It’s repeated everywhere, your website is your online storefront. But having a website is very different to having a user-friendly website which will see an increase in sales. Every article will have a slightly different list of what you need to include, but these are the main features you need to create a user-friendly website.
First of all, with the increased rise in mobiles, websites are now ranked based on how compatible they are with mobiles. Due to the differing screen sizes and shapes, elements of the page have to be rearranged and text needs to be altered so that users can read the text. Of course, it’s not just mobiles that websites need to be optimised for, with different sizes of tablets, laptops, and monitors also being thrown into the mix.
While it’s important to know that the mobile version of your website needs to be different, what does that entail? Ensuring you grab your audience straight away is imperative to a successful online presence. For a website, this means you need to have the following features visible without having to scroll:
- Your logo
- Telephone number – tap to call enabled
- Headline and sub-headline that conveys to the user exactly what you do
- A ‘call to action’
You also need to consider accessibility. With an increased focus on inclusivity, it’s important that your website is accessible regardless of abilities or disabilities. This means ensuring consciously choosing colour combinations that make the text easier to read, this includes using a dark text colour against a light-coloured background and avoiding certain colour combinations including red and green, which approximately 5% of people can’t distinguish between. Also consider disability enabled readers, which allow individuals with visual impairments or learning disabilities to access digital content. This is why image alt tags are especially important, as those with visual impairments will be able to listen to the text on the page, and with alt tags they can have an idea of what the image has as well.
For an e-commerce website, it’s important to consider the pathway that a user needs to take to get to the products. If there are more than three clicks before you can access the products, you will want to reconsider the setup of your website. With continually decreasing attention spans, you don’t want to create more hoops to jump through than necessary.
In addition, consider the number of pop-ups your website has. While they are a quick way to relay important information, new deals or business updates, they can also become increasingly annoying for the end-point user. A positive user experience will see pop-ups being used sparingly when no other option is available.
Furthermore, consider the navigation of your website. If your pages aren’t suitably named or aren’t included in the navigation bar, users are less likely to find the information they’re looking for and will look elsewhere. Successful websites typically include important links in the footer, for example, an e-commerce website will include its returns policy and shipping options in the footer for customers to check if necessary.
Finally, find a style that suits you and your business. Websites should have a consistent style throughout, from banner layouts to colour schemes and fonts. This helps users follow the flow of your website and ensure the readability of your website isn’t lost.
These are just a few factors you need to consider when you create a website. At Fresh Digital Media, we have created a wide range of websites from e-commerce to client portals to blogging sites, visit our portfolio here. Contact us today on 01752 295875 or email us to find out how we can boost your business’ online presence.
