Theword usability means “usability”. And in our case we are talking about the site. In order for the resource to enter the top, and really be in demand, you need to make sure that the user stays on it, so that he finds the necessary information on the pages of the resource.
As a result, you get incoming traffic, which is converted into applications and calls. But how to make the site simple and at the same time in demand? In this article we will tell you what usability is and how to make your site convenient.
What is website usability?
You have already understood that the usability of a site is the degree of its clarity and ease of use. And this is not an aspect that should be ignored. Most web projects are created in order to make a profit. Therefore, it is important to adhere to the principles of usability. They affect the user’s mood and behavior.
For example, how quickly he will leave your resource, whether he found the answer to his question, whether he will go to a competitor’s site due to lack of necessary information, etc.
Your task is to attract the user and keep him. Without doing this, you simply lose customers. The arithmetic here is simple. And even if you think that a site stuffed with some chips will be more interesting than a minimalist resource, you are mistaken. You need to create a project that will be user-oriented.
Why is it important to adhere to the principles of website usability
Based on what usability is, it is not so difficult to conclude that it is necessary. A properly configured site can:
- increase the conversion rate;
- increase the size of the average check;
- increase the frequency of orders, etc.
We should add right away that you do not need to conduct a usability test every day. There are a number of reasons when it is really necessary:
- to determine the reason why the site has low conversion;
- to test several interface options and determine which one is more effective;
- to correct existing errors, etc.
What affects usability?
The usability of the site is influenced by many factors. And before correcting any errors, you need to find them. To do this, you need to conduct an audit. When you get the result, you can start working on correcting errors. To make it clear what to pay attention to, we will tell you what exactly affects usability.
Remove unnecessary information
Too much information is as bad as not enough. According to statistics, 62 online shoppers leave an online store just because there is a lot of unnecessary text on the site.
Reducing the content by half can lead to a 58% increase in usability. That’s pretty good. The conclusion is simple: remove unnecessary words. In any case, the user reads only 28% of all information
Place content according to the principles of iteration
Yes, the task of usability is to make the site easier. But it is not as easy as it seems.
80% of the time the user studies information above the fold line, while 69% of the time he studies the left side of the page. So, the upper left part is the best place to place important information. It is a sin not to take advantage of this, given that you have already conducted market research, it remains only to do it right.
Focus on how users read the page
To make the site useful for the user, you need to study the habits of the same user. Most people first study 2 horizontal lines on the first screen and then watch other content along one vertical line to the end of the page.
People call this reading format F-pattern. Knowing this, you can use the following tips:
- place the title horizontally;
- the application form should be vertical;
- it is better to make the navigation bar in the form of a vertical straight line.
Fast page loading
No one ever likes to wait. 4 out of 5 users will leave a site that takes more than 250 milliseconds to load. And it doesn’t matter if it is a news site or an online shoe store. You can always find a resource that will load faster.
The size of the search window
Site search is an important function for any site. Most resources, for some unknown reason, make the size of the search string 18 characters. And what is most interesting, this size accommodates only 27% of all queries. It is not that less than half, it is a quarter. If you want to satisfy your users, increase the string to 27 characters. It will accommodate 90% of queries.
Page layout
It is important to use the same layout for all pages. Ideal size: length 1000-1600 pixels and width 770 pixels. The navigation bar should also be the same on all pages.
Typography
Sticky sites remained in the 2000s. Then probably did not know what a good and high-quality site is. Now, minimalism is in fashion. But if you decide to create a resource using several colors and fonts, keep this number to a minimum. For example, 4 colors is enough.
Links
The universal color of links on the Internet is blue. Accordingly, make them blue. The user should immediately understand that there is a link in front of him.
Work out the header of the site
The site header is located at the very top of the resource. It should be as informative as possible. To do this, place in it:
- Descriptor – a small offer of the company. For example, “Shoe repair”, “Sewing shoes to order”. This is an important element that immediately explains to the user where he is and what he can get here. It is best to place it to the right of the logo.
- Conversion elements. These include: “Leave a request”, “Place an order”, “Cart”. Speaking about the last element, it is better to place it in the upper right corner.
- Contacts. Be sure to leave a couple of phone numbers.
If the site provides a personal account, then place the “registration / login” buttons on the right. The header should not be too big. We recommend that it be fixed on the page so that the user can easily switch to a new tab.
Work out the main page of the site
The main page of the site is its face. It is important to briefly tell about your offers and motivate the user to action. Do not overload the page with SEO texts and do not leave it empty. To improve the usability of your home page, consider the following:
- Bright banner. It should be noticeable and place the most advantageous offers for the user on it. The main thing is not to overdo it.
- Section of advantages. It is not a fact that the reader will believe in what you write about yourself, but we recommend doing it. 5-7 advantages will be enough. It’s good if they are with numbers. For example, 5 years of warranty or 10 years on the market. To make the text better perceived, form a list of advantages and add icons.
- Add links to important pages of the site.
Work out the navigation elements
Remember that the site is made for people. So, to keep a person on your resource, make it so that he can easily navigate through it. To do this, work out the navigation. Namely:
- Menu. It should horizontally display the category of services and goods. Do not make categories more than three levels. The vertical menu should reflect the structure of the site. You can create multi-level lists and highlight them with color. Remember that the menu should be convenient. A very cumbersome one will scare the user.
- Footer of the site. It is also the basement. Many people duplicate the top menu, but this is not necessary. You can place there: contacts, a block with links to service pages and info pages. You can also place a block with legal information.
- Button “Up”. When the user studies the footer of the site, it is not quite convenient for him to move back up using the mouse scroll. It is much more convenient to click on one button on the site. Often they are created in the form of an up arrow.
Work out the pages of goods / services
If you have an online store of goods, then be sure to make sure that the user not only studies it, but also makes an order. To do this, you need to improve the following sections:
- Catalog pages. It must contain photos (of the same size and format). Offer the user to buy the product in one click. Make the order button visible.
- Product card. Place the product photo on the left. Add the zoom function. Place the image from several angles. This will allow you to evaluate the product from all sides. On the right, indicate the name of the product, price. Add a description of the product and delivery terms.
Work out the functionality of the order
When you want to buy a product, you are unlikely to have a desire to fill out a meter-long form where you need to enter dubious data. So how do you create the perfect order or callback form? Just follow our tips:
- Reduce the number of fields to a minimum. To order a product, a person just needs to provide a phone number or e-mail. Of course, you can add something else to collect information, but just indicate to the user which fields can not be filled in.
- Ideally, remove the captcha. But if it is necessary, then set the simplest one. People are annoyed by the waste of time looking for pictures with cars or trains.
- The button for ordering goods or callback should be bright and noticeable.
- Add an inscription about the consent to the processing of personal data.
- After the user fills out the form and sends it, he should receive a notification during which time he will be contacted. It is also important to work out the “Cart” section. The goods that are added to it should be visualized. Be sure to indicate the total cost of the customer’s purchase. Also offer the user several types of delivery, indicating the cost of each option.
Increase the loading speed of the main pages of the site
We have already written above that if the site loads poorly, then no one will stay on it for more than 5 seconds. Therefore, you need to focus on making the resource load faster.
We recommend paying attention to the layout and content. It may be necessary to reduce the size of the web page itself or the images on it. Also optimize JavaScript and CSS codes, reduce the number of editors, etc. Pre-test the page loading speed using free (you can choose paid) services.
These are not all the recommendations that can be used to improve usability, but these are the main ones. Make the site convenient not for search robots, but for people.
