In the wake of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, the world economy looks bleak, and so is the economic outlook not just in the UAE but the whole world. According to a survey published by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, and as reported by CNBC on May 21, 2020, 70% of Dubai companies are looking to go out of business within the next six months.
Nearly three-quarters of those companies fall into the small businesses category with less than 20 employees. And around 27% of them are looking to lose their business in the next month itself.
But there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. Several companies, especially technology giants like Amazon and Facebook, posted healthy profits. And as a result, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg’s wealth increased by 29.9 billion and 31.4 billion, respectively. The increase in the use of online retailing and the use of social media platforms and apps made this happen.

What Business to Pursue in the Future?

This is one question that everybody is asking; even big businesses are wary of what lies ahead in the future. An online business can be a good bet as there are several aspects that make this a viable option. Coming up with a website that can attract their target audience is what businesses need to think about in the first place.

In the lockdown, online shopping has increased rapidly as the profits of Amazon and other companies suggest. Apparel for toddlers and children, toys and tech gadgets are good business options. Even if you are looking to make a website offering children some online activities, while they are at home, the design will be crucial.
So, what works best for a website for kids, in terms of design? The following seven factors will help small businesses and startups to make a mark for themselves through intriguing design.

1. Bold and Bright

In terms of color, being bright is the way to go. A website aiming at children or marketing products for them can’t be dull or look boring in any way. Children are attracted by bright colors and graphics, apart from video and animation that all of us love. It’s time to go big and bright to get the attention of kids.
When it comes to an e-commerce portal offering kids apparel and gadgets, for example, the same strategy can work. But here companies need to be cautious as these sites are also visited by the parents as eventually, they make the buying decision. That’s why businesses also need to take care of how adults would perceive their website.

2. Amazing Experience

Remember Sesame Street? Children of all ages and even adults love the show, and their YouTube channel has made sure you get hooked to the characters, online too. Take a look at one of their latest clips, and you will agree.

Frankly, it is the characters on screen that make the clip interesting to watch, but have you noticed the background objects and how they make the proceedings lively? Similarly, you need to design a website that can catch the attention of the visitors and keep them browsing different sections by offering something new and interesting on every page.

3. Avoid Too Many Options

Many options mean more opportunity for you to sell your products, right? Not quite. Too many options will confuse children as they look to select a single product. Even for the parents, this can be a headache as they will find it difficult to zero-in on one product they like. That’s why it is best to feature just a single product on a page and make every effort to describe it.

Through short 10-30 second videos and apt description about the product, keep the design easy and straightforward. And keep the navigation simple too. Read more about in the next section.

4. Easy Navigation

Make navigation easy, especially for children. In websites like Sesame Street or Lego, below,

navigation is simple. As younger children may experience some problem in moving a mouse, or even using the touchscreen, keep the screen clean with ample distance between different icons. The size of the text and other content should also be dealt with utmost care to avoid mistaken clicks.

5. Traditional Structure? Change the Game

Designing a web page offering children an interactive game, for example, requires design that is not purely traditional. Offering something unique to your young audience will translate into something meaningful for them, rather than a run-of-a-mill design that they experience on every other website. A design that can keep the children glued to the screen is what is really required.

Take a look at the game Cyber Chase below. Do you see something unique and interesting? Or want to share something that has company enthralled you? Please share your experience with us in the comments section below.

6. Interactive Features

When it comes to perfect the design of a website related to children, you need to know something about the psyche how they perceive things online. Coming up with a storyline to connect different pages and make the website interactive is one aspect that can work well for any product. A simple story, just like the Cyber Chase example above, can be the focus of a website. The job of a designer here is to connect the dots with a story that keeps the proceedings interesting with a hint of suspense thrown in.

Think about stories narrated by Dr. Seuss and Roald Dahl. What can you learn from the classics like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”? Think about the storyline and how you can get the young crowd cheering for your website.

7. Sound

We all get stimulated by the sound and for children, nothing more pleasing than a nursery rhyme or a song. Check the insane number of hits on Baby Shark video, and you’ll know what I mean. (As of May 2020, 5.4 billion and counting!) It is the catchy sound or music that can work wonders for an animation. A funny voiceover for a video can also add that much-needed zing to your website and get the eyeballs rolling.

Final Word

If you think that designing a website for kids is easy, it is more difficult than a simple website for the general audience. All the above factors are just a hint to make things a bit easy for you. In actuality, it’s tough to master a web design that can get the kids hooked on right for the word go. I hope my readers will learn something new that can help them design a website that can create magic and keep the interest of kids alive throughout.

If you think you can add something valuable for the readers of this blog or help them in starting a viable business in these testing times, you are more than welcome. For questions or any type of feedback too, please use the comments section below.