3 Things to Know About Web Design in Minnesota (in 3 Minutes)

Minnesota has long been associated with traditional industries like agriculture and manufacturing. In recent years, however, new job sectors have spread across the state. Minneapolis and Saint Paul have become boom towns for the creative services industries, with start-ups and scale-ups contributing to the local economy. Moreover, Minnesota's tech industry now employs 40,970 workers. Businesses of all sizes in the "North Star State" need a website that attracts customers and moves prospects through the sales funnel. Here are three things you need to know about web design in Minnesota.

 1. The Majority of Minnesotans Use the Internet 

A whopping 82.1 percent of all Minnesotans use the internet, according to one study. This means the North Star State has one of the highest internet penetration rates in the United States. In fact, more people use the internet in Minnesota than in the neighboring states of Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota. 

This is great news if you want to attract customers in Minnesota. With an overwhelming number of internet users, you can target more people across the state with your business services. Use your new website to advertise products, sell items and increase the visibility of your brand. Not any website will do, though. You need to incorporate the latest website features to showcase your company. Background videos, feature videos, giant product images — these are just some of the website elements that will help more Minnesotans engage with your brand. 

Related: Considering a website makeover? Look over this Complete Checklist to Prepare for a Website Redesign (for free).

2. More Minnesotans Use Facebook Than People in Other Midwestern and Northern States

Minnesota is home to 2,586,180 Facebook users (as of November 2017) — around 48.6 percent of the population. This means that Minnesotans use the social network more than people in other Midwestern and Northern states. In Wisconsin, for example, only 47.3 percent of the population uses Facebook. Over in Michigan, just 45.9 percent of people are Facebook users.

Minnesota's high concentration of Facebook users provides you with a whole host of benefits if you want to redesign your website. You can incorporate features like social media buttons into your site, which let users like and share your content on the social platform. This exposes your blog posts, product pages and videos to a wider audience and could generate a steady stream of income.

3. Rural and Metro Minnesotans Consume the Internet Differently

Minnesota is a state of contrasts. Rolling hills and cultivated fields populate Minnesota's rural landscape, and soaring skyscrapers and glass office blocks dominate the skylines in the state's big cities. Rural and metro Minnesotans have distinct internet habits, and local businesses that understand these differences can optimize their digital presence. Just over 70 percent of Minnesotans who live in urban areas use the internet to watch movies and TV shows, for example. Only 46 percent of people who live in rural areas do the same, however.

It's important you target the right audience when you create your new website in Minnesota. Broadband speeds, for example, tend to be slower in rural areas. Flashy graphics and videos, therefore, might be better suited to metro customers in Duluth or St. Cloud.

Want to market your business to customers in Minnesota? Create a new website — more than four-fifths of the population use the internet here. Facebook is also popular among the local population, so incorporate social media buttons into your site and expose your content to a huge audience. Don't forget about the differences between rural and metro internet users, though. Targeting the right customer segments in this state will ensure your new website is a success.