If you have an online business, you cannot ignore the importance of having a user-friendly website. It leads to a positive user experience that brings more traffic, meaning more revenues.

Website is the face of your business. How easy it is to use your website and how professional and sophisticated it looks are key factors that determine your professional level.

Every business has its own website, but a few of them takes advantage of website designs that have a strong visual appeal.

It is crucial to focus on the design to attract more and more traffic. There are various factors that decide the volume of traffic, and website design is one of them.

What does a user-friendly website look like?

A user-friendly website is not what looks nice to you but a website that is simple to use and yet professional. It makes it easier to navigate and find the relevant information that a user wants without any hassle. This sets a good experience among your users. If they do not encounter it, they quickly run away and never return.

The following are the characteristics of a user-friendly website:

• Navigation – regardless of the structure of a website, your users should be able to get information conveniently.
• Mobile-friendliness – your website should have mobile compatibility because most of the users open websites on their mobile devices.
• Simple forms – lengthy forms that require too much of information to complete will make visitors frustrated, and they will leave immediately.
• Fast load time – the website should be loaded within a split of second, otherwise the bounce rate will shoot up.
• A clear call-to-action – a user must be able to identify the next step that you want them to take.

How to make a user-friendly website

Here are the tips to make a user-friendly website. These tips are very simple to implement.

• Choose a design that helps your users

“The first thing to think about is how your design will be perceived by your users.” While creating a design, you should step into the shoe of your users and think if it makes it convenient to navigate your website.

• Does it look attractive?
• Is it easy to get the information you want to find as a user?
• Can you clearly see a call-to-action?

“You will likely find spots where you need to make changes that make your website look and perform better.”

• Set a tone

Your website must have a tone, and it should be across the board. A tone ensures that you will be able to help your users comprehend information and take the necessary action.

You will set a casual, informal, academic or formal tone based on your target audience. If possible, keep a cultural tone as well.

• Focus on colour combinations

Colours have a huge impact on users’ minds to decide whether to go ahead to explore or leave. Of course, when you lurid dark colours, you will not be able to stand them. You should use professional colours that complement each other.

Make sure that the colours you use reflect your brand. Hire a professional to create a website. Allow them to use their creativity. It can cost you some money, but you can take out self employed loans with no proof income.

• Less is more

The design of your website should be attractive yet professional and simple. Users should not have a problem finding information on your website. In fact, the navigation should also be easy so they do not find it tough to navigate from one page to another.

Use information chunks. Long paragraphs will make the page boring, and nobody will read it. Make use of bullets, headings and subheadings. Do not fight shyly by using attractive images and videos. If you can share some information through a video, put it. This is more engaging than plain text.

• Take people’s opinions

Ask your visitors what they want you to add to your pages. Conduct a survey to get to know what people like and not about your website. “Getting direct feedback from your customers will go a long way.” Take their comments seriously because they are the real business.

You should immediately fix those issues. When your users see you implement their suggestions, you will build trust in them, and this will help you and your users. Focus on the layout of a website. Designs keep evolving, so make sure that you do not let the same boring and outdated design. Try to change it every year if possible. However, it must be changed in a few years.

• In-depth information

Whether your website is informative or aimed at selling products and services, you should provide enough information to your users in both ways. Of course, you do not have a reason not to provide in-depth information.

However, if you are selling products or services, you should clearly explain:

• What your product is
• Its purpose
• How it helps
• Features and benefits and risks if any

If you do not disclose all information that users need to decide whether to buy or not, they will be sceptical about your business and leave you for your competitors.

• Improve your Contact Us page

Users will visit your Contact Us page if they want to contact you. Most of the websites just hang a form to fill in the query, but this is not such an impressive way. You should also mention your mail address, phone number, and address of your business from where you are operating.

If your contact information is across the website at the footer, it will be user-friendlier because they do not have to leave the page where they are. However, you will still need a separate page for Contact Us.

To sum up

Not until you have a user-friendly website will you be able to make visitors take the action you want. A website must have an appealing design, informative and organised content, and be easier to navigate to get users to take the desired action.