- Simplify your menu
A clean navigation bar makes things easier to find and so creates a better experience for your site’s visitors. It is important that all pages can be accessed from the main navigation. If they are not, visitors are likely to hit the back button in frustration when trying to find what they need.
- Put your phone number on every page
Having a clear phone number doesn’t just make it easier for visitors to get in touch; it builds trust in your company. If the phone number is buried on a contact page or not on the site at all, visitors will assume you are not keen to communicate and if they have a problem with your product or service they won’t be able to get in touch to sort it. Big faux pas!
Many potential customers will visit your website simply to find your phone number, so make it really prominent. The top right corner is usually best!
- Have a call to action on every page
Web visitors are very impatient and rarely read all your content. It is therefore a good idea to guide them towards actions you want them to take: sign up to a newsletter, view your testimonials, watch a video or get in touch now. Whatever it is, make it known to the user.
Use graphics, buttons or text hyperlinks on every page to lead visitors to the action you ultimately want them to take.
- Use big, high-quality images
It is no surprise that this is a big trend in website design because images speak much louder than words. Capture your visitor’s interest with great photos. It is best to take your own photos: images of your products, your team at work, or recent projects you’ve worked on. If you can’t do this, then use high-quality stock photos from an image bank, but choose wisely (no cheesy handshakes from businessmen please!).
- Ensure your site is mobile-friendly
You would be surprised how many people now surf the internet on their mobile. There were 3.7 billion global mobile Internet users in January 2018 and 63.4 percent of all mobile phone users will access the Internet from their mobile phone. If your website is not responsive, then visitors will be struggling to view your content and have to resort to “pinch and enlarge” to see content.
Need to see more stats before you are convinced?
You can be sure that visitors will jump off your site and go to your competitors if they are irritated by the usability of yours!
- Keep your company branding
Make sure that when a potential customer walks into your physical shop, gets correspondence from you on a business letterhead or visits your website, they recognise your company brand. It is important to have a website that reflects your company colours and your logo so you, as a business, are instantly recognisable.
- Set your existing customers to work – include testimonials
Your existing happy customers are a great asset to your business because they can provide real testimonials. It is very common for shoppers to check out online reviews before they buy. Reach out to your best customers and ask for a testimonial. Make the process as easy for them to leave a review as possible.
