Collecting data is easy. Between Google Analytics and any number of third-party plug-ins or online tools, you can amass a mountain of information about your website fast. However, efficiently using that data to create a better performing strategy and strengthen your marketing and sales efforts is not as easy.

To be efficient, you must understand the data available and use what gives you the most actionable information. These six metrics will tell you what’s working and what’s not. Plus, they’ll keep everyone on the same page when discussing your successes.

Website Traffic Metrics Start with Visitor Count

Visitors, or traffic, is the metric used most often to compare sites around the world. While necessary to collect and review, traffic numbers don’t always tell you the whole story.

You can’t rely on your visitor count alone to help predict sales or to even inform changes you may sense are necessary to your marketing plan. Even so, it is a solid website traffic metric to start with when diving deeper into tracking your performance.

Bounce Rates Tell You More than Traffic Numbers

Once you know how many people are dropping by for a visit, you need to start thinking about what their experience is like when they arrive. Bounce rates let you know how long your traffic is staying before hitting the virtual road in search of a better answer to the question that brought them through your front door. Bounce rates are basically your main user experience indicator for your site.

Bounce Rate and Exit Page Tell You Different Things

Paying attention to both the bounce rate and exit page is important to track website metrics but they tell you very different things. While a bounce rate communicates how quickly a visitor left, the exit page will tell you the last place they visited.

If your most common exit page is a “contact us” form collection, that might be a good thing. If people are fleeing your site after visiting your pricing page, you might have an issue. And, if you are worried that your new slider will cause your mobile page to load too slowly, checking how often visitors left on that page might tell you to find a static image.

Referrals Let You Know How People Are Finding Your Site

Knowing where your traffic is coming from can be invaluable when planning new campaigns or contemplating where to spend your marketing budget. To intelligently plan ahead you need to know how people are finding you and your referral metric does exactly that.

Value Your Most Popular Pages

Knowing which pages attract the most customers and have the lowest bounce rate will help when deciding to make changes to your site or add more content. Don’t fix what isn’t broken. If you have a solid top-ten performing page, keep it and emulate its style when adding content to your site.

In the End, It’s All About Conversions

Whether you are converting strangers to subscribers, leads to qualified leads, or opportunities to closed sales, the purpose of your site is conversion. Knowing where and how often this is happening will inform your marketing and sales teams in everything they do.

Tracking website metrics can quickly become overwhelming. To be efficient, choose the metrics you value, understand their importance to your site, and disseminate them to the team members who need the information most. With a plan in place, you will quickly build on every success and rapidly change underperformers for the better.

The best way to reach new clients and keep repeat customers is to build your website and maintain it regularly. Communication must always be open, and customers should receive responses to their questions in a timely manner. Furthermore, products and services should have detailed descriptions, be updated often, and revised as needed. It is vital to track sales and generate leads and make changes along the way. With that, it is essential to master the top programming languages for web development to see businesses continue to evolve and thrive.

  

The best programming languages to learn (and continue to relearn) include:

 

1) JavaScript

JavaScript allows for more complex and creative features on a website and mostly caters to front-end web development. This is in tune with the client’s side, in terms of what they see from their computer or mobile device. Examples include interactive displays, graphic designs, and varying modes of multimedia. It is multi-paradigm and event-based, meaning codes are executed when a user hovers over or clicks on an icon. 

Major companies that use JavaScript include Netflix, Groupon, Uber, and eBay. This example reinforces how JavaScript is an ideal programming language for people who are directly and regularly interacting with a particular website. As a result, the user experience is fast, with code running from each browser directly without any interruptions.

 

2) HTML / CSS

Hypertext markup language (HTML) / Cascading style sheets (CSS) can go hand-in-hand, but also be independent of one another. HTML is the basic backbone and the markup language of a webpage, which has the actual content written out. Examples include texts, links, and other information. 

CSS is what makes a website stick out by adding color, layouts, and designs. It makes HTML language have a style and flair of its own. The two can be used when making a presentation, and are great for blogs, personal websites, and social media sites. Hence, website developers can present varying styles to different users, all while enhancing search engine optimization with greater accessibility.

 

3) Python

Python is another language that is easy to understand and is very user-friendly. It is object-oriented and supports several programming paradigms. It is mostly used for back-end web development, which encompasses the hidden aspects of a website, such as the scripts and data applications. It was designed to allow additional interfaces for current applications. Examples of famous companies that use 

Python includes Instagram, Spotify, and Firefox. Moreover, it is perfect to use in the academic field, such as when studying image processing and data science. Due to its enhanced process control functions, it is quick in terms of speed and productivity.

