
10 Key Points to Follow to Create a More User-Friendly Website
by Josh Biggs in Tech on 24th October 2021‘User-friendly’ is a more or less new term that was needed long ago to describe a well-made website with the users’ needs at the forefront. Before, people would say that a good website was easy to use, and a poorly-made one was one where the designs and development features weren’t up to the user’s expectations.
Today, users’ expectations have become much more demanding, as they should, because new trends and developments are coming out almost daily in the web-design world.
Having a website that looks pretty and is quick to load, is functional, and answers the user’s needs is the minimum required nowadays. Anything less, and you might as well not even have a website.
To keep your customers and users engaged, we’ve made a list of the ten key points that you’ll need to follow to build an intuitive and user-friendly website. And if you need examples of such design, see works of experience design studios.
The User is at the Centre
When creating and building a new website, your priority is to have the user at the center. You want to create a website that they can use intuitively and that will be simple enough for them to understand and get what they arrived for.
This creation of a simple and intuitive website starts by labeling all the pages and sub-navigation windows appropriately. This allows the user to know exactly where they are and what to do if they want to navigate your site further.
Responsive Navigation and Design
Users today not only access your website from one desktop computer, but they might also do so on the way to work from their phones, at home from their laptops, or even from their smartwatch. All of this means that you need to have a responsive design that will adapt the layout and functionality of your page to the different sizes and devices that there are.
Navigating Should be Easy
Making navigation straightforward for your users ensures that they won’t feel confused and leave the page, nor will they think they couldn’t find the information they were looking for. When designing a website, simplicity should be your law to follow for functionality and even layout and look.
The Logo is your Mark
Your brand identity is vital and should always be noticeable in all of your platforms and products. This also means that your logo should be easy to find. You want someone to see your website and immediately see and recognize your logo, your brand. Additionally, you can make your logo clickable, allowing users to go back to the home page by clicking on it.
Load Quick or be Left Behind
Slow-loading websites are not just annoying, but they can make you lose customers and users. People don’t have time to waste in today’s fast-paced society, and as such, you need to make your website as fast as possible. Increase functionality and improve the look of it without it costing you speed. According to a study done by Google, 53% of mobile site visitors left the page if it took longer than 3 seconds to load. Time is money.
You can check your website speed using Google’s Speed Scorecard. And even estimate what the revenue impact would be if you increase your website speed on Google’s Impact Calculator.
Make Searching Simple
Having a search function on your website is critical, as it helps users find what they are looking for if they don’t want to navigate your site. This search feature allows you to not be super perfect on your navigability and still not lose users for not finding what they are looking for.
It’s a simple design feature that shouldn’t be ignored.
Clear Calls-to-Actions
Visitors will sometimes need to be reminded of what you want them to do on a specific page. Although it might be clear to you what you would like them to do, remember that the user is not there when you design the page and will only see the final result. So, make it evident by using the appropriate layout, change of colors, and words to get your user’s attention.
Here are a few examples of explicit calls-to-action include:
● Click Here to Order;
● Download Now;
● Contact Us;
● Get a Free Quote;
● Learn More About [the product or service];
● Get Your Free Sample Now.
Use the Appropriate Language
By thinking like the user, try to use language that they will understand, without excessive industry jargon, not dumbing down to a reading and knowledge level below your target audience, so they don’t feel offended nor confused. Use simple and concise language throughout your site, the main text, headers, subheaders, bullets, and other formatting techniques.
Use Media, Not Just Text
In today’s online world, people are reading less and expecting more visual content: photos, videos, infographics, and more. But, it’s always important to keep a balance. Otherwise, your audience might get overstimulated by images and not contact the message from your text. And remember to leave some white space; you don’t want to overcrowd your site, so use text and media in a balanced, intelligent, and concise way. And last but not least, remember to always use high-quality photos and videos.
Sharing is Caring
To get the most out of social media platforms, it is necessary to allow your users to share your content on many different media. This way, your content is not only reserved for your site, but it can be shared and seen by others outside of your direct connections, increasing your reach.
Conclusion
In today’s online world, having a website designed to accomplish the necessary functionality with the right look and speed is mandatory. Anything else and your competition will be getting your users. As we’ve pointed out with these ten tips, follow them, and you’ll improve your website to be much more user-friendly.