How to Improve Your Webpages with Icons
When building your website, you have many options for making your pages visually interesting. Oftentimes images are great for quickly conveying an idea, a feeling or for showing off your product. Video can also take that visual engagement to the next level. Sometimes, you need something a bit smaller. Enter the icon.
Icons are pictograms or ideograms that help users navigate a computer system or website. They are a great tool to incorporate into your website design to quickly signal what your text is about without adding a large graphic.
Debating whether you should add icons to your website? Consider these benefits of incorporating icons and how they fit into your webpages.
Communicate information
Icons are primarily useful for communicating information signaling your text or link’s subject. If you are outlining the benefits of your product, adding an icon to the brief text of each benefit will help visually clue your readers into what those benefits are. For example, a calendar icon can help demonstrate how easy your service is to schedule.
Icons can help bridge communication gaps when used properly. If your audience is not well-versed in the main language on your website, icons can help to bridge the communication gap; however, the icon must be easily understood. Some icons like a magnifying glass for “search” are well understood, while an icon like a gear may be too broad. It’s helpful to add text to your icons where possible, or alt text for screen readers for the visually impaired.
Improve page design
No site visitor wants to land on your page to find a huge block of text. If you have a lot of information to convey via text, you should present it in a way that makes it easier for site visitors to absorb your message. Breaking up your page into smaller sections with short copy and a corresponding icon will make it easier for readers to digest your message. Take bullet points to the next level by placing text under icons to highlight lists like product features, service benefits, steps for working with your business and more.
Convey your brand personality
As with many choices about your website’s design, the icons are an extension of your brand and personality. There are tons of icon styles available online, and many are available in packs for free or for purchase. You can choose from simple, minimalist designs or detailed illustrations. Consider the brand image you hope to convey when selecting an icon pack. Icons should complement the other graphics on the page, like fonts, colors, logo and images. Whether you add a single-color or multi-colored icon, be sure you can customize the graphic so it matches your brand identity.
While icons are helpful, don’t add icons for the sake of it. Consider whether the icon is truly contributing information or enhancing the page’s design before peppering your page with these small images.
Talk to IDMI.Net today to learn how we can help you incorporate icons into your website.