The UX of your website underpins the strength of your marketing strategy as a whole. You can encourage as many click-throughs as possible, but if these visitors arrive at a slow or clunky homepage, they are unlikely to stick around. Even if they do decide to engage, poor UX can discourage them from returning. By making an effort to improve the UX of your site, you start on a path towards higher retention and more reliable growth. Here are a few ways you can elevate your site’s UX with a view to building a loyal following.
Identify Areas of Friction
As your user travels through the site, where do the pitfalls lie, and what will trip them up? Are some functionalities missing? Does an image or video interfere with the layout while scrolling? Does the site lag or encounter errors frequently? Identify the spots that will disrupt the user journey and highlight these for priority attention. This will streamline your plan for next steps.
Think Visually
Allow yourself a period of time to approach your website from a purely visual standpoint. At a glance, how does the layout strike you, and what purpose does the white space serve? Is it too cluttered, or is the visual hierarchy difficult to decipher? Consider which elements are most important for capturing the attention of both new and returning visitors so that they can be prioritized on the page and given space to stand out. Make sure that images, logos, and other visual elements are arranged thoughtfully to lead the visitor on a smooth journey throughout the page and the site as a whole.
Greater Accessibility
Designers are becoming increasingly aware of the significance of web accessibility for the user. One aspect of this involves ensuring that your website is optimized for different devices. Without this, someone attempting to access your site from a mobile or tablet may immediately face unintentional friction, putting them off returning. Similarly, accessibility improvements allow more users to engage with your site, even if they have disabilities. You can find plenty of useful information about overlays and how this straightforward technology can significantly improve the quality of your site from an accessibility perspective. There is no excuse for making your site exclusive to those with specific levels of ability.
Get Rid of the Extraneous
Examine each element of your site and assess its true value. Does the large file size of your images negatively impact the loading speed? Do you have links that lead to unpopulated pages? Dig deep into the machinery of your website and remove anything that doesn’t enhance the user journey or add value. You will notice increased smoothness and relevance.
The value of returning visitors to your site cannot be overstated. When someone has engaged meaningfully with your site and sees fit to come back in the future, this is a positive sign that you are reaching your target market and meeting their needs. By staying abreast of potential friction points along the user journey, you can make adjustments that enhance every visitor’s experience of your site and bring them back for more.
