Website Usability: Make Your Website Look and Feel Better to Increase Sales

What is Usability?

Usability refers to how easy it is for users to accomplish their goals on a website. This includes: 

• Being able to navigate the site easily
• Find the information they need
• Complete tasks such as making a purchase or filling out a form

A website that is not usable can lead to frustration for users, causing them to leave the site and potentially leading to lost business or missed opportunities.

How a Usability Consultant Helps

An experienced website usability consultant has a deep understanding of user behavior and can provide valuable insights into how to design a website that is intuitive and efficient for users.

They may conduct user testing or analysis to gather data on how people interact with the website and identify any issues or areas for improvement.

They may also provide recommendations on design elements such as layout, color scheme, and typography to enhance the overall user experience.

A website usability consultant may work on a specific project for a client or be involved in the design process from the beginning. Their expertise can be invaluable in ensuring that a website is visually appealing and easy to use for its intended audience.

The Importance of Website Usability

Website usability is a crucial aspect of the user experience on the internet. With the proliferation of high-speed internet and mobile devices, customers expect websites to load quickly and be easy to navigate, regardless of their internet bandwidth. 

A website that is not usable can lead to frustration for people and ultimately drive them away from the site. But, a website that is designed with usability in mind can significantly improve the client experience. 

When a website is easy to use, your guests are more likely to stay on the site longer and complete tasks such as making a purchase or filling out a form. This can lead to increased engagement and conversions for your business.

Improving the usability of a website can involve a range of factors, including the layout, navigation, colors, and overall design of the site. A website usability consultant with expertise in these areas can provide valuable insights and recommendations for improvements that can enhance the user experience on a website.

The Guiding Principles of Usability

Usability heuristics are principles that help guide the design of user interfaces to ensure that they are easy to use. They were first introduced by usability experts Jakob Nielsen and Rolf Molich in the 1990s as a set of guidelines for evaluating user interface usability.

Ten usability heuristics are commonly used as a framework for evaluating the usability of a user interface:

• Visibility of system status: The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
• Match between system and the real world: The system should speak the person’s language, with words, phrases, and concepts familiar to the person, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order.
• User control and freedom: People often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked “emergency exit” to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.
• Consistency and standards: People visiting your site should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.
• Error prevention: Even better than good error messages is a careful design that prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone conditions or check for them and present users with a confirmation option before they commit to the action.
• Recognition rather than recall: Minimize the client’s memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. The client should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for the use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate.
• Flexibility and efficiency of use: Allow people to tailor frequent actions. Accelerators — unseen by the novice user — may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow people to tailor frequent actions.
• Aesthetic and minimalist design: Dialogues should not contain information that is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility.
• Help people recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors: Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution.
• Help and documentation: Even though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation. Any such information should be easy to search, focused on the user’s task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large.

Usability heuristics are principles that help guide the design of user interfaces to ensure that they are easy to use. By following these principles, you can design user interfaces that are intuitive and efficient for users, leading to an improved user experience.

The Role of Design in Website Usability

Website design is more than just looking good. An effective design can make it easy for your visitors to navigate and interact with a website, while a poorly designed interface can cause frustration and lead to people leaving the site. 

An experienced website usability consultant understands the importance of design in the overall user experience and can provide valuable insights into designing a visually appealing website that is easy to use.

The design process for a website often begins with an analysis of the target audience and their needs and goals. (You might also call this your customer avatar). This helps to inform the overall layout and navigation of the site, as well as the design elements such as color scheme and typography. 

A usability consultant with expertise in design can provide recommendations on how to create an intuitive and efficient interface for your visitors and clients.

In addition to the aesthetics of your website, the design also plays a role in the site’s functionality.

A usability consultant can help ensure that key elements such as buttons and forms are easy to locate and use, leading to a more seamless user experience.

The Importance of Usability in Website Design

Usability is a key factor in the success of a website, as it determines how much people like your site. It of course indicates how easily people can navigate and interact with the site. An experienced website usability consultant understands the importance of usability and can provide expert guidance on how to design a website that is intuitive and efficient for as many people as possible.

There are several methods that a usability consultant may use to assess the usability of a website. Based on the findings from these methods, a usability consultant can provide recommendations on how to improve the usability of a website.

In addition to improving the user experience, enhancing the usability of a website can also lead to increased conversions and business success. For example, a website that is easy to navigate and complete transactions on is more likely to attract and retain customers, leading to increased revenue.

