Improve Your Website User Experience
When designing a small business website, many entrepreneurs overlook the user experience, or UX, of the website. By overlooking how visitors view and experience your website, you fail to properly communicate your message and your caliber. Think of a slow, archaic, and confusing website compared to a fast, modern, and intuitive website.
Your small business website is your digital calling card, which makes it arguably the loudest calling card you have, as it has the farthest reach. The website plays a large role in introducing your company to customers and leaves an impression on people.
Whether you are a small business owner looking to improve your website or know that you need an entire overhaul, there are a few easy ways you can improve your small business website UX.
Time is money
Most people overlook page loading time, but that is a major factor in the success of a website. If a website takes too long to load, the customer becomes frustrated and will likely leave your site quickly, or stick around and be annoyed. Studies have shown that 40 percent of website visitors will leave a website if it takes more than three seconds to load, and a whopping 79 percent of online shoppers say that they are unlikely to make a repeat purchase if they dislike the website’s performance.
The same study showed that even one-second matters, with a single-second delay hurting customer satisfaction with a brand. Also, 44 percent of online shoppers tell their friends about bad online shopping experiences, so a bad website is bad publicity on a larger scale than just those that visit your website, but all of their friends, too.
Clear as day
Make sure your website is intuitive, easy to navigate, and devoid of clutter. Minimalism is in style partly because it is a trend, and mostly because it is the most effective website style. Website clutter looks tacky and confuses the greater message your website is sending about your small business. Break up walls of text and rewrite the website copy until it is clean and concise. Choose creative graphics to illustrate the website and bring your brand to life.
Start 2016 off on the right foot and with the right voice by performing an audit on your website and objectively consider the user experience that you are providing your customers. This can make all the difference in increasing conversions and bumping revenue in the coming year.
