What are the Benefits of Web Design for Manufacturing Companies?

If you own a manufacturing company, it is vital that you have a strong online presence. Even a simple website would be a start as this will be your most important digital marketing tool. Nevertheless, you should never treat web design as an afterthought as there are numerous benefits associated with an up-to-date and well-designed website.     

1. Your company will stand out from the competition

Has your company existed for a hundred years or more? Do you own state-of-the-art machinery that your competitors don’t have access to? This is the type of information you can incorporate in your website to pique the interest of your potential customers. In fact, you can use your site to highlight a wide range of interesting content about your company, including:

• Fascinating facts and history 
• Relevant news 
• Future goals and plans

Standing out from the crowd can be the difference between business success and failure so it is imperative that manufacturing companies utilise web design that will display current, complete and accurate information.

2. You will attract and engage customers

Your website is one of the most important online communication tools for both actual and potential customers. For this reason, you must ensure that the following web design features are included:

• Contact Us page – You can incorporate this page on your ERP or CRM platform if you have one. In addition, remember to monitor all inbound inquiries and respond to them immediately. You should also check to make sure that your contact details are up to date and accurate.
• Product details – Customers will often require essential product data, such as specifications or MSDS.  
• Online security – You must assure your users that your website is safe and secure. Start by making sure your site pages all have SSL certificates.

3. You will attract qualified employees

Manufacturing companies will always need a talented workforce and in this respect your website can be a practical recruitment tool. You can use your site to showcase your company’s work culture and to provide a positive first impression. Engage potential employees by giving compelling reasons why they will benefit from working for your company. 

4. You will have an effective sales platform

Completing sales is an important element of any business and a well-designed website can enable you to quickly attract buyers and boost your revenue streams. It is also a convenient platform for your prospects as they will be able to spend a few minutes viewing your product pages and price offers. Once satisfied, they can then get in touch with your salespeople using your site’s contact details.  

Web design tips for manufacturing companies

As a manufacturing company, you need to exude reliability and trustworthiness. To help in this regard, your web design should make use of light-coloured backgrounds and solid-coloured text. In addition, the colours of your company logo should present a modern look that will engender trust among your visitors. Your website should also incorporate the following features

1. Clear images of your facility and staff

Your company photos should clearly highlight your business values. For example, you may wish to post images of:

• Happy and efficient employees
• High-quality products
• Satisfied customers

 2. User-friendly menu

A helpful web menu will encourage users to remain on your site for a longer period of time and not be tempted by the competition. You should include useful navigation features, such as sitemaps, links and breadcrumbs.  

While the pages must present your company’s best qualities, you should also keep your customers in mind. For instance, your content should appeal to decision-makers and potential clients.

3. Fast loading time

Customers don’t like to be kept waiting. This is why your website should load as quickly as possible – ideally in under three seconds. Otherwise, every second of delay could cost you potential customers and sales.

4. Appropriate colours

Colours can help convey specific emotions. For instance:

• Blue – trustworthiness and authority
• Red – strong emotions
• Black – exclusiveness

For this reason, you should always be mindful when choosing colours for your site as they can enhance your sales targets and conversion goals.

5. A visible and strong call-to-action

Call-to-action is your opportunity to convince visitors to become customers so it is imperative that it grabs their attention through the use of:

• Encouraging words
• Simple buttons
• Warm colours, such as red

6. Lots of white space

Did you know that white or negative space is a positive web design feature? It breaks up page texts, making it easier for readers to scan the content. Newspapers were the first to use white space and it is also applicable to online pages.

7. Only offer essential options

One of the purposes of a business website is to quickly convert visitors into customers. This means presenting straightforward options for users to click on rather than confusing them with countless links. A winning combination could involve limiting the options to these four pages:

• Homepage
• About page
• Contact page
• Call-to-action

Bear in mind that your CTA is critical in terms of generating sales. This means the faster that visitors can determine their choices, the better your chances of closing a deal.

Conclusion

As a manufacturer, you need a strong online presence to expand your market and increase your sales. Fortunately, because it is a virtual marketing platform, a well-designed website can help you achieve these goals. Every page should be designed to attract and engage your customers. This will require the careful use of a navigation menu, colours and call-to-action. There are also other factors to consider, including your site’s loading time and the use of white space. In this fast-paced world, selling your products online can boost your revenue streams and increase your profits.