The Importance of Accessibility in Website Usability

Accessibility refers to people with disabilities being able to easily access and understand a website’s content. This includes individuals with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments and those with older devices or slow internet connections. 

Ensuring that a website is accessible is not only a legal requirement for many organizations, but it also plays a crucial role in the overall usability of a website.

An experienced website usability consultant understands the importance of accessibility and can provide expert guidance on designing a website accessible to as many people as possible. This can involve incorporating features such as alt-text for images, closed captions for videos, and clear and concise language throughout the site.

Incorporating accessibility into the design of a website not only benefits users with disabilities, but it can also improve the user experience for all users. For example, using clear and concise language can make a website easier for all visitors, regardless of their familiarity with the topic.

The Role of Testing in Website Usability

Testing is a crucial aspect of website usability and design. It allows your business to gather data on how your customers interact with your website and identify any areas for improvement. There are several methods that a website usability consultant may use to test the usability of a website, including:

• User testing: This involves asking a small group of people to perform specific tasks on a website and provide feedback. This can help identify any issues with navigation, layout, or overall design that may be causing frustration for your visitors.
• A/B testing: This involves creating two versions of a website and comparing their performance. One version is the control, while the other includes a specific change or variation. This can help organizations determine the impact of a particular design element on the guest experience.
• Heat mapping: This involves using software to track where users click on a website. This can help identify areas of a website that are attracting the most attention and areas that may be overlooked.

Testing is an important part of the design process as it allows you to gather valuable data on how users interact with your website. This can help identify any issues with the guest experience and make necessary improvements.

The Role of User Interface Design in Website Usability

A website’s user interface (UI) plays a crucial role in the overall customer experience. It refers to the visual and interactive elements of a website that users interact with, such as buttons, forms, and menus. 

An experienced website usability consultant understands the importance of UI design and can provide expert guidance on creating an intuitive and efficient interface for users.

Research on the end-customers and their needs and goals should inform the design of a website’s UI. This helps to ensure that the interface is tailored to the target audience and meets their needs. An experienced usability consultant can conduct user research to gather data on how people interact with a website and identify any issues with the UI.

Incorporating good UI design into a website can significantly improve the visitor experience. For example, a website with a clear and intuitive navigation menu can make it easier for users to find the information they need. This can lead to increased engagement and conversions for your business. 

The Role of Website Usability Consultants in Your Business

Website usability consultants play a crucial role in helping you improve the user experience on your website. With their expertise in usability and design, a usability consultant can provide valuable insights and recommendations on how to optimise your website so that it is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use.

A customer-friendly website is essential for attracting and retaining business with your online presence. A website that is not usable can lead to frustration for people and ultimately drive them away from the site. On the other hand, a website that is designed with usability in mind can significantly improve the customer experience and lead to increased engagement and conversions.

A website usability consultant can work on a specific project or be involved in the design process from the beginning. Their expertise can be invaluable in ensuring that your website is visually appealing and easy to use for its intended audience.

We can also help you after your website is online, with a usability review or audit, and recommendations for improvements.

The Role of Research in Website Usability and Design

Research plays a crucial role in website usability and design. It allows organizations to gather data on the needs and goals of their target audience and how people interact with a website. This can inform a website’s overall design and layout, as well as the user interface (UI) elements such as buttons and forms.

An experienced website usability consultant understands the importance of research in the design process and can provide valuable insights based on their experience in conducting user research. This may involve methods such as user testing, where a small group of potential customers is asked to perform specific tasks on a website and provide feedback, or analysis of user data such as website traffic and engagement metrics.

By conducting research, you can gain a deeper understanding of your customers and design a website that meets their needs and goals. 

An experienced website usability consultant will provide valuable insights based on their experience in conducting user research, helping you design a website that meets the needs and goals of your customers.

Start with Website Usability Design for More Satisfied and Productive Customers

A website usability consultant plays a crucial role in enhancing the customer experience on your website through their knowledge and experience in usability and website design. By improving the usability of a website, your business can increase engagement and conversions, ultimately leading to success in the digital world.

At Erfolk, we believe your website is the foundation of your digital presence. Your digital marketing efforts lead back to your website and represent your business. These should all be well-designed to educate, convince, and convert your customers.

Schedule a free consultation call to see how we can help you today. The first call is free, and there’s no further obligation. Let’s see how we can work together to improve your success.

Christian Pyrros
Managing Director
Erfolk Digital Marketing