So much goes into creating the perfect web page- color, use of space, eye-catching photos, text blurbs, rewards for user interaction and even more. While the aesthetics of your page are of course important, there’s so much more to your site. You have to keep your viewer’s attention so they stay on your page.
Here are tips for appealing further to your demographic and making relevant content that will keep them coming back to your site again and again. Web design can seriously affect how people interact with your pages- we’ll show you how!
The average page visit lasts less than a minute- use that minute to your advantage! You want to stand out. Use creative images, eye-catching typography, a neat color scheme, or any other content that will grab their attention. Make sure visitors know right away what your company stands for. For more inspiration, check out these 50 successful, user-friendly sites.
Your organization can be so much better. With too many words on a page or unorganized pages, a viewer won’t want to stay on your site. Organize information from most important to least important, creating a visual hierarchy.
Try organizing headings consistently via similar sizes, typography, and color. Add lots of pictures, icons, and quotes. Utilize white space to your advantage. Have a unique sidebar or menu to draw visitors to sections of your page.
Make sure the messages your visuals send matches the messages your words send. This reinforces and cements the ideas and connections on your page, so your visitors truly understand who you are and what you do. Don’t confuse your visitors- be consistent.
Form is function. While ideas and details are important, good sites also have functionality. Responsive web design means designing your site so it looks the same on all screen sizes. You want your user’s experience to be the same on every device.
Present information in a clear and logical manner via your content and menu navigation. If your information is organized well, viewers will see you as credible and will want to stay on your site. Services on your site must be of relevance to your demographic- make sure all your links go to the right place, that you don’t have any typos, etc. These things build credibility, or they can destroy it. Add satisfaction guarantees, awards, or any press mentions among other options to boost your credibility.
You want your site to look like it means business. You have roughly six seconds to make an impression when viewers click on your site- make sure those six seconds are as great as they can be. A good, organized homepage is priceless.
Use surveys or have viewers rate their experience on your site for increased interaction, but use dynamic visual elements with these. For example, you could change the cursor as their mouse moves. Visual cues help increase participation in your website.
If the people want color gradients and progressions, give them what they want. If they want bold typography or animated buttons, cover your site in the two. Things that keep visitors on the site longer are always a plus, and are relatively easy ways to catch attention.
When in doubt, opt for simple and clean. People visit a site to find what they’re looking for as fast as they can- make this easy for them. Being visitor-oriented is the best way to keep people coming to your site.
Using links inside your content will give users loads of extra information they may need. Make sure to format links in a similar way across your entire site. Here’s how to style links.
Your web design directly impacts your SEO. Without focusing on user experience, it won’t matter how great your content is. SEO considers keyword placement, time spent on page, and bounce rate. If your design is user-friendly, it will boost your SEO. By following these ten tips, you can bring more users to your site. For more information on user experience, check out more of the blog.
