Remember what it was like hearing buzzwords like “blockchain” and “web 3.0” for the first time?
We’ve all read those helpful definitions that left us even more puzzled than we were upon arrival.
Is it a platform? A technology? Digital money?
Maybe you know how blockchain works, but most people still haven’t the faintest idea.
That’s gotta be fun for marketing and sales. How do you position your website in such a new area?
You have to help your visitors understand what they’re looking at before you can even hope to convert them into paying customers.
So let’s get you closer to bridging that gap.
We’ll explain what great blockchain website design even is, why this matters, and unpack the best design principles you should follow to get on the right track.
And if you want to skip ahead, here’s the elevator.
We have to get a little bit technical in this one, so let’s tackle the beast head-on.
First, let’s answer the question “What is blockchain?”
Blockchain isn’t the same as bitcoin or cryptocurrency in general.
Blockchain is a technology or decentralized system of records (blocks) that overlooks and maintains transactions made in cryptocurrencies in a network.
And while we’re on the subject, we can’t avoid mentioning web 3.0. So bear with us for a second.
Web 3.0 is a new internet evolution.
It’s not a clearly defined or fully-fledged concept yet, since we’re all still using web 2.0.
But essentially, it’s the start of a more personalized, seamless, UX-oriented internet that operates on blockchain.
This new, decentralized world wide web, also known as the Semantic internet, is built using technologies like AI and machine learning, whereas web 2.0 is built on technologies like JavaScript or HTML5.
This should help sum it up:
Important: there’s a difference between a web 2.0 website built for blockchain companies and a web 3.0 website built on blockchain for anyone.
For example, Coinbase is a blockchain company that provides the infrastructure and transaction services designed for cryptocurrency.
Their customers can send, earn, save, invest, etc. using cryptocurrency.
Their site is built on web 2.0.
And so is ours.
Now, that’s not to say web 3.0 isn’t a thing yet or that you can’t incorporate its principles in blockchain website design regardless of whether you use things like AI or not.
You can. And you should.
But all of this often gets confusing, so for future reference, this is exactly what we mean when we say “blockchain website design:”
Web design for blockchain companies that aims to follow the best web 3.0 design principles to bridge the gap between you and your audience instead of confusing them further.
Now let’s talk about why this matters to you.
If we may:
How are you going to talk about the future if your site isn’t even mobile-friendly?
48% of mobile users are annoyed by poor mobile optimization, and 53% leave if the site takes longer than three seconds to load.
That’s a lot of people to annoy before they even hear you out.
Meanwhile, only 0.71% of the global population currently uses blockchain.
Blockchain-based startups and companies are all about embracing the latest technologies and paving the way for a better tomorrow.
But what about today?
Sure, you need to educate your audience about a freshly peeled industry. You need to come forward with new concepts and trailblazing ideas.
You need to show them it’s not just some sci-fi movie premise or a LinkedIn scam.
But to do that, you have an even higher bar to reach than other industries. Let’s face it, if your website doesn’t even follow current best practices, you’re getting ahead of yourself.
You need to follow your own advice.
Web design is an investment in the future of your business.
How you go about finding the right partner for the job could be the difference between having a site that holds you back and a site that propels you forward.
If you’re asking us, it all comes down to these three key points:
| Why web design matters for blockchain companies | Explanation |
| 1. Helps you compete | Like any other industry, you need to aim for great UX, transparency, and ease of use on all ends to attract and retain customers. |
| 2. It’s the walk to your talk | You need to look the part and operate on up-to-date bast practices in an industry as forward-facing and technologically advanced as this. |
| 3. Keeps you secure | Security is a YUGE priority for blockchain, and a site that’s sustainably designed and regularly maintained gets that job done. |
So, how should you go about finding the right partner for blockchain website design then?
You learn what they should be doing for you and then check if your prospective partners are hitting the mark.
We know you’re busy, so here’s the short version of the checklist:
And now for the deeper dive.
Assume everything your audience reads about blockchain on your site is the first time they’re hearing about it. Because it might just be true!
This industry is in its infancy and the most important thing you can do for any reader is to make sure they leave your site clearer and more informed than they arrived.
Not overwhelmed and discouraged like they usually do.
Nobody trusts what they don’t understand, and they need to trust you to do any sort of business with you.
So how do you do this with web design?
Here’s a sweet example:
Strike is a platform that does blockchain website design right:
The design removes another layer of customer anxiety by putting the product at the forefront.
You get a glimpse into the app so you know what to expect when you download it. That’s always clever, but especially in a new, often intimidating industry like this.
Take notes!
You want your website to be a nice, welcoming space and not a digital haunted house experience.
Humor us for a second.
From the moment your visitors arrive, everything that happens is their impression of you.
The first one will be your load speed – like we mentioned earlier, cross 3 seconds and most people close the tab.
If they manage to get past the gate, there are other potential barriers in their way:
These and other web design glitches “scare” people away and ultimately hurt your conversions. ☹️
Your work here is to optimize every process your visitors need to go through (to sign up or order something, for example):
This is the way:
Everything you say needs to be not only trackable and legitimate, it has to be easy to follow.
