Your website is the first interaction many of your potential customers will have with your business. And what they see when they type in your web address or click on a search engine result can make or break you.
For that reason, it’s crucial to put plenty of time, thought and effort into your user experience (UX).
We’ve all stumbled upon a website that looks like it was designed by a toddler with a tablet. From lagging load times to improperly placed graphics to links that don’t actually link to anything at all, there are tons of ways to turn people off of your site.
Fortunately, there are also plenty of ways to provide great UX. Here are 10 of our favorites.
10 Tweaks to Take Your Website to the Top
1. Speed Things Up
On the web, speed counts. E-commerce sites that load within one second convert three times as much as sites that take five seconds. And 82% of consumers say that slow load times impact their decision to make a purchase. (This free tool from Google lets you test your load speed and provides tips on how to improve.
2. Go Easy on the Eyes
Too much “stuff” on your site is … well, unsightly. Don’t underestimate the importance of white space. Used correctly, it draws attention to what you want your audience to focus on and makes your site more aesthetically pleasing.
3. Optimize for Mobile
We really should not have to say this in 2024, but we’ll say it anyway: If your site is not optimized for mobile, you’re missing out on a huge piece of the pie. Fifty-eight percent of all online purchases are made using a mobile device.
4. Aim to Be Cohesive
If your homepage, about us section, checkout page and FAQs all look significantly different, it can be jarring and confusing to your audience. It’s important to keep the look, feel and functionality the same across the board. Anything less can come off as unprofessional.
5. Understand User Intent
Understanding how the vast majority of your visitors use your app or website is crucial. Are they there to learn more about your business? Book a demo? Quickly and easily make a purchase? Once you know why they’re there, you’re better able to provide them with a UX that fits their needs.
6. Have a Clear Call to Action
Explaining what you want from your audience is just as important as knowing what they want from you. A clear call to action — giving them the specific step(s) you want them to take next — makes the process easier for everyone involved.
7. Use a Variety of Mediums
Some people love in-depth blog posts. Others want to watch a video, scan an infographic, or go totally hands-off and listen to a podcast instead. By creating different types of content, you’re ensuring that there’s something for everyone and no one feels left out.
8. Keep It Super Simple
The KISS method (keep it simple, stupid) rarely fails when it comes to UX. Humans tend to enjoy the path of least resistance, so don’t make anything harder than it needs to be! If a very young person and a very old person can both navigate your site without much trouble, you’re probably on the right track.
9. Consult Your Heatmaps
We’ve talked about heatmaps before, but in case anyone needs a refresher, they allow you to see which areas of your website are attracting attention and which ones are falling flat. They make complicated analytics as easy to understand as the temperature maps on The Weather Channel!
10. Consult a Professional
Knowing that you need to improve your UX is one thing. Having the time (and the know-how) to do it is another. There is absolutely no shame in bringing in the pros to handle the heavy lifting!
Are Your Users Getting the Experience They Deserve?
If your website users aren’t getting the experience they want, they’re not likely to stick around for the long haul. A few simple tweaks can take your site to the top!
Does your business marketing need a boost? At Mischa Communications, we do it all! How can we make your job easier?