Characteristics of a User-Friendly Website
Many businesses make the mistake of neglecting usability. Usability is critical for the success of any website and should never be overlooked. Good usability can improve the performance of your website and increase your chances of success. It can also boost sales and revenue for your business.
For your website to successful, it should not only look good but also provide a seamless user experience for visitors. This is why good usability is important. It will set your website apart from your competition.
Mobile Compatibility
The first step is to check how your existing website appears
on mobile. You can use Google mobile site tester to find this out. If your
website cannot currently be accessed on mobile, you can create a mobile version
of your website for free with the help of web-based mobile website builders.
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Accessible to All Users
A user-friendly website should also be accessible to
everyone including blind, disabled or the elderly. These users typically use
screen-readers to access the Internet. The 508 website accessibility guidelines
highlights simple web design techniques that can be applied to make sure your
website can be accessed easily on-screen readers, making your website available
to a larger audience.
Well Planned Information Architecture
How information is organised and presented on your website
is vital for good usability. However, it is often neglected. It has become even
more important today as websites offer a wide range of information and
resources to attract their target market. Plan your website sections and
categories carefully and present information in a way that it is easy for users
to find. Always think from the perspective of your users. This is particularly
important if you offer a lot of content on your company’s website.
Well-Formatted Content That Is Easy to Scan
The average Internet user skims through the content on a web
page instead of reading each and every word from top to down. Users tend to
scan through key parts of the page quickly to determine if it is relevant to
their needs.
Fast Load Times
Nothing is more annoying for website visitors than a website
that takes long to load. In fact, slow speed is one of the main reasons why
visitors leave a website. Making sure your website loads within 4 to 6 seconds
is important for good usability. It also affects your search engine ranking.
Browser Consistency
Browser compatibility can be easily overlooked. Even the
websites of some of the most reputable companies suffer from this problem due
to neglect. This is bad for branding and has a negative affect on website
usability.
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Effective Navigation
Good navigation is one of the most important aspects of
website usability. Simple HTML or JavaScript menus tend to work best and appear
consistent on all browsers and platforms.
It is equally important for the navigation to be
clutter-free. Try to limit the number of menu items as far as possible. A
drop-down menu or sub-navigation may work better on large site with many
sections and pages.
Good Error Handling
Good error handling and description on-screen messages are
very important for good usability. However it is often overlooked. Correct
handling of errors at a code level ensures the website is robust and free from
bugs. Displaying the right error message improves the user experience and
overall usability.
Valid Mark-Up & Clean Code
A website that adheres to the relevant web design best
practices and standards is often more robust and dependable. It also ensures
the website will load faster and appear consistent across browsers and devices.
It also makes it easier to locate problems and troubleshoot if the need arises.
Contrasting Colour Scheme
The right contrast between the background of the website and
content is one of the most basic yet most important web design principles that
should never be overlooked. Good contrast between background and text e.g.
black text on a white background makes your content legible and easy to read.
Lack of contrast, on the other hand, makes it very difficult for visitors to
read your content.
Usable Forms
Forms are a very important element on business websites.
They allow users to interact with the site. Forms are also very useful for
generating leads for a business.
Conclusion
Website usability plays a vital role in the success of a
website. Good usability helps to provide a seamless experience for visitors and
improves your chances of success. It is one of the factors that sets a
professionally designed website apart from the rest. Given above are 11
usability characteristics that every website must display. It can help to make
your website a success.
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