 

4) PHP

Personal home pages, or hypertext preprocessor (PHP) is a general-purpose, extendible, scripting language used for web development. The coding is executed on the server and sent to the client without them knowing of any running scripts. It runs on many platforms, such as Mac OS X and Windows, which is highly compatible with almost every server and is implemented for static and dynamic websites. It is open-source and free to use and can modify and encrypt data, control user-access, send and receive cookies, and alter server files. Companies that use PHP include WordPress, Facebook, and Wikipedia. Another advantage is it has a high-performance level, with low maintenance costs.

 

5) Java

Java is often a good first language to grasp, and it has been around for quite some time. Nonetheless, it remains one of the most influential and important languages to learn when it comes to web development, as it runs on over three billion devices on a global scale. It is both class-based and object-oriented, and can run on any platform (e.g., iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, etc.). Hence, it is a general-purpose programming language that is multi-paradigm. 

Some well-known giant tech companies that use Java include Google, Twitter, and Amazon, as well as an extensive number of other applications. Java is multi-threaded and can perform multiple tasks at once. Overall, it is a straightforward programming language with hardly any complicated features, and simple to debug.

 

6) C++

C++ is a high-performance language that is object-oriented. As a result, they are often used with applications that can direct critical issues and have a secure software infrastructure. C++ is also the programming language chosen for video games and commercial products such as Adobe Photoshop. It is also used for web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome and can render open-source projects and develop databases. Furthermore, C++ excels at creating operating systems such as Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office. By and large, it has multiple sets of uses and is compatible with many platforms.

 

7) C

C is general-purpose and one of the oldest yet commonly used languages in web development. It is the basis of other programming languages, such as C++ and JavaScript. It is a middle-level programming language that is versatile since it can be used for scripting for drivers and kernels and software applications. It can simplify complex programs into functions and move data across. It has many built-in features and is often used for video games, 3D graphics, and enterprise applications. Companies that use C programming include Adobe, Microsoft, and Google.

 

When building any website, it is important to create solid content with engaging features. The software and database need to be reliable, and the interface also needs to pique a user’s interest. Thus, it is essential to understand a variety of programming languages to boost your web development and create a compelling webpage.

 

To learn more about programming languages and to utilize the latest technologies, contact the experts at Zen Den Web Design at (831) 325-2867. Our professionals are happy to answer any questions you have.

Web design is constantly evolving: what was once limited by hard-coded, static HTML has now grown into a dynamic entity that literally drives businesses today. Web design trends continue to go in and out of vogue; with some trends slowly edging their way out (we’re looking at you parallax scrolling), while some older trends are either reinvented or repurposed.

Today, web design has taken on a much wider perspective: brand identity. Businesses today are using web design to tell their story: through colors, typography, imagery and even, functional elements of the website. Though it’s not readily apparent, good web design DOES influence customer trust. In fact, a recent survey by Kinesis revealed that 75% of customers based a company’s credibility on its website and a staggering 94% of users said that a website’s design contributed to first impressions of a business.

We’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions on what a poorly designed website could mean for your conversion rates.

So, here are 7 crucial elements of modern web design and why they are necessary to ensure that your customers have the best experience while on your site.

Breadcrumbs:

Easy and seamless navigation is critical to any good web experience: you do not want your visitors to get lost in your website. Breadcrumb navigation, which derives from what Hansel and Gretel did to find their way back home, does just that: allows visitors to track their way around your website. It provides them with context about their current location in the site, i.e. where they are right now in relation to the rest of the site and where they can go from there.

They don’t disrupt the design in any way and their purpose is immediately obvious to anyone who uses your site. Breadcrumbs are also good for your SEO: In 2015, Google started replacing the site URLs in their SERPs with breadcrumbs.

Calls to Action:

Calls-to-action are a crucial design element that drives user actions and conversions. On most websites, they are usually clickable buttons that encourage users to take an action – like a sign up, download, or purchase – that will eventually lead to an effective conversion. Their effectiveness hinges on their design: they should draw the user’s attention either with their size, color or positioning, without being disruptive to a user’s experience on your website. HubSpot has a list of excellent uses of calls to action that have been used effectively to drive positive customer action and conversions.

Typography:

Fonts and typography have long been used as brand identifiers, and with the influx of web fonts, brands are finding numerous ways to incorporate typography into their brand identity. The fonts you choose to represent your brand can say a lot about who you are and what your values are.

Today, a number of websites are using large fonts to great effect by highlighting the most crucial information in bold, big fonts, and surrounding it by whitespace or faded backgrounds to make their text stand out: like Spotify’s Out Of Office Email Builder and others.

