47% of web users expect loading time under three seconds as technology advances. There’s a growing need for websites to perform optimally or risk losing customers.
The world is developing at a fast pace, and digitization is the primary driver in this move. Websites represent the digital footprints of an existing establishment, and if done right, they can yield positive results for businesses.
On the contrary, a poor site can wreak havoc on your company image.
Practical tools such as WordPress website designer can make the difference between your site and your competitors’.
Are you wondering how to design your website for optimum results? Here are some do’s and don’ts.
Do’s
1. Your web navigation should be easy
One of the most important things to do in web building is to design a user-friendly web navigation platform to increase the number of time users spend on your site. Navigation helps online visitors to find their way around. Moreover, it’s an internet interaction technique that gives your site users a sense of functionality as they browse your online platform.
To get it right with user-friendly web navigation, you should stick to a maximum of six or seven links on the page. Assuming you have more, it’s recommended to create sub-navigation headings that a user can easily access. Secondly, avoid using complex or ambiguous words to label your navigation options.
The best thing to do is to stick to familiar words that are easy to understand. Furthermore, users prefer to clock just a few times to get to a specific page. Therefore, having this in mind, you should endeavor to limit clicks to no more than three to arrive at a particular viewing page.
2. Your web content must be spot-on
As you develop your site, remember to add relevant and catchy content. Doing this will attract and sustain your target audience’s interest. Content is as important as the aesthetics of web design. They complement each other, and for this reason, it’s best not to concentrate more on one than the other.
Did you know that over 95% of content on any website is in the dominant language of the originating country?
This makes it vital for you to pay close attention to what you post to enhance readability. Moreover, it helps to format the site to accommodate a few other international languages to reach a global audience.
For example, if the dominant language is English, you should consider other languages such as French, German, Spanish, etc.
As a tip, ensure your content doesn’t have jargon that is difficult to understand. Your best option is to keep the written information simple and straightforward. Your content should be tailored for users with varying comprehension levels.
3. Critically assess the website for errors
Have you ever encountered a website with unmistakable errors hiding in plain view? Such errors could put your target audience off and affect traffic to your site. A great web design and excellent content can sometimes be marred by elements that a designer should have easily detected. Below are some examples:
- Dead links (a link opens to a 404 error)
- Several typos
- Wrong image usage for a particular content
Admittedly, it can be challenging to leave every error detection to the website designer. Therefore, you should have more than one person to assess the site before it goes live critically. Doing this provides you with objective feedback on the site you’ve published. Additionally, it’s best to ensure that your media loads quickly; be it images or videos, they must open or play as expected.
4. Change the color of already viewed links
When you enter a request in Google, and the page loads different results, you’ll notice that the links you already clicked appear in a different color. This significant visual indicator alerts users that they already viewed those pages, contributing to a positive user experience.
This strategy will also help improve your site’s functionality. Users are likely to feel frustrated when they mistakenly revisit links or pages they already viewed. Subsequently, they lose interest and go off your page, affecting site traffic. As such, you should consider incorporating this into your web design to make the experience easier for your customers.
Don’ts
5. Avoid making your users wait for too long during the loading phase
For the web user, a fast loading time adds to a positive experience. On the other hand, a site that loads slowly affects your brand image, making your business appear to be lagging in a digital age.
Ideally, a website should open in two to three seconds, as users become impatient if it takes longer than that. Any longer than that creates impatience for the user. Optimize your large images to reduce the loading time and keep your customers satisfied. It will help if you also consider other crucial elements, such as what your users see while the site is loading. For example, is the screen blank or has some visual feedback? A blank screen prevents the visitor from knowing that your page is loading. Therefore, it’s advisable to add some visual feedback.
6. Internal links shouldn’t open in new tabs
Programming an internal link to open within the same tab enhances the user experience. Moreover, it helps your site visitors to remain in sync with your original page. Web users should click or tap the ‘back’ button to return to a previous page they were on. If, for any reason, an internal link has to open in a different tab, provide a one-line notification to alert the user. Something as simple as “link opens in a new tab” works fine.
7. Don’t go overboard with colors on your website
Moderation is essential when you’re creating aesthetic appeal for your website, as too many colors on a page can be a visual put-off for users. Therefore, limit the color used on the site and be consistent with the tones; balance makes all the difference.
It might seem like too many things to know all at once. However, once you get the hang of it, it’ll be a walk in the park. Prioritizing your website design is crucial for business success. Remember that it’s your company’s first impression in the virtual space.
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