Effective Website Design Strategies That Prioritize Users

With page experiences set to be a Google ranking factor starting in March 2021, it is more important than ever that the user is considered first when designing websites. This means that any web design decision you make must always be based on what benefits the user.

These web design strategies will be in fashion this year. But, more importantly, they put users' needs first.

Let's take a look at these strategies and see how we can help you use them.

#1. Increase your website load speeds

People are more impatient than they realize online, and they don't want websites to load for too long. More than half of website visitors will abandon a site within three seconds.

Enter your URL to see how fast your website loads right now. A website should load in under two seconds. However, users should accept a loading time of less than three seconds. There are simple steps that you can take to speed up your website if it loads slower than this.

If you haven’t done so already, optimize your images. Images can be compressed to reduce their file size, but not affect their visuals. This will help pages load faster. Google found that 25% of pages could be saved more than 250KB by compressing their images in 2018. You can also use an online tool like Kraken.io.

Lazy loading is another way to keep users happy. This is where content that's immediately visible upon landing on a page loads the first and most quickly. This allows users to engage with your site sooner than waiting for the entire page load.

If your website is slow to load or crashes after you make these changes, you should check that you haven't outgrown your hosting plan .

#2. Make bold choices with your font selections

Online copy that is properly written in bold fonts makes it easier to scan and digest. Website visitors read only 25% of a page. It is important that your copy is easy to understand and concise.

People are more inclined to read bolder, larger text first. Use this method to highlight key information. To maximize readability, you should keep your text concise and use lots of white space. Bold fonts are not good for pages with a lot of text.

#3 #3.

What is visual hierarchy? Visual hierarchy is the organization of your website so that visitors intuitively understand how to navigate and use the features and content.

The visual hierarchy of website pages is a common feature. Section title-headers that are larger than the content of a section appear to be important details. Menus sit at the top of the page. This is part of a visual hierarchy.

You can customize your design to meet their needs by understanding what they want. You can make your logo easily visible throughout your website, such as the logo that links to the homepage. Similar to the previous point, most users spend most of their time on websites on the left side, so make sure you put your most important content there.

Visual hierarchy can also be created by using color, space, or size.

Brighter, larger elements that are surrounded by lots of white space attract attention first. These can be used to direct the user's gaze. This makes it easier for users to scan and navigate your site, which in turn increases the quality of the user's on-site experience.

#4 #4. Personalize and localize your content

It's not surprising that global users prefer personal experiences to generic ones. This shows that consumers expect brands to be more engaged. It is important that users feel valued as individuals and not just as visitors.

Personalizing your content is a great way to meet these needs. Cookies are a great way to get started. They tell you when someone has visited your site and help you personalize content. This is especially helpful for offering loyal customers discounts and personalized product recommendations.

Over half of customers want to receive offers while browsing the web. If you have an online store, consider applying automatic discounts to shopping baskets or using popups to inform customers about current deals.

If you sell internationally, ensure that your content is translated and the currencies are available, as well as offering payment options. 72.4% of consumers are more inclined to purchase products in their native languages, and 55% would cancel a purchase if they didn't have their preferred payment method.

#5. #5. Prioritize mobile-focused Ecommerce

45 percent of consumers report that they shop on their smartphones more than ever before March 2020. So you can assume they want a seamless mobile experience. A mobile site that is easy to use will not be re-visited by two-thirds of users. This means that a mobile site designed well is good for both your users and your business.

Put yourself in the shoes of your users to ensure that your mobile design is responsive to their needs. First, ensure that your mobile design is clutter-free. You should prioritize the most important content and make sure you use as much whitespace as possible. This helps to create a clean design and makes buttons, links and menus more clickable.

Prioritizing User Wants Through Web Design: Summary

These six web design strategies can make your website stand out, rank higher and make users happy.

The best way to succeed online in the next year is to use a user-first approach. So whether you choose one strategy or six, ensure that your users are at the center of all your design decisions.