Cinemagraphs and Background Videos:

Cinemagraphs are high-quality GIFs or videos that run as a background to add visual oomph to static and single page designs. They generate a visceral interest in the brand and create a sense of action, holding the user’s attention. See how Comedy Central does it with a clip of their latest comedy show.

Some businesses use cinemagraphs to give users a peek behind-the-scenes: showing the business in action shows the customers that there are real people behind the brand, which goes a long way in building customer trust.

Hamburger Menus:

When you have a long menu with a large number of sub-menus, your top menu can become quite crowded and take up a lot of screen-space. The hamburger menu – or the hidden menu – takes care of this by minimizing the navigation menu to the hamburger icon.

By minimizing the navigation to the hamburger menu, you can actually increase conversions, especially on sign-up pages. With a minimized navigation, there are fewer distractions for users to click away from a page. At the same time, the navigation menu is still within their reach once they have completed the form. For more statistics, check out the UX Movement study titled “How Hamburger Menus Can Increase Your Conversion Rate”

Search Boxes:

If your website is content-heavy, then a search box should definitely be a part of your website design. Like with most design elements, the purpose of search element should be conveyed clearly.

Today, most websites indicate the search field with a simple “magnifying glass” icon in the corner like the Comedy Central Website does. Clicking on the icon opens a modal search function that takes over the entire screen. On the other hand, some websites like HubSpot have an inline search form slide out when the icon is clicked. That is not to say that the classic search box in the corner is out: Wikipedia still uses it quite successfully.

404 Pages:

An oft-overlooked design element, 404 pages can be conversion killers if not implemented properly: when hit with a default 404 page, customers are left with no choice other than to leave your website (and possibly never return), and you lose a valuable opportunity for conversion. However, with custom 404 pages, you can make the user stay on your website by engaging them through the page: either by presenting them with relevant information on how to find what they’re looking for like HubSpot does with theirs or using humor to convey your apology like Airbnb and GitHub do.

Your 404 page should have the same branding and design as the rest of your website, to give users the impression that they’re still within the bounds of your own website. See how Lego’s 404 page (https://www.lego.com/404) uses their brand identity to convey the message.

Since a website is a business’ primary marketing tool, its design should be oriented towards providing prospective customers with a positive first impression of its values and its brand identity. Therefore, every single element in your website’s design needs to be given its due consideration: a single misstep in an element’s design can impact your conversions adversely.

Web design is a relatively new job. When websites first came into existence, there was no need for designers — sites were made up of pages containing just text. As Internet speeds began to increase, it was possible to make pages more complex, first by adding images, then videos and other rich content.

Read: 3 Decades of Evolution of Web Design

Google also contributed to the change — if site owners want their content to be seen, they need to optimize it.

Web designers now have to possess a wide range of skills, from coding to SEO, but the profession remains a creative pursuit. Designers are creating sites for users as well as search engines. It is the unique ideas that allow pages to stand out and our grab attention.

The End of Web Design as a Career?

Are days numbered for web designers? There is a fear that many more professions will disappear over the next decade or so due to artificial intelligence (AI).

It is true that AI has already taken the place of a web designer at some small businesses. A number of online services now exist to allow anyone to create a website. These work by asking users questions about their businesses and utilizing an algorithm to create layout, design, and even basic content. The result: a professional-looking website.

Read: Decision Time: Web Designer vs. Website Builder

The key here is professional-looking. Whereas many small businesses are opting for AI-generated websites to save money, it is negligible how much they are saving in reality.

For instance, many services limit how much a user can edit a site. Customizations are often restricted to a few features, such as color and minor aspects of layout. Plus, even when services do allow users to change code, the final result still lacks originality and inspiration — it is missing a human touch. When you need to add the need for frequent updates and fresh content to keep both users and search engines happy, you’re back to square one: you need a web designer and other creatives.

How AI Will Benefit Web Designers

Far from being problematic for web designers, AI could actually enrich capabilities. By relying on AI for mundane tasks, designers can focus their efforts on creative activities. A design requires careful thought and planning, but at least some parts of implementation can already be handled by AI. In fact, as AI continues to improve, time spent building a site may be reduced from months to mere minutes.

Furthermore, although AI has no understanding of art, it can generate the beginnings of an idea that a designer can use as inspiration. When such ideas are based around a large amount of data, AI can provide important insights that help the site become more successful.

The Takeaway

Whereas AI may result in a few more sites being created without a web designer, this should not be a source of worry for creatives. Large and medium companies, as well as many small businesses, understand the value of human input and will continue to seek the services of a web designer for their sites. AI, far from replacing web designers, will allow designers to do their jobs better.