8 Principles to help structure your website, No.4
Every one of us suffers from frustration from time to time. One thing you don’t want to do is frustrate potential customers. If you’re in the web industry, then you may forget how alien a computer can seem to some people. In order for people to visit your website, they need to figure out how to use a computer, how to get online and how to use a browser. Once they’ve managed that, they need to know how to navigate around a variety of different websites, navigational methods, hyperlinks, icons, jargon, conventions, frames, forms and more. You need to ensure that your website makes this process as easy and as straight forward as simple. The more complicated your website is, the more frustrating it can be. The more frustrating, the less likely people are to stick around to complete a purchase.
You want your website’s visitors to be spending time looking at different products – and ultimately, buying them. What you don’t want is these potential customers to be spending their time trying to figure out how to get from page to page before giving up and moving on to something a bit more simple. It only takes one reason for the visitor to leave your website – there are plenty of other sites out there for them to try. You need to guide your visitors through the buying process with ease, instead of putting them off and sending them straight into the arms of your competitors.
Here’s a little (but very useful) tip:
Treat all of your customers as if they are Mr. or Ms. Basic User – not Mr. or Ms. Techno Wiz. You may find it easy to navigate your website. But imagine how the experience would pan out for somebody who doesn’t know how to operate a computer. Those visitors who fit in to the Mr. or Ms. Techno Wiz category are likely to know exactly what they’re after and will buy regardless, so you’re not losing business by making your website more simple to understand. Your website needs to be clear, simple and consistent. A big misconception is that this means boring. It doesn’t – you just need to evaluate what it is that your website really needs, and what is unnecessary. For example, there’s no need to go over the top on entertainment media. If people are looking to be entertained, then they are much more likely to visit an entertainment website than an e-commerce site. For a clear, simple and consistent yet attractive and compelling website design, contact the professionals at Varn today.
Be sure to check back soon for the fifth part of 8 Principles to help structure your website. Thank you.
