It is very important to consider your users from the outset to ensure their user experience is as simple and pleasurable as possible. Every barrier you put in the way will make the chances of a sale or enquiry that little bit less likely.
With that in mind, here are our top ten things to consider when designing or reviewing your website.
1. What will your users search for to find you? Are you on the first page of Google? If not, you need some search engine optimisation
2. Glance quickly at your website, does it clearly say who you are and what you do?
3. If your business targets users from a certain geographical area, is this immediately clear?
4. Are your contact details clear on every page? This should include both phone and email as different users prefer different methods of getting in touch.
5. Are your main services prominently displayed on the home page? This is where your users will probably want to go next. Hiding services in a menu just doesn’t cut it.
6. For each product or service carefully read the text. Is this the information that the user will want to read? Are you giving them a reason to buy from you?
7. Now that you have convinced the user to buy from you, is there a clear way for them to pursue this? This is known as a ‘call to action’.
8. What about mobile phone and tablet users, what do they see? The same points above should apply and the site should be easy to navigate.
9. Do your business cards, letter heads, promotional fliers, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ pages all match your website? They need to in order to create a brand.
10. Although not technically a part of your website, when a user does get in touch, make sure that you reply to them promptly and thoroughly! They are a hot lead, don’t give them a reason to change their mind.
It all seems obvious once you have read it, but many websites do not incorporate these basic points.
In this day and age users will look for a reason not to purchase from you so that they can narrow down on a supplier. Consider your users from the outset and make life as easy as possible for them.
If you would like to discuss the usability of your website, or any other aspect of website design or web development, please get in touch.