Websites now offer more than just information; users expect a seamless experience that engages, entertains, and informs them. A user-friendly website captures the user's attention without common issues like slow loading times or poorly displayed content on different devices.
We've all encountered typical website problems: images not loading, difficult navigation, or confusing layouts. And what do we do in such situations? We give up. Without a user-friendly website, you risk losing potential customers before they even get to know you. To maintain user interest and let your content shine, we've compiled our top tips for enhancing your site's user-friendliness.
1. Check Your Site Speed
First and foremost, ensure that your users can access your content quickly (ideally within two seconds). Approximately 50% of users abandon a site that takes more than three seconds to load, making this the optimal loading time to aim for across all your pages. This three-second timeframe includes loading assets such as images, scripts, and style sheets.
If you're unsure about your current site speed, tools like Google's Page Speed Insights, Pingdom, or Cloudflare can help. Whether you have a Shopify, WordPress, or any other CMS platform, these tools offer suggestions for improving your site speed. Two simple steps to start creating a more user-friendly website are checking your server speed and optimising images for faster loading.
2. Enhance Visual Appeal
Users don't enjoy arriving on a page filled with text only. They expect a well-designed landing page with engaging visual elements like images and videos. Images showcasing your products, team, or brand values can convey your business identity more effectively than words alone.
You can make your website more user-friendly by utilising colour schemes that enhance visual appeal. A balanced colour scheme creates contrast between visual elements and reinforces strong visual branding. Additionally, ensure that the background colour provides enough contrast for easy text readability and that the text is large and concise to maintain user interest.
3. Enhance Navigation
Upon landing on a website, visitors anticipate a clear navigation bar at the top of the page with easily identifiable headlines for straightforward navigation. Your navigation bar should feature concise headings that can expand into a dropdown menu to organise additional content.
To guide users from one page to another, incorporate calls-to-action (CTAs) that prompt them to explore further or take action. For instance, visitors interested in purchasing a product should be directed on how to proceed. Simplify the conversion journey by using a prominent, conversion-optimised CTA.
A clear navigation system is essential for a seamless user experience and, consequently, a user-friendly website. You can also include links to your social media pages in the navigation bar to encourage users to engage with your brand across various channels.
4. Offer Valuable Information
When users land on your page, they want to quickly grasp your offerings and unique selling points. Avoid unnecessary content when crafting copy or briefing a copywriter; instead, focus on communicating what sets you apart from competitors.
By providing relevant information for informed decision-making, you ensure a user-friendly website experience that prevents frustration and premature exits. On specific pages like product or service pages, delve deeper into the details to offer users comprehensive information while allowing them to choose what they want to explore.
5. Optimise for Mobile
Research indicates that up to 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. Therefore, when reviewing your site on a desktop, consider how it appears on mobile devices.
Mobile optimisation is increasingly crucial, especially with the prevalence of unlimited data that enables users to browse from anywhere. Ensuring a user-friendly mobile website prevents issues like cut-off content or incorrect loading. Mobile users have different behaviours, spending less time on a page and expecting a quick overview of your site with minimal scrolling. On smaller screens, be selective in displaying content that suits the screen dimensions.
In Conclusion...
Enhancing user experience involves empathising with users who may be unfamiliar with your business and are seeking unique content. While aesthetics initially attract users, it is the content and layout that retain them on their user journey.
Ultimately, a website serves as an information platform. However, in a competitive landscape vying for user attention, a user-friendly website is vital for capturing their interest and engagement.
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