Your business’s first attempt at creating a website may have focused on necessary product information, your logo and color scheme and basic functionality. At that time, though, you may not have truly considered how your visitors use the site and, therefore, may not have produced the results you were hoping for. To get the most out of your website, you must take a look at the full user experience.
To help guide you, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council offer 14 factors all companies should consider when redesigning their websites and explain why these particular factors can have such an impact on the way your users experience your business.
14 Factors to Consider When Redesigning Your Website’s UX
- The amount of text.
- Mobile responsiveness.
- Your audience’s patterns.
- Site speed.
- Proper branding.
- The checkout flow.
- Your business’s value.
- Security and protection.
- Navigation.
- Content architecture.
- Consumer trust.
- Relevant copy.
- Simplicity.
- The user’s end goal.
1. The Amount of Text
Cut down on the text. Far too often, I see landing pages loaded with walls of text that the average viewer won’t have the patience to read. Instead, they're looking for a key button to take them to the next stage in their journey. Make that button front and center, and only add a few lines of supporting text to build intrigue. In essence, your landing page is a call to action, not an informational document. — Amine Rahal, IronMonk Solutions
2. Mobile Responsiveness
You’ve got to make mobile a priority. In 2020, more than 60 percent of website visits took place on a mobile device. Keep in mind also that a mobile-responsive website doesn’t just mean a slimmed-down version of the desktop version. It can be a completely different design that emphasizes mobile-convenient features, like interactive maps and call buttons. Put yourself in the shoes of a website visitor on the go! — Shay Berman, Digital Resource
3. Your Audience’s Patterns
Know your audience. Take the data from analytics or other tools to understand your audience’s usage patterns and reflect those in your design and site architecture. For instance, if 90 percent of the audience is from mobile, the design should prioritize mobile users. If the majority of your audience drops off on the infinite scroll, remove it. The site should cater to your audience’s preferences. — Meeky Hwang, Ndevr, Inc.
4. Site Speed
I would suggest focusing on site speed. Most important is the impact of Google’s core update on page speed. The faster the site, the more clicks. A quick page allows visitors to scroll faster and find required answers or information faster. Both click rate and on-page behavior impact the Google ranking and drive more leads. — Maksym Babych, SpdLoad
5. Proper Branding
Companies often overlook proper branding, which is a major aspect of website design. Nothing can ruin a user experience like a low-budget, homemade logo with generic brand elements and content. As the saying goes, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” Professional branding conveys quality and credibility and gives your visitors confidence about conducting business with you. — Thomas Minieri, Minieri & Company
6. The Checkout Flow
One important thing to consider when redesigning your site is your checkout flow. If users can’t easily see their cart, apply coupons and place orders on your site, your UX will suffer. I suggest testing your checkout process with multiple devices so you can be sure that it works properly regardless of how visitors access your online store. — Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
7. Your Business’s Value
Lack of customer focus is a common issue for service businesses and startup sites alike. A good rule of thumb is to ensure that your users see how you can be useful to them immediately on the homepage (but not on the homepage alone). Your ability to provide value should be supported by reputable sources such as news about your company, awards, advisors and prominent customers who work with you. — Daria Gonzalez, Wunderdogs
8. Security and Protection
To improve the user experience on your site, add security and increase protection. Customers are wary about handing over their payment info online, but if you take the right measures on your website, you’ll encourage them to purchase. Firewalls, backups and spam protection are just a few things you can do to protect your website. — Jared Atchison, WPForms
9. Navigation
Improving the user experience on your website is about making it easy for visitors to navigate their way around. If they’re confused about where certain content or links are, they’re likely to bounce from your website and never return. It’s important to have clear navigation menus with links to your main pages so users can easily browse your content and learn more about your brand. — Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
10. Content Architecture
Your website exists to house content that guides buyers to your product. Content architecture maps your website’s content to the buyer’s journey. Depending on how and when your buyer finds your website, its content should be tailored to meet their needs. A buyer searching for how-tos lands on a relevant blog post. One from a social ad lands on your service page. Good UX means a happy visitor. — Samuel Thimothy, OneIMS
11. Consumer Trust
When rebuilding your website, make sure that you prioritize creating trust as soon as a user lands on your home page. You can do this by featuring testimonials, trust badges and even adding social feeds featuring testimonials from happy customers. Doing this removes the feeling of risk and uncertainty for customers, and you’ll improve your conversion rates. — Blair Williams, MemberPress
12. Relevant Copy
Websites need to attract users with relevant copy. Ask yourself if yours reflects the pain points your market experiences. Use language that will resonate with your ideal client, and show the problem your company solves clearly in multiple formats: words, images and video. — Libby Rothschild, Dietitian Boss
13. Simplicity
Keeping your user experience simple, fast and effective should be a priority. Not only will this format help your site translate better across mobile devices, but the majority of online shoppers are also more likely to return to a site with faster loading times and an easier buying experience. Keep key information and calls to action clear and prominent, and don’t overwhelm viewers with information. — Salvador Ordorica, The Spanish Group LLC
14. The User’s End Goal
Every website has an end goal for both the user and business, whether it be learning more information, subscribing, purchasing a product or so on. You can understand the user’s goal based on which page they entered your site through. Your site needs to be designed in a way that guides the user to that intended goal. — Ryan D. Matzner, Fueled
