You might think that website designing and development are technical things and meant for designers and developers with thorough knowledge of coding. But did you know that website is in fact a huge marketing asset?
And with the progress of technology, creating and managing websites is no more limited to coders. Most companies nowadays have their websites managed by their marketers. But how do you know if your website is optimized for marketing purposes or not?
Well, truth be told a website is never complete or done. Just like marketing, it has to be dynamic and should comply with the changing needs of the industry.
So, when it comes to revamping a website, a wireframe is a must, and here are the steps to follow to create the same.
Steps to follow while creating a website wireframe
You need to remember that a wireframe is like a map that shows where everything goes inside the website. With the right directions and components a website wireframe can help you to build your dream website. It should clearly show the structure of your website and show the main components of each screen.
Research for reference
While creating a wireframe the most important thing to do is research. You have to cover two steps before you pick up the pen and paper. First you need to understand your audience, find out detailing requirements and create buyer personas. Once you have covered the base, you need to do an in depth industry research, and refer to competitors.
Carrying out an analysis of similar product lines as your own will give you a clear idea of prevailing UX trends and best practices. It will also help you review your own design guidelines.
Keep the user flow in mind
Once you are done with the analysis phase, you need to focus on the user flow. Creating a wireframe will quickly get confusing if you don’t have a clear idea of the number of screens required and the user flow.
It is crucial to understand where your user will be coming from and where you need them to end up (also what action you wish them to take). If you make sure to nail this point down, your users will be self-sufficient which will ensure lesser calls to you customer support executives and more importantly, less bounce rate.
Draft a preliminary wireframe
Creating a wireframe is not like a painting where you put meticulous attention to details. Rather it’s like a visual representation of the direction’s you need your designer to follow. So, don’t go about making illustrations. Focus on the features, and the broader format. Try to put the modules you need on a page in the correct order and the kind of feature you want on those modules.
You can ask yourself the following questions to make sure you have covered all the bases:
- How to organize the content to support your user goals?
- Which information and CTA is most relevant to your user and you?
- What should the visitor stumble upon first when he/she visits the page?
Add details and illustrate
This is where you create the final version of your website’s skeleton, Keep the following things in mind:
- Usability conventions
- Positioning of CTAs and Buttons
- Adding trust building element
- Tooltips to indicate relevant functionalities
Handing over
Once you are done, you need to get it approved from a senior who is looking after the project. You can also consult with the designer and developer to understand the feasibility of the modules and their functionalities. Once you have ensured an optimized wireframe, you are good to go to the next step.