Which Web Design Techniques Every Sports Website Should Employ
Live scores, data, schedules, and other information are abundant on sports websites. These websites each have their own crazed fan base. About 70% of people search online for their preferred sports team or athlete. These statistics show that fans can easily and rapidly find these websites.
As many as 94% of users today evaluate websites based on their design. The beautiful design may work wonders, as we all know, but can it influence visitors to your sports website? It can, indeed!
Every website needs a strong foundation because design upholds user confidence and satisfaction. Whatever kind of business you run, you need to have a neat, intuitive, and appealing design because it will increase sales by luring more clients.
Designers are constantly searching for fresh trends that will enable them to produce skilled designs for their clientele. Our article lists a few of the most important web design techniques that are appropriate for usage on sports websites. To learn more about these design tips, continue reading.
Top Web Designing Recommendations for Sports Sites
Site Components Simplification
Simplifying your website’s parts is the first step toward better design. The more user-friendly a website is, the more attention it attracts. Clear navigation makes it easier for your viewers to immediately discover the information they need. Instead of carefully reading every word on your pages, visitors typically scan them by concentrating on their peripheral vision. Therefore, if your website does not have a straightforward layout, visitors could miss important information.
Not only sports websites, but all websites need clear and concise navigation. Put the material on your page first by displaying it effectively. If you are providing a schedule, put it clearly above the fold so that readers can quickly learn all the information about that game.
The NBA website, for instance, has a superior design compared to any other sports site. Using straightforward components, they have positioned the most crucial information above the fold.
CSS3 Visuals Could Be a Win-win Situation
Because you may position CSS animations wherever on your page, they pique users’ interest. This animation can be used to draw attention to game times, results, etc. Because it improves the whole web design, it provides your site with an unmatched appearance.
Make sure the animation will not slow down the page’s loading time if you intend to utilize it on your website. Additionally, be aware that certain visitors can find blinking content unpleasant, so first get their opinions.
Both Images and Videos Tell Their Own Stories
Visual content is incredibly popular since it improves web design and boosts conversion rates. You can convey a message on your page without writing anything by employing high-quality images and videos.
If your website contains high-quality images and videos, you will never lose traffic because people enjoy exploring this kind of content.
Professional Photos Must Be Deployed
The maxim, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, is undoubtedly one you have heard repeatedly. The quality of the photographs on your sports website does convey a lot to the public, which is valid in web design.
Visitors may readily detect unoriginal stock photos these days. The last place you wish to go while trying to gain more traffic is to come across as generic if you employ those. Photos made by a mobile camera, no matter how good the camera is, are also insufficient. Do you wish to stand out as a professional source of sports info?
Additionally, do not deny your readers the chance to see actual images of the individuals they support and the heroes they admire. So do not skimp on the photos. Employ a professional that is skilled in their field. Your website will be substantially enhanced by it.
Use a Big, Simple Font but Also Whitespace
Make sure it is simple for your readers to absorb, especially if your page has a lot of lengthy content, like news or a blog.
These are the two essential components:
- Whitespace
- Fonts
The so-called negative gap that surrounds all content items is referred to as whitespace. You will note that each paragraph has a lot of blank areas around it. This makes the information easier to read and comprehend. Whitespace calms the eyes and gives the mind room to breathe. It enables your visitors to concentrate on the content, which is what actually matters.
Font style and its size make up the second essential component. There are a lot of intriguing studies on the best typefaces to use. The recommendation is to choose a plain typeface at a size of at least 14px, preferably larger. Followers and readers equally can follow everything significant about your team in this way without needing to put on their reading glasses or utilize the zoom feature of their browser.
Keep Your Design Mobile-friendly
The Cisco report predicts that in four years, traffic for mobile data will grow by over 12 times. Additionally, according to data, 41% of visitors now use smartphones, and mobile web traffic has overtaken desktop consumption for the first time.
Nowadays, websites that support iOS and Android are more popular. To keep ahead of the competition, it is crucial that you have a mobile-friendly design. The Bootstrap framework is the most effective technique to offer a mobile-friendly design.
New Trend: Vertical Navigation Bar
Because it is simple to read and use, many individuals have already adjusted the vertical navigation bar, claims Gigya. Because users enjoy this trend, eliminating horizontal hyperlinks can generate leads by 15%.
Because they do not obstruct the page, vertical navigation bars assist you to make your website appear tidy and professional. Utilizing such navigation also has the advantage of making it more user-friendly by including additional links.
For instance, if you want website visitors to sign up for your company newsletters, include this option on the vertical navigation menu rather than making them scroll down to find it.
Using GIFs and HTML5 videos to Differentiate Yourself
People adore animated stuff because it immediately captures their interest. As a result, you can employ this method to capture the interest of your visitors and boost conversions. To differentiate your sports website from the competition, make an infographic animation or a GIF instead of a conventional video.
Consider how Bleacher Report, for instance, offers the most captivating and lively material on its page.
Increase Sharing Capability by Integrating Social Media Widgets
All of the major social media platforms, notably Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest use hashtags to promote the brands of their platforms. Establish a relationship with your audience by enticing them to share content via hashtags if you want to increase traffic to your sports website.
About 29% of sports fans employ hashtags to find fresh information, according to research. Therefore, you can boost your social media influence and website traffic by advising or encouraging visitors to share sites via hashtags.
Live Scores Should Be Available on Your Website
People detest having to endure a lengthy wait to find out the most recent game results. Therefore, if you would like visitors to remain on your page for a longer period of time, you must provide live scores. The majority of sports websites display results on their homepage so users can view them immediately.
For instance, you may get the most recent scores for every game by visiting nbastats.com. The score is displayed on this page together with other useful data like calendars, records, and future events.
Create a Website That Is Specific to the Sport You Cover
Cricket and basketball, say, are both popular sports. Since some disciplines are often more popular than others, you must design your website in accordance with the most popular sport in your nation.
ESPNcricinfo, for instance, is among the most well-known websites on this topic when discussing cricket. It is a top cricket website that offers all the information you require regarding the ICC Cricket World Cup and cricket competitions under the ICC in general.
Additionally, if we are talking about soccer or football, the football section of BBC Sport is indeed a perfect example of something like a sports news site that offers readers important content in addition to stats, live scores, etc.
Conclusion: Small Design Changes Can Have a Big Impact
Implement the web design best practices described above to boost your chances of standing out above other popular sports websites with your company’s web presence.
WordPress makes it simple to create a website for a professional sports team. It should not be taken lightly, though; this is a serious matter. After all, it is how the outside world sees your team. But you should also consider some of the website builders that are straightforward, user-friendly, and provide excellent and compelling membership features. The finest possible representation of your site providing news, stats, analytics, and everything else from the sports arena related to franchises, clubs, national teams, or individual athletes should be made on your website in the way described in the paragraphs above.
That implies, at the absolute least, a neat, uncomplicated interface. The website for your sports news outlet must also offer pertinent information to anyone looking to follow, join, or learn more about it.
By following these recommendations, you can make sure that your Internet presentation turns into a valuable resource, a resource center if you like, for your followers and readers.