Website Design + Usability

How can you make your website user-friendly, accessible and visually appealing?

Creating a user-friendly, accessible and visually appealing website is important to attract and retain clients. Here are some tips and best practices to achieve this.

Clear and Intuitive Navigation

• Simple Menu Structure: Use a straightforward menu with clear labels (e.g., About, Services, Blog, Contact).

• Secondary Navigation: Use nested navigation or a footer navigation section to provide links to sub-pages

• Consistent Layout: Keep the navigation consistent across all pages.

• Page Navigation: For very long pages, consider adding anchor links to sections and providing a sticky page navigation that acts as a table of contents for the page

Responsive Design

• Mobile Optimization: Ensure your website looks and functions well on all devices (desktops, tablets, and smartphones).

• Test Across Devices: Regularly test your website on different devices and browsers to ensure compatibility.

Fast Loading Speed

• Optimize Images: Compress images without losing quality to improve load times.

• Minimize Plugins: Use only essential plugins to reduce load times.

• Efficient Code: Ensure clean, efficient code to avoid unnecessary load delays.

Engaging and High-Quality Visuals

• Professional Photography: Use high-quality images that reflect your brand and resonate with your audience.

• Consistent Branding: Maintain a consistent color scheme, typography, and style throughout the site.

• Visual Hierarchy: Use headings, subheadings, and images to break up text and guide users’ attention.

Compelling and Clear Content

• Concise Messaging: Keep your messages clear and to the point, avoiding jargon.

• Readable Fonts: Use easy-to-read fonts and ensure sufficient contrast between text and background.

• Call-to-Action (CTA): Include clear CTAs (e.g., “Book a Session,” “Subscribe to Newsletter”) to guide user actions.

Accessibility

• Alt Text for Images: Provide descriptive alt text for images to improve accessibility for screen readers.

• Metadata: Ensure all pages have descriptive page titles and page descriptions

• Keyboard Navigation: Ensure your site can be navigated using a keyboard and assign proper markup to headings, subheadings and paragraphs (H1, H2, H3, P1, P2, P3, etc) so the page outline appears in sequence.

• Readable Text: Use sufficient font sizes and line spacing to enhance readability.

• Color contrast: Ensure there is tested and sufficient color contrast between text and background colors/patterns

Interactive Elements

• Forms and Surveys: Include contact forms, booking forms, or surveys to engage visitors; ensure forms have accessibility features enabled so the fields can be identified easily with screen readers

• Videos: Use video content to introduce yourself, share success stories, or offer valuable insights.

• Blogs and Articles: Regularly update your blog with relevant content to keep visitors engaged; use.

Trust-Building Elements

• Testimonials: Display client testimonials and success stories prominently.

• Certifications and Awards: Showcase any relevant certifications, awards, or recognitions.

• Logos: Showcase the logos of prominent clients, partners or media connections

• Privacy Policy: Provide a clear privacy policy to assure visitors their data is secure.

User Feedback

• Surveys and Polls: Regularly gather user feedback to understand their needs and improve the site accordingly.

• Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to track user behavior and identify areas for improvement.

Regular Updates

• Content Refresh: Keep your content up-to-date and relevant.

• Website Maintenance: Regularly update your website’s software, themes, and plugins to ensure security and performance.

What design principles should you follow to ensure your website looks professional?

Simplicity

• Minimalist Design: Avoid clutter by using ample white space and focusing on essential elements.

• Clear Layout: Ensure a clean and straightforward layout that guides visitors' eyes to the most important information.

Consistency

• Brand Identity: Maintain consistency in colors, fonts, and imagery to reflect your brand identity.

• Uniform Layout: Use a consistent layout and style across all pages for a cohesive look.

Typography

• Readable Fonts: Choose easy-to-read fonts for body text and ensure sufficient contrast between text and background.

• Hierarchy: Use different font sizes and weights to create a clear hierarchy, making it easy for users to scan and find information.

Color Scheme

• Brand Colors: Use a color scheme that reflects your brand and evokes the desired emotional response.

• Contrast: Ensure high contrast between text and background for readability, especially for call-to-action buttons and important text.

Visual Hierarchy

• Emphasis: Use size, color, and placement to highlight key elements like headings, CTAs, and important messages.

• Flow: Arrange elements logically to guide users through the content naturally.

Imagery

• High-Quality Images: Use professional, high-resolution images that are relevant to your content and resonate with your audience.

• Consistency: Ensure images are consistent in style, tone, and quality across the website.

Whitespace

• Balance: Use whitespace effectively to balance the elements on the page and prevent it from looking cluttered.

• Focus: Whitespace can help draw attention to specific elements, making your content more readable and engaging.

Responsive Design

• Mobile-Friendly: Ensure your website is fully responsive and looks great on all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

• Test Across Devices: Regularly test your website on various devices and browsers to ensure a consistent experience.

Navigation

• Ease of Use: Keep navigation simple and intuitive with clear, descriptive labels.

• Accessibility: Ensure all navigation elements are accessible, including drop-down menus and links.

Speed and Performance

• Optimization: Optimize images, use efficient code, and minimize the use of heavy plugins to ensure fast loading times.

• Performance Monitoring: Regularly monitor your website’s performance and address any speed issues promptly.

Accessibility

• Alt Text for Images: Provide descriptive alt text for images to improve accessibility for screen readers.

• Metadata: Ensure all pages have descriptive page titles and page descriptions

• Keyboard Navigation: Ensure your site can be navigated using a keyboard and assign proper markup to headings, subheadings and paragraphs (H1, H2, H3, P1, P2, P3, etc) so the page outline appears in sequence.

• Readable Text: Use sufficient font sizes and line spacing to enhance readability.

• Color contrast: Ensure there is tested and sufficient color contrast between foreground elements and background colors/patterns

Trust Signals

• Testimonials: Display client testimonials and success stories prominently.

• Certifications and Awards: Highlight any relevant certifications, awards, or recognitions.

• Logos: Showcase the logos of prominent clients, partners or media connections

• Privacy Policy: Include a clear privacy policy and terms of service.

Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

• Clear CTAs: Use clear and compelling CTAs that guide visitors toward desired actions (e.g., booking a session, subscribing to a newsletter).

• Visibility: Place CTAs in prominent positions, such as the top right corner, within content, and at the end of pages.