User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design have a major impact on how a website functions. If users can’t find the information they are looking for, or have trouble doing what they want to do, they will probably leave your site and go to one of your competitors instead. To ensure that your site provides a good user experience across all devices, here are important tips to keep in mind.
1. Think Like a User
To be objective, you must think like a user. Consider the customer journey and how a user will navigate your site. Where would they expect to find certain information? Where should the CTA button be placed? Keep in mind that users want to complete their actions in as few steps as possible, so make your navigation clean and simple.
2. Know Your Audience
Early in the UI/UX process, you should identify your audience and what they are like. It helps to create buyer personas that have names, likes, dislikes, preferences, etc. This will help you write to a specific person and make your content more personalized and distinct. If you try to write to “everyone,” you’ll end up writing to no one.
3. Avoid Excessive Scrolling
Users don’t like to scroll to find information. Keep your pages short so that users can see everything on one page. If you have a lot of information to include, break things up in an intuitive way, such as by adding accordion content that expands and collapses. To keep users on your website, use catchy CTAs that guide them through the funnel.
4. Choose Legible Typography
Typography helps users navigate your website, so it should be comfortable and enjoyable to read. Use at least a 14px font, stick to the same font family and establish logical hierarchies. All of this will make your site more intuitive to the customer journey.
5. Maintain a Simple Design
Keep distractions to a minimum. Users don’t like them, and it takes away their focus when navigating your website. Everyone prefers to use a clean and simple design that is easy to use and follow. To make your site interesting, use colors, icons and images. Avoid using too many gradients, shadows or patterns. Flat design is easier to process.
6. Add Options and Shortcuts
People love to get things done quickly, so provide options and shortcuts that allow your users to complete actions in fewer steps. This is a great option for returning customers who already know the ropes of your site. When users have the flexibility to take shortcuts and bypass information they don’t need, it gives them more confidence in your site.
7. Test and Improve Your Design
Your design is never finished. You should continue to test the elements of your design, such as the placement of CTA buttons. As you learn what your audience likes and dislikes, you can continue improving your site and the experience it delivers to users. Plus, making small improvements along the way prevents your site from going completely stale prior to a redesign.
Could your website use a few UI/UX design updates? Contact Magna Technology to learn more about improving your site for users.
