In today’s digital climate, having a website is a necessary marketing tool, but it needs to work for you. A User-Friendly Website is just as important as having a website in the first place!
So, what are all the key elements you need to consider when it comes to creating a fantastic user-friendly website? It isn’t as complicated as it seems – most of them just come down to good common marketing sense.
The Web Marketing Angels team has been building easy-to-navigate, beautifully designed websites for a decade. Here are our tips for a User-Friendly website to attract your target audience.
Cull the clutter
Clutter is the enemy of clarity, and the digital space is no exception. Too much content, too many images, too much “stuff” – these can all detract from your real message and cause potential customers to click away from your website. Keep the design clean with a balance of space and content so that the important stuff stands out.
For some web design inspo, click HERE to check out some of the websites we’ve built for happy clients over the years.
It loads quickly
There are a number of reasons your website might be slow to load, from large images to hosting issues. Whatever the reason or reasons, it pays to get someone with some know-how to analyse your website and help increase its performance. A slow-loading website is a huge turn-off for visitors. If your website takes longer than 5 or 6 seconds to load, you need to do some work on it!
Mobile (or device) responsive
Many people now view websites on their phones and tablets, as well as desktop. If your website is not designed to be device responsive, they won’t get the full impact. In fact, they may not be able to access sections of your website properly, including critical interactive elements such as menus and forms. Nowadays it should be a given that any website design responsive, adapting to the device it is being viewed on.
Informative, well-written content
Your website’s content should be clear and written well, in language that can be understood by everyone in your target audience. This is not to be mistaken for poetic or colourful wordsmithing, which can be overwhelming for some and may lead people to feel the content is diverting and lacks real-world value. A professional copywriter that understands your industry is a valuable addition to your marketing team, and can save you many hours, stress, and help you hold the attention of more readers.
Check regularly that everything works!
Never assume that things are working just because they did a few months ago, or when your website went live. Lots of things can happen in the meantime – your website might need updates for plugins, links may have broken, or some images may no longer be visible. Issues like this affect visitor confidence and may send them clicking away to a competitor’s site.
Security for peace of mind
If visitors to your website don’t feel secure, chances are they may not stick around for very long. This is especially the case if you are asking them to enter any kind of personal information. If you are collecting information of any kind – even names and email addresses for newsletters – you need to make sure your website has a current SSL certificate and that all software and plugins are up to date. If you’re not sure about any of this, you need to get in contact with your service provider as soon as possible.
Click HERE to find out more about Online Security and SSL Certificates.
Don’t fall behind the pack with a website that lags or is difficult to use. These key tips for a user-friendly website are just the beginning. There are many ways to ensure that using your website is an enjoyable experience for new and returning visitors (and the key is to get as many returning visitors as you can).
For more information on how to improve the design or usability of your company’s website, or to discuss any of the points above, contact Web Marketing Angels.