It’s not important which fancy term your company prefers. It doesn’t matter how great you guys are.
The only thing that matters to your customers is how you help them.
You might as well be the best in the business, but if you can’t spell it out for them, those conversions aren’t going to happen.
Help them by educating them and positioning yourself as a knowledgeable authority figure.
How?
Content.
Starting with your web copy, and including resources like a blog, podcast, or use cases. We like how Stacks does it:
They give you the option to learn and explore right at the door.
Their copy does have some inevitable blockchain terminology, but they never forget to include a “learn more about this” button to help you follow.
This is a great way to leave wiggle room for your visitors with different levels of experience and build their trust.
Plus, quality content is another window for new leads to discover you through.
People want to know what they’re supposed to do, and in which order, without having to figure it out on their own.
And it’s on you to make it happen.
Less is often more here:
For example, Coinbase tells you exactly what to do and makes it look really easy by:
And if we’re talking about buttons…
You’re not gonna believe it, but this can be as simple as saying “download” when you want people to download something.
Or having a “get in touch” button when you’re sending people to contact you.
Calls-to-action need to convince your audience to do something (take action!) you want them to. You’ll get there by doing two things:
In other words, you need to make it all about them and their journey, not about what a great company you are.
In this example, the CTA is impossible to miss. And in case you’re not sure what you’re signing up for, there’s a second button ready to answer your questions right away.
Again: anxiety = gone.
Transparency beats looking cool.
There’s no room for mystery when it comes to blockchain website design. The more open and straightforward you are, the more people can understand and trust you.
Here are some ways to do this:
This is a simple but effective approach:
Riot puts it all out there with highlighted numbers, up-to-date information, and a latest news section to give you all you need to make an informed decision.
Ultimately, that’s what customers want across the board: to feel like you have their best interest in mind and aren’t trying to take advantage of them.
And now you’re all set!
Just kidding. We have a couple more blockchain website design examples to show you what a specialized agency could build for you.
Use these for inspiration.
We’ve selected them based on the criteria we discussed earlier, but we’ll be pointing out exactly what they’re doing well (or not so well) so you can take notes.
Iron Fish is a blockchain platform that provides “the strongest privacy guarantees on every transaction.” Their site does a great job of explaining what this means with a focus on why it matters to their visitors.
Their design is beautiful, with simple dynamic elements, clear CTAs, and clear navigation so you can quickly find what you’re looking for.
A little downside is that they don’t have a lot of beginner-friendly content.
If you don’t know at least a little bit about blockchain, you might need to google around a bit and that’s not ideal.
Overall, this is a sweet blockchain website template that could be customized for any industry.
Strong points:
Most of all, if the site goes the extra mile to make visitors comfortable as this one does, they have a good reason to assume your service will match the UX.
Weaknesses:
Gods Unchained explains itself in this homepage screenshot. It’s a free game that allows users to earn money by obtaining, trading, and selling in-game goods.
This is different from how gaming usually works.
Typically, you have to pay for a game to start playing it, and everything you build or gain in-game stays limited by those constraints.
This is where Gods Unchained is different.
Using the unlimited, decentralized blockchain concept, this game eliminates those walls and gives you ownership of everything you earn or invest in inside the game.
We love how succinct and punchy they are about it with slogans like “free to play, not play to win.”
The concept is easy to grasp and broken into steps:
You really don’t need any other info before you get to their site – it’s all there, explained in two seconds.
Strong points:
Weaknesses:
Gods Unchained makes great use of niche copy, shows they know the market and what they bring to it and does a fantastic job of incentivizing the users to play.
Last but not least, Cosmos plays the universe card really well – in the design, in the messaging, everywhere.
The concept is explained as soon as you land on the homepage.
If you’re ready to explore, they give you a lot of options, all packaged into micro-lessons that don’t result in a headache.
That’s rare for tech-heavy industries in general.
There’s plenty of material to learn from and they provide a step-by-step overview of how it works on the “get ATOM” page:
If there was one thing we wish Cosmos changed, it would be to make their offering less abstract by including some photos of how it looks to users or client testimonials on their homepage.
Still, a great blockchain website template to inspire your business.
Strong points:
Weaknesses:
This blockchain website template can be a great starting point for companies with more complex offerings who want to create their own genre, so to speak.
Of course, don’t just copy Cosmos.
But use it as inspiration for what your web design agency could create for your brand.
Your blockchain website design needs to demonstrate how future-focused you are first-hand, without overwhelming your audience.
And that’s on top of current website development and maintenance requirements that your business needs to meet to even be considered by users.
Things like fast loading times and spotless UX.
Nobody said blockchain was easy! (Really, no one ever said that.)
But a proper agency can make blockchain website design easier.
State Creative has been creating sites that stand out and meet top performance criteria for over a decade.
Get in touch if you want help with yours!
But whatever you do next, don’t make these web design mistakes.
