One thing we at FiddleFly always have on our minds is finding ways to do things differently. From simple things like letting an adorable little dog roam around our offices to the important stuff like providing game-changing mobile web development software, we know how important it is to separate yourself from the crowd. What we also know, is that when it comes to building a website, there’s no need to keep that creativity at bay. That’s why today we thought it might be fun to explore a few ideas to help you create websites that won’t get lost in the mix.
Share Yourself Along With Your Product
Bringing a personality to your site can make all the difference in the world. It’s easy to forget that just because your customers are shoppers, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still people. Showing customers that the companies they are dealing with are made up of real people too will not only help keep them on your page, but in turn will help push your product. Companies like Fixel, are finding new and inventive ways to present themselves to customers. Fixel employs a sort of “employee slot machine” type reel to display photos of their team. Another great example is the UK based web design firm Digital Marmalade which presents its staff using personalized trading cards.
Engage Customers on Multiple Levels
Giving information is great, but getting your visitors to interact is always a more exciting prospect. Including elements like flash games or animated gifs gives customers a reason to stick with your page, and the longer they do the more information they will take in from your page. Recently the web startup Wander was able to rack up over 10,000 users before even announcing a product, all by simply launching a game where users click on an animated cow. Of course if you don’t feel like designing a cartoon cow to click on, there are plenty of simple things you can do to engage your customers. Inviting users to participate in a caption contest, using flash to allow them to navigate interactively, or even simply inviting them to submit photos, videos, or ideas, can build a loyal audience for your product.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Something we can’t stress enough is how important communication has been for our company, and how tremendously it can affect yours. Showing your personality and building a customer base will only go so far if you don’t make sure that when those customers have questions, you have answers. Simple things like integrating a twitter feed so that you customers can always get updates and ideas from you, incorporating an interactive FAQ section, and addressing customer concerns directly and publicly will make your site not only comfortable for users, but also help drive returning browsers back to the site after they have gone elsewhere and seen the lack of support available.
Of course these are just a few ideas that have helped us and some companies we admire. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and find new angles of your own. Typography, media, animation, wherever your imagination takes you, just whatever you do, don’t follow the crowd.
Tell us what you think and share some of your ideas below. As always we’ll be on the lookout for exciting new developments, so make sure to follow us on Twitter @fiddlefly as well as checking out our Facebook page.
