accounts. The customers can ask questions about the products or want to learn more about your business.

6. Add Social Proof

You can add some videos from your customers that mention how they like your products or add a few reviews from online sites. The average consumer reads ten reviews before making a buying decision. So, you can build trust if you provide social proof on your website.

7. Add A Refund Policy

E-commerce websites need a refund policy that explains the process to your visitors. They need to know if you offer a refund, how much time they have to return a product, and what actions they need to take. A refund policy builds trust and helps you avoid complaints from customers.

Conclusion

If you add the seven things to this list when building your e-commerce website, you will improve your conversion rates. They build trust and help the visitors to make a purchase.