Getting traffic to your website is one thing; getting that traffic to stay there is another. With millions of websites out there, you want to make sure that your website offers a great user experience. This will give you an edge over your competitors. Here we identify some of the key points of a structurally sound and user friendly website.
Page load time
We live in a world where people expect instant results. When traffic comes through your website, they expect to see the information they are looking for almost immediately. Studies show you have approximately 50 milliseconds to capture somebody’s attention and then even if you manage that, they could spend as little as just 15 seconds on your site. If your website is taking a longer time to load than this, then potential customers are almost definitely going to look elsewhere.
There are a few common culprits that often cause a slow load time, so it would be a good idea to check the following out:
- Large images can take a long time to load and sometimes result in a disjointed appearance which affects the user experience. To overcome this problem, your web developer can reduce the image file size, whilst keeping the image quality and clarity.
- You will also want to check your server speed to ensure that the information on your website is being loaded efficiently. Again, your web developer will be able to advise a suitable server depending on the size and function of your website.
- The third point might seem like common sense but is often something that is overlooked. Be sure to keep your content succinct and to the point. The more information your webpage holds the longer it is likely to take to load. Therefore, it is about finding the balance between providing enough information without going overboard.
NOTE – Google offers some great tools so that you can check the load time of your website.
Responsiveness
More and more people are now accessing internet browsers through their mobile devices. This means it is just as important to ensure that the user experience is good across all platforms. This is worth checking with your web developer to ensure that your website is built to cover all formats. If you notice that your website doesn’t load properly on your mobile device, contact Carrick today for a responsive build.
Menu structure
As mentioned above people like to find what they are looking for with ease, therefore it is important that your website is easy to navigate. You should have a clear menu across the top of your website that is easily accessible. You will want to put some thought into your menu structure, particularly if you have a large website with lots of sub-categories. For example, a ladies’ fashion store might divide their menu into different categories such as Tops, Dresses, Jeans, Shoes and Accessories.
It is a good idea to get a few people to test the user experience of your website. They might come up with some great suggestions that could help you retain that all important traffic. Of course, the user experience is not just down to the functionality and thought should also be put into the content you are creating. If you are looking to improve your user experience, then don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team and we will be happy to help.