Improve Your Website Design Usability
In the first few seconds of landing on your website, can your visitors easily determine what your company does, and how you can help them solve a problem?
If not, you may want to reconsider the layout and strategy of your website.
Your website should clearly communicate with your audience what you do and why you do it. A high “bounce rate” is a definite sign that something is seriously wrong with your website. (this means most users are leaving before interacting with another page or element on your website)
Here’s a few tips to help improve your design and website usability:
Help readers scan your web pages quickly:
- Use headings to break up long articles or text
- Cut out unnecessary information to keep content concise
- Use bulleted lists and text formatting
- Give text blocks enough spacing
- Use strategically placed visuals to split up content
Use intuitive navigation and keep it simple
When designing your website, your objective should be to create the best user experience possible. Making it easy for your visitors to find what they need is critical. Stick to a typical menu layout all users would expect, with no more than 1 drop-down menu.
The “three-click rule” is an unofficial web design rule suggesting that a user should be able to find any information with no more than three mouse clicks. Otherwise, they risk becoming frustrated and often leave.
Design every page as a landing page:
Many visitors to your website will begin on a page that is not your homepage. Either from an advertisement, or search engine result that directs them to the exact content they’re looking for. This is great, but many content writers and designers assume all visitors will see the home page.
When designing your product pages, it is best to see it from the perspective of a brand new visitor landing on that page. Does the landing page contain the necessary links to information they would need? Does it explain the product / service?
Don’t just start designing, and don’t focus all of your attention on the visuals. To ensure that your website is effective, you need to map out your “customer journey” from the first time they visit to the moment they click to become a customer.
Ensure your website is responsive and mobile-friendly in all ways.
We are no longer living in a world where mobile users can be considered the exceptions: over 70% of internet users have a smartphone or tablet and over half of web traffic worldwide comes from mobile devices.
One of the most obvious steps in upgrading your website to be mobile-friendly is by removing flash, Java, Silverlight, and other web elements not supported by mobile devices.
Google rewards websites that are mobile-friendly with higher ranking in mobile search results so you can also reach more customers faster this way.
Users are also more likely to return to your website if they remember having a great experience. If the user interface requires them to zoom and scroll a lot to see your content, many won’t bother returning.
You can check if your website is mobile friendly using the free Google tool here
Encourage sharing
Social buttons with pre-written posts encourage sharing! Visitors are more likely to share if it can be done within only 2 clicks.
Marketing is all about getting your brand and messaging in front of as many potential customers as possible. There are millions of social media users who have a group of followers who may be your ideal target market. Your other advertising methods likely are not as targeted as a simple social media post to the right group of followers so you should encourage sharing by making it as easy as possible.
Place native social share buttons for Facebook, Twitter, and other other networks your potential customers may be using, at the top and bottom of your posts and pages.
Use clear call-to-action elements
You need your visitors to take action immediately, and to convert them in to a lead or potential sale. Your website design may need a major overhaul or a few minor tweaks but making the effort is the first step.
A CTA instructs your site visitors to follow a particular lead. Examples include “Add to Cart” and “Download.” A CTA is a must-have asset in such times of fast and to-the-point internet users who quickly move to other options if and when they don’t see what they’re looking for. You may also include a “limited time offer” or other hook to create urgency.
Landing page best practices traditionally state that your CTA button should be placed above the fold. It should be one clear line of text (keep it short and avoid words such as Submit & Order) and a button or form. The user should never have to question what they’re clicking on, or signing up for.
