7 Design Tips for a User-Friendly Website

Listen, I have a bit of a bone to pick with the online web design industry. It’s nothing personal… it’s just that my corporate job as a UX designer has taught me one MAJOR lesson that a lot of freelance designers are missing out on.

The primary purpose of your website is to make it easier for your customers to buy from you. Hands down, no questions, end of story.

Of course, there are a lot of ways that your website accomplishes this goal.

Increased visibility? You are easier to find, which makes you easier to buy from.

Established credibility? You are easier to trust, which makes you easier to buy from.

Providing information (through resources like freebies & blogs)? You’re easier to learn from, which makes you easier to buy from.

I could go on all day, but you get the point. This is where things start to get tricky, though. No-code website builders like Showit, Squarespace and Wix allow pretty much anyone with time to learn how to publish a website online. That’s great, awesome, exactly how I started out.

The problem is that the accessibility of website creation has led to a movement of trendy, complicated websites that tend to be the exact opposite of user-friendly.

Like I mentioned above, your website exists to make it easier to buy from you. Now let’s talk about HOW to do it.

How User Experience Can Make Your Website a Customer Magnet

Your website is a powerful tool that can draw visitors in and keep them engaged. Just as a magnet has the power to attract objects, your website has the potential to attract new customers and make your business memorable.

But magnets also have the power to repel, and your website can push people away if it’s tough to use. In this post, we’re going to cover all the best ways to make sure your website is user-friendly, so you’ll have a website that attracts people to stay on your site and turns them in to loyal customers who think about your business as they drift off to sleep. (Okay, no promises on that one, but they really will love you.)

Whether you’re already a small business owner, or still an aspiring entrepreneur, these principles of user-friendly design are the key to making your website a true magnet for success.

What Is User-Friendly Website Design?

Before we get into the details of creating a user-friendly website, let’s clarify what this term actually means. User-friendly design, in simple terms, is all about making your website easy for your visitors to use and understand. A user-friendly website is a clear, effortless, ENJOYABLE website to browse. Things are easy to find & pretty to look at.

Why should you care? Well, as an example, let’s say you want to grow your email list. A good user experience is proven to increase conversion rates, and what this means to you is you will get more opt ins to your email list. The real value is you will have an audience of warm leads who are getting your newsletters.

75% of users say they judge the credibility of a business by its website. You can give them an amazing first impression which leads to increased trust and loyalty. Are you starting to see how integral user experience is to your overall business goals?

1. Help your site visitors find what they want – quickly!

Imagine walking into a store where the aisles are cluttered, and there are no signs to guide you. (Forever 21, I’m looking at you 😩). Frustrating, right? Well, the same principle applies to your website. Your navigation menu is like the map to your online store. It should be clearly visible, easy to understand, and logically organized.

When your website is easy to navigate, your visitors will be able to find what they are looking for easily and intuitively.

Tips for Intuitive Navigation:

• Simplify Your Menu – Keep your navigation menu simple and focused. Use short labels that describe pages accurately (use words like “About” and “Blog” — avoid labels like “My Journey” or “Musings”)
• Prioritize Key Pages – Place important pages like “Home,” “About,” and “Contact” prominently in your menu. These are often the first places visitors look.
• Use Dropdowns If Appropriate – If you have a lot of content, consider using dropdown menus to keep things tidy. But please, don’t go overboard. Too many layers can confuse visitors.
• Mobile-Friendly Menus – Make sure your menu is just as user-friendly on mobile devices. Consider a “hamburger” or icon that opens up a menu when clicked.

2. Use Conversion Optimized Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Your website isn’t just a pretty thing to look at; it’s a tool for engaging with your audience and guiding them towards specific actions like booking and buying. Whether you want visitors to make a purchase, subscribe to your newsletter, or contact you for a consultation, clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs) are the secret sauce.

Conversion-oriented CTAs allow your website visitor to “turn off” the decision-making part of their brain, conserving energy and propelling them to their next action.

How to Create a Persuasive CTA:

• Clear and Action-Oriented Text – Use short, action-oriented language that tells users exactly what to do. Verbs are your friend here. For example, “Get Started,” “Sign Up Now,” or “Shop the Collection.”
• Bold Colors – Make your CTA button stand out by using a color that stands out against the rest of your website’s palette. This draws attention to the action you want users to take. Warm colors like red, orange and pink tend to perform better.
• Place them correctly – Position your CTAs where they naturally make sense in the user’s journey. For example, a CTA to subscribe to your newsletter at the end of a valuable blog post. Or a “Inquire now” button on your Services page.
• KISS (Keep It Short & Simple) – Keep inquiry/signup forms and required information minimal. The easier it is to complete the action, the more likely users will follow through.

3. Visually Organize Your Website Content

I can’t be the only one who has a “junk drawer” in my home. But have you ever been looking for a specific item with everything haphazardly scattered in the drawer, making it difficult to find what you need? A cluttered website can have a similar effect on visitors. Organizing your content is essential for a seamless browsing experience.

