Placing Great Emphasis on the Usability of Website Design

Websites should always be easy to use. Studies show that either the reason a viewer abandons a website is that the requested web page does not load fast or simply confusion and annoyance of the viewers point of view. Do not make the mistake of underestimating the power of usability. Here are a few tips on making your website as user oriented as possible. Everything on your website should be visually clear to the user. Create a visual hierarchy using font size and prominence. The headlines should always be larger than the content and they should stick out to the user. Always place a headline or a main idea higher on the page so that the user knows it is important. If you want certain content to receive visual priority, place it higher on the page. Also, make sure you group your pages according to similar content. Each page should have a clear theme, idea, and purpose. Each page should also have similar style, but at the same time be definitive so that the user knows the difference between an FAQ page and the shopping cart checkout page. Links works well and clearly define and click-able items should be obvious. When users are searching for something in particular, they will seek the page link that corresponds most to their needs and ignore the rest. Separate content by page and make sure there is little or no overlap. Also, avoid hiding advertisements in your content; keep ads separate as they can distract from the content and force the user to ignore the page altogether. Breaking from the conventional is good in many instances, but web design is not one of them. There are certain things users expect when they go to a website. For instance, navigation links are usually on the left side of the page, log in and username input is located at the top right of the page, and navigation links are usually at the bottom of the page. Hyper links are underlined words usually in blue coloured text (or some other colour that stands out) and, if you are selling online, always use a small shopping cart logo in the upper right hand corner. Following these conventions will prevent users from having to search for elements of your web pages that should be obvious to them. It is tempting to create a web design that is a work of art with lots of colours, font styles, and words. However, to make your website more user friendly, tone down the number of words, font styles, link styles, colours, and images. Keeping it simple will allow the content to stand out while the design serves as a compliment. Minimize the use of background images and background colours. Do not be afraid to use white space and allow the text to speak for itself without the help of too many additives. User friendliness should be the number one priority when you design your company's website. Creativity and captivation are important, too, but the user wants to feel welcome and confident when they visit your website. Follow these tips on maximizing usability on your company's website and ensure that your website gets traffic and viewer satisfaction.