There are more websites on the internet than you could possibly count. However, a big chunk of those will probably never take off because the creator has neglected his duties and did not think too much about things that are important for a regular internet surfer.
If you have plans to start a website of your own, then you must absolutely avoid this mistake and take into account what people expect from a website they might stumble upon one day. If you have no experience in this matter, these few tips should be of great use. And even if you have been building websites for many years, the article will be good food for thought to see whether you have been doing everything the right way.
Design
As shallow as it sounds, the majority of people care about looks more than anything else. Appearances matter and the same can be said about what we see on the internet. Of course, the design itself is important not for the sake of appearances, but for a regular visitor, that is the first thing that pops to head.
It would be better to have an example. For instance, if you have an e-shop that sells jewelry for women, quality of pictures and details that are colorful and cute will represent what you offer. And women especially pay attention to these details. Whereas a website that deals with legal matters by representing clients will need an entirely different look.
WordPress templates are a common way to get a website up and running quickly. However, if you are looking for something more bespoke then you may want to look to a web design agency to create you a custom wordpress website design.
The Speed of a Website
Performance matters a lot. Every guide about making a website will mention that you need a hosting plan which ensures uptime of at least 99.99%. When it comes to surfing, people do not have the patience to wait for something that does not load fast enough. If your website is down, they will more than likely go to another one and look at what they have to offer. Pay attention to details like loading speed and bounce rate as they are a good indicator on whether your page is performing the way it should.
Knowledge Base
Think of it as a place that has all the answers. Of course, putting them on a single page is more or less impossible. Even if you have an FAQ section, there is no way to put everything on it. That is why live customer support, comment section, and sometimes forums are used to give visitors that sense of importance and ensure that they are able to find the information they need.
WordPress is one of, if not the most popular platform for websites. It would be worth mentioning HeroThemes knowledge base theme for WordPress as your go-to option for making this even better experience for you and your users.
Avoid Unnecessary Features
Things like popups might be one of the techniques to get more conversions or subscribers, but a number of individuals despise them and immediately close the browser if one of those appears in front of them. And there are plenty of other things that make a website too saturated and discourage people from ever visiting it. Aggressive behavior, even though the goal in mind is making sales, should never get in the way of building a trusting relationship with your visitors. Therefore, you should be as careful as possible not to take things over the top.
Use Analytics
With a number of different analytic tools available, you would lose a lot by not putting them to use. One of the best ways to find out whether website visitors are having a good time is through analyzing data. Not enough traffic, no comments, and, of course, no sales should be more than enough to indicate whether you are doing a good job or not.
All in all, there are plenty of other ways to ensure that your website is user-friendly. However, these tips should be the cornerstone and work as guidelines for those who will be creating their first online project.