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Key Elements of Effective Website Design for Manufacturers
The good news is that web design for manufacturers doesn’t have to be flashy to be effective. Let’s start with the basics of a solid web design strategy, as demonstrated by real manufacturing website examples.
Choosing the Right Color Scheme and Branding
Never underestimate the power of consistency when it comes to creating recognizable branding. Take Ford, for instance, a company whose logo font has changed very little in over a century. The company’s trademark blue oval, which has been in play since the 1920s, is also instantly recognizable to people all over the world.
The bottom line is that top manufacturers put a great deal of thought into their color schemes and branding, then use them consistently across their marketing materials. Check out Ford’s website for a great example of how to incorporate your company’s trademark color scheme into your website design.
Optimizing Navigation for Easy Access to Information
The easier your website is to navigate, the more effective it’s likely to be. Start with a header menu that features links to the top 5 to 7 most important categories on your website, such as “Products,” “Services,” and “About Our Company.”
How do you organize and present numerous subcategories? Let’s look at a great example from BASF, a global manufacturing company that engineers solutions for multiple markets.
When you click a main menu option on the company’s website, you’ll be presented with a dropdown side menu featuring more specific subcategories. The company also makes effective use of internal linking opportunities, as well as a well organized footer menu.
Incorporating High-Quality Images and Videos
While images and videos can add a great deal to a website, it’s important to ensure that you stick exclusively to high-quality media. Few things look more unprofessional than grainy photos or videos that fail to load quickly.
A great UX designer can also help you ensure that your media loads at the right resolution across a number of different devices. Additionally, consider using multiple types of media to appeal to different viewers. Check out the Chevron website for a great example of this concept in action.
Strategies for Engaging Website Content for Manufacturers
Now let’s explore the sales strategy side of website design for manufacturers. The key here is often to create the best, most helpful user experience possible.
When it comes to web design, the smallest details can often make the biggest difference. Make sure elements like product descriptions are clear, compelling, and well organized. General Mills, a company with multiple brands under its umbrella, offers a great example.
NTS Unitek, a global supply chain services provider, demonstrates how the same organization principles can also be used to showcase client testimonials. Ontic, an aerospace parts manufacturer, uses the same cohesive flow to demonstrate their expertise through case studies.
Last but not least, be sure to include clear call-to-action (CTA) links that tell your readers what you’d like them to do next. Whether it be filling out a lead generation form or exploring your blog, CTAs should serve as road markers along your reader’s customer journey.
Mobile-Responsive Design for Manufacturers Websites
In web design terms, a “responsive” website is one that can be accessed from any device without sacrificing quality. Given that mobile users now account for over half of all web traffic, having a responsive site is incredibly important.
While a good developer should be able to help ensure that your website is responsive, there are also plenty of free online tools you can use to see what it looks like on different devices. Some web design platforms, such as Webflow, even come with built-in tools that allow you to gauge responsiveness during the design process.
Maximizing SEO for Manufacturer Websites
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the art of boosting your website’s odds of appearing in relevant search results. If you’re not familiar with SEO principles, it's a worthy investment to hire someone who is. While SEO tends to be a bit of an art unto itself, here’s a look at several factors that can affect your site’s search engine visibility:
- The use of relevant keywords or key phrases
- The strategic use of keywords in meta descriptions and subheadings
- Properly sized images and other media
- Use of alt text for images
- Backlink-building
If you’re interested in learning more about SEO, consider checking out this free course from HubSpot. It’ll get you up to speed on the many components that go into boosting your website’s search engine visibility.
Summary
While a great deal of thought and planning goes into website design for manufacturers, the results can be well worth the effort. Upping your company’s website game can be a real game-changer when it comes to improving your credibility, attracting higher-quality leads, and boosting your conversion numbers.
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