The user habits on the internet are not much different from customer habits in a store. Visitors first glance at a new page, scan some of the text, and then click on the first link that catches their attention the most. The links also have to be even vaguely similar to what they are looking for on the internet in the first place. Most users search for something clickable or interesting, and as soon as promising candidates are found, they end up clicking on the page, increasing web traffic. Most of the time, the users ignore large parts of the page, only focusing on what they need.
When a page is opened, if the material does not meet the users’ expectations, the back button is clicked and the search continues. So if you think about it, visual attraction is only a part of a website’s success, the key factors are usability and the utility of the page. Now to get that elite website design you need to follow some rules and principles that will make sure you are delivering everything the customer is looking for. So here are the 5 top tier rules that will help you craft a successful website –
1. Making users not think too much
Krug’s first law of usability says an ideal web page should be self-explanatory, and obvious. Following this, when you are crafting a website, your job is to get rid of all the question marks, including alternatives, the decision visitors make consciously considering pros and cons. To reduce these question marks, make sure the site architecture and navigation are intuitive. If this is not the case, it makes it harder for the visitors to completely comprehend how the system works and how to get from one point to the other. So include moderate visual clues, a clear structure, easily recognizable links, and reduce cognitive load which does not put too much pressure on the users.
2. Not playing with the user’s patience
When you are going for a project where you are offering your visitors some service or tool, make it your priority to try to keep the user requirements minimal. The less action is required from the visitor’s side to test a service or tool, the more likely any random visitor will try it out. You need to remember that first-time visitors are not willing to fill out long forms for an account that they might never use in the future, rather they prefer to play with the service. So let the users discover the services and explore the site without them being forced to share private data.
3. Make the user focus attention
Websites offer both static and dynamic content which causes some aspects of the user interface to attract more attention than the other. The human eye is a highly non-linear device that makes web users instantly recognize patterns, edges, and motions. So you need to focus the user’s attention on specific areas and with a moderate use of visual elements. This will help your visitors move around without thinking too much about how it is supposed to be done. At the same time with fewer question marks, they will have a better orientation sense and more trust that they can develop towards the website.
4. Effective writing
While writing for a website, it is important to remember that it is going to be different from print. So it becomes necessary to adjust the writing style to the users’ browsing habits and preferences. To make this more effective, avoid promotional writing, long text blocks without any image along with keywords that are marked in italics or bold. At the same time, exaggerated texts will also be ignored. Instead, be straightforward and talk business. You can use concise phrases, and a scannable layout, along with plain and objective language.
5. Simplicity is the best policy
The primary goal of website design should always be the principle of “keep it simple”. Users are not on the website because they enjoy the design, moreover, in most cases, they enter a website to find out information despite the design. So the rule is to strive for simplicity rather than complexity. From the point of view of a visitor, the ideal website design is in pure text form, without any advertisements or any further content blocks. This way you will be able to deliver visitors exactly what they were looking for without any complications. So make sure you are not overcrowding the visitors with unnecessary content and give them a choice of options.
You need to remember that users on the internet do not search for the fastest way to find their information, instead, they choose the first reasonable option. So make sure your website provides that reasonable option for them.
