When building a website for a company, the biggest consideration must always be the customer. There are many elements to think about when it comes to creating the ultimate user experience on a site. Sites must be easy to navigate, of course, but most modern customers are looking for something more. They want a website that has a bit of extra pizazz. Customers’ experience with a website, whether positive or negative, can often color their opinion of an entire company or brand. It is also important for your website to understand the audience you are trying to reach. This impacts site traffic, marketing plans as well as social media interaction. A well-built, aesthetically pleasing and functional website tells customers that a company is professional and forward-thinking.
Clarity
One of the most important aspects of a company website is clarity. Customers should easily be able to find what the company does and does not offer. They should also be able to find out what they can do on the site, such as making purchases or request a consultation. For the best experience, customers should be able to find this information on the homepage of a website.
Priorities
The most important aspect of any website is ease of use. Customers need to be able to easily and quickly find out any information they need to know. If the site has a store, customers should be able to find the store and make purchases with ease. Contact information should be easily accessible. If the company has a physical location that customers can visit, the address should be displayed prominently.
Menu and Site Navigation
Make sure the menu is easy to find and use. Page titles should be clear and descriptive. Most customers do not want to have to click a lot of links to find the information they need. The menu should also be located on every page so that users do not have to return to the homepage every time they want to see another page.
Aesthetics
While it is important that a website is clear and concise, sites that provide information and enable secure purchases are only meeting the baseline expectations of today’s users. Users now want something more from a website. They seek out sites that are intuitive and easy to use but also aesthetically pleasing. If a website looks like it was made in the 1990s, most modern customers are going to be turned off. Modern websites have a fresh, clean feel, updated colors and 3D effects. Customers also want a website that feels unique and sets the company apart. Any personal touches you can add to it will impress the user.
High-Quality Photos
Websites should include high-quality photos that are relevant to the company. While stock photos are fine to use, customers will often recognize them as such. If you can get high-quality photos of the actual company, products, and employees, these will enhance the site and make the company feel like more of a real and unique place where actual people work. Cameras and photo editing software are readily available, so getting professional-looking photographs should not be too challenging.
Branding
One of the current focuses of marketing is branding. A company’s website should help to build the brand. The website should prominently feature the company logo, and like all other elements of branding, should serve to build an ongoing relationship with the customer. If the company has social media sites, the website should link to those sites in a place that is easy for the customers to find. Also, soliciting and readily displaying your customer reviews will enhance your authenticity and brand.
Mistakes to Avoid
Make sure the website you build is functional on a range of devices. Not everyone will use a personal computer to access the website. Most people now use mobile phones and tablets, so the website should look great on these devices.
If the website takes too long to load, many users will simply leave and go somewhere else. Make sure you are using a host with fast speeds, and compress images so that the page loads quickly.
If the website has any pop-up information or ads, make sure you are putting them in a place where they will be effective, but not annoying. Many users are put off by too many pop-ups, so be careful to use them sparingly.
Building a website to suit the modern internet user is complicated, but if you keep a few key ideas in mind, you will have a site that customers will love. Remember to keep the site clear, streamlined, and easy to use. Add in some aesthetic elements to enhance the user experience. By having a clear objective, you can build a site that will keep customers happy and coming back to your site.
References:
Sixvertical | 4 Priorities for Building a User-Friendly Website
Leadgenix | Conversion Focused Web Design
Applied Innovations | 7 Elements of an Aesthetically Pleasing Website