Strategies for Content Organization:

• Hierarchy of Information – Create a clear hierarchy for your content. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up text and make it scannable.
• Categorization – If you have a diverse range of content or products, categorize them logically and predictably. This helps users find what they’re looking for quickly.
• Search Functionality – Implement a search bar for users who prefer searching by keywords. Make sure it returns relevant results.
• Consistent Layout – Maintain a consistent layout throughout your website. Keep fonts, colors, and spacing uniform to create a cohesive look.

4. Use Clear Headings, Subheadings, and Bullet Points

Consider headings, subheadings, and body text to be on a sliding scale of essential vs supplemental info. Most users only read about 20% of the words on your website so make sure the large headings carry most of the essential information.

Best Practices for Your Website Copy:

• Use Descriptive Headings – Headings should provide a clear overview of the section’s content and cover the main points you want the user to know
• Break Up Text – Long paragraphs can be daunting to readers. Use bullet points when applicable to list key information or benefits, and use subheadings to add context to your main headings.
• Consistency (notice a theme?) – Maintain a consistent style for your headings and subheadings. This helps visitors understand the structure of your content.

5. Optimize Images and Media for Faster Load Times

Your website should load as quickly as possible to keep your site visitors happy. Research has found that just one extra second of load time can double bounce rates. Yikes! In our fast-paced digital world, visitors expect speedy access to content, and if they can’t find it from you they’ll just go somewhere else.

Tips for Optimizing Images and Media:

• Image Compression – Use image compression tools to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality. Smaller images load faster. I love using TinyPNG to reduce image size!
• Lazy Loading – Implement lazy loading for images and videos if you can. This means they load as users scroll down the page, reducing initial page load times.
• Responsive Design – Ensure your website is responsive, so images and videos adjust to different screen sizes correctly.
• Optimize Videos – If you use videos, host them on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo and embed them on your site to massively reduce your load time.

6. Prioritize Mobile Responsiveness

On a website, responsiveness is the website’s ability to adapt to a wide range of screen sizes, from large monitors to the smallest smartphones. With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets (over half of all web traffic is mobile now), a responsive design ensures a positive experience across devices.

Mobile-Friendly Design Tips:

• Responsive Themes – Choose website templates that are inherently mobile-responsive. These templates adjust layout and content to fit various screen sizes.
• Test on Mobile – Regularly test your website on different devices to ensure it looks and functions as intended. On a computer, right click in your browser and select the inspect tool to change your preview screen size!
• Touch-Friendly Buttons – Make buttons and links touch-friendly for mobile users. Ensure they’re large enough to tap without accidentally hitting nearby elements. The standard size on mobile is at least 40px by 40px!
• Readable Text – Check that text remains readable on smaller screens. Adjust font sizes if necessary; fonts should be no smaller than 12px.

7. Test and Fine-Tune Your Website

Testing is the secret sauce to a user-friendly website. Frequently measuring the quality of your website is the best way to maximize your conversions. You should regularly test and fine-tune your website’s usability.

Usability Testing Strategies:

• User Testing – Ask friends, family, or even loyal customers to test your website and provide feedback. Their fresh perspective can uncover issues you might miss.
• A/B Testing – Experiment with variations of your website’s elements, like CTA buttons or headlines. Track which versions perform better in terms of user engagement and conversions.
• Regular Audits – Conduct regular audits of your website to identify and fix broken links, outdated content, or design issues.
• Google Analytics – Use tools like Google Analytics to gain insights into user behavior. Track metrics like bounce rate, session duration, and conversion rates to pinpoint areas for improvement.
• Microsoft Clarity – Microsoft Clarity is another free tool to use that gives you recordings of actual website visitor’s screens so you can make improvements, and heat maps of your website to see where people click most frequently!

User-Friendly Website Design Leads to Brand Growth

As a small business owner, your website is the first place potential customers encounter your brand in its full capacity. When you invest in user-friendly website design, you’re creating a pleasant browsing experience and paving the way for future positive brand interaction. An enjoyable website browsing experience will lead to increased customer loyalty, positive word-of-mouth, and, ultimately, business growth.

Your website has the potential to be a powerful magnet, drawing in visitors and keeping them engaged. By embracing user-friendly website design principles, you create an online space that’s not only inviting but also effective in achieving your goals. Whether you’re aiming to boost sales, expand your reach, or simply provide valuable information, user-friendly design is your secret weapon.

Keep navigation intuitive, use action-oriented CTAs, organize your content effectively, format text for clarity, optimize your images for fast page loading, ensure mobile responsiveness, and never stop testing and fine-tuning. This will ensure you draw in customers and opportunities to help you build a foundation to grow your business long-term.

Creating a user-friendly website is a reflection of your commitment to providing an exceptional experience for your audience. As you invest in user-friendly website design, you’re creating a welcoming space where visitors become customers, and customers become advocates for your brand.