We talk a lot about website usability and why it’s so important. I recently queried friends and family to see what they frequently find unhelpful when using a website. I found some common but simple things that they look for when using a website. Here’s what your website users want from you.
Easy Search Options
If you have a collection of resources on your website, it’s a good idea to make them as easy to sift through as possible. Consider what filters your users might want such as categories, tags, publication date, or a string search to find by keyword. These are especially important if you have articles that endlessly scroll, meaning a new set of articles loads as you near the bottom of the page. Pagination is another option that you can consider to help users scroll through easily.
Page Visibility
Anything that starts to cover what a user would be looking for can be a deterrent when using your website. Most recently I used a site that had a sticky header/navigation bar (slides with you down the page) although it was fairly tall and so the remaining portion of the page was small making it difficult to view content. Popups and other items can obscure content and possibly cause users to leave your site all together. Keep things tasteful and easily closeable for best results.
Clear Verbiage
Using clear and simple language and headings is a really easy way to assist your website users. Keep navigation menu items under three words if possible. Use headings to break up the page and make page skimming easier to locate the right paragraph. Also, use simple language when it comes to call to action, making it easy for users to find where to click.
There’s a lot of thought that goes into your web pages and how your potential customers want to interact with it. Keep searching and filtering simple, your pages clear of any obscurity, and language simple and concise will help your users regardless of business type or subject matter. If you would like a website audit to help you determine what usability issues are on your site, fill out our form or give us a call to get started.