What Makes a Web Trendsetter?

With a communication medium as ever changing as the Web, setting your business apart from others seems increasingly difficult. Statistically, consumers decide in seconds whether or not your site has what they are looking for. So what sets apart your site from the competition, and how do you make a unique site that attracts visitors?

The obvious, first guess is great aesthetics. A first-view impression is how users determine the credibility of a site. The design helps tell the story of your company and creates a special user experience, taking visitors to the next steps through your site. Finding unique design is important and, sometimes, takes looking outside your company to find inspiration. Breaking out of the norm will help create a memorable identity for your site, whether you integrate a piece of everyday materials to evoke nostalgic emotions or visit an art museum to find a piece of inspiring art.

Aside from having strong aesthetic appeal, the idea and motivation behind your site really makes the difference. Take Web giant Facebook: The aesthetic is a clean, simple, minimalist design, but it also fulfills a communication need to fulfill people’s desire to connect. The idea is to provide ultimate accessibility for visitors who possess different levels of being Web savvy. The intuitive interface in which users can socialize has launched Facebook to one of the most visited and accessed sites on the Internet, along with other social networking sites like Twitter and Digg. Now, there are many other sites waiting to fill that need and follow in the same footsteps: yammer.com, socialmedian.com and highrise.com. (Continued below.)

Social interface examples:

Facebook

Social Median

Yammer

In my opinion, a web trendsetter (as opposed to a follower) takes inspiration from not-so-obvious places to create a unique user experience, from observing how people communicate around you at work to how they interact with other people in their communities. Listen to your customers’ needs and be aware of changing social patterns and attitudes. Being a trendsetter means translating real-world situations and creating real online solutions to meet those needs.

Websites examples for inspiration: