subject: How To Make A Website More User Friendly [print this page] There are a lot of websites out there - some good, some bad. If a website isn't user friendly, people aren't going to want to use it. That could cost a business a lot of money. It's important to know how to make a website that is easy for people to navigate and use, otherwise people aren't going to want to use the website and they'll move onto a competitor's site instead.
The design of the website needs to be considered. From the moment a person lands on a website, they need to understand what the website's purpose is. This means that the text needs to be clear and concise. It can be advantageous to hire a content writer to ensure the text is well written and that the correct sales language is being used.
Every site visitor needs to be directed what to do on a site. Every website is a little different and therefore the end goal may be a little different. Some websites are designed to sell things and others are designed to educate or capture user data. The text on the website needs to tell the visitor what to do. Buy this, fill out this form, click here - whatever it may be, it must be very clearly spelled out.
The product or service on the site needs to be clear as well. If a person has to spend more than ten or fifteen seconds figuring out what a website is trying to sell, they aren't going to stay interested for long. The landing page, that is, the first page of the website, needs to have the correct content. Graphics can be used and text can be used, but a balance of the two needs to be maintained.
If there is too much on the first page, causing a person to scroll endlessly through photos and text, it can be a little too comprehensive. Virtually every website has the capability of having multiple pages to it. In that case, it can be more effective to have multiple pages for a person to visit. With tabs located on the top or side of the page, a person can then navigate to the page where they want additional information.
Throughout the website, a person needs to know where they will be able to get certain information. There's a reason why a lot of websites have the same content - it's what people expect. Having tabs that contain an 'about us' and 'contact us' are helpful so people can find out about the business and know how to contact the business if desired.
Service-based websites need to have a way for a person to schedule an appointment or fill out a request for additional information. A contact form is much better than making a person send an email because most of the work is done for them.
Product-based websites need to have a very easy to use checkout. The shopping cart should allow people to buy what they want and walk them through a simple checkout process where credit cards are accepted.
Creating a user friendly website is absolutely critical. How to make a website is easy, but if people can't navigate through it with ease, they won't stay on the site long enough to become a customer.
