Less is more, sometimes. On your website, the fewer steps a user has to take to see the message you want them to see or to purchase the product you want them to purchase, the better. Does your website have excess copy or distracting features? Are there unnecessary navigation steps? Is it clear what you want the visitor to do? Is it clear what you can do for them?
How much are you piling on to your website visitor before he or she learns what you do and how you can help them? The more obstacles you put in their way, the more likely they are to leave altogether.
There are always those who break the rules and break them well. Sometimes chaotic websites are an artist’s experiment. Sometimes websites with too many flashing images are about looking as cheap as possible, on purpose.
We’ve seen some good exceptions to common sense, absolutely. In most cases you’ll want to look at your website and go through the following checklist:
1. How long does your website take to load? Are there autoplay videos or too many images?
2. Does your website display accurately on all devices, including mobile? The reality is that if your website was designed before smartphones and tablets became the commonplace tools they now are, your website might not be usable on these devices.
3. What does your website say to the user when they first land? What is the first thing they’ll see? Is your most important message “above the fold” (in the top segment of your web page, most likely to fill the screen)?
4. Are you talking too much about yourself on the front page? Is it clear to the visitor straight away how you can solve their problems? Do they understand what you do; what you’re about? Are the benefits to the visitor clear?
5. Have you tried the user journey? What is it really like to navigate your site? Is it easy to find what you’re looking for with just a couple of clicks?
6. For ecom sites: what is your checkout process like? Imagine it as a supermarket checkout: how many questions and steps would you take before you walked out?
If you need help with your website revamp, why not do it now? Start the New Year with a new website. We also help with branding, logo design, copywriting and online marketing. For free, honest advice, get in touch today: 01252 413757 or email us at howdy@wearethunderbolt.com. We are a full-service digital agency, based in the Georgian market town of Farnham, Surrey and we love to help businesses succeed.
Photo credit: Arya Ziai