Are you currently in the process of designing or redesigning your business website? Our Los Angeles web design experts know how common it is for beginners to feel bogged down by the aesthetics of the task. You might be asking yourself questions like, “Does the shade of green I chose look okay?” “Should the company logo be on the top left side of the page or right?” “Should I place an animated gif in the center of the homepage?” 

You need to remember that there are over a billion websites online that people can access, and aesthetics is not the most important component of a successful site. Aside from looks, your website needs to be designed for usability. If your site is not user-friendly, people will likely click out of it and find what they need elsewhere. 

We have created a list of usability tips from our Los Angeles web design experts that you can follow for your website launch or redesign. 

1. Keep things simple.

Looks are important, but they are not everything. Most people visiting your website intend to make some kind of action. They are usually looking for specific information or answers to their questions.

That is why you should avoid incorporating over-the-top, unnecessary design elements into your page. If the element does not serve a purpose, people don’t need to look at it. In fact, you may only overwhelm visitors to your website with such designs. 

Embrace simplicity. You do not need to use a variety of colors for the design. Our Los Angeles web design experts suggest five or fewer colors are ideal for a website. 

Make sure the typeface you choose is easy for people to read. Do not choose a font that is too artsy or extravagant. The text color should be simple and contrast with the background color of your website. 

You really only need to incorporate graphics if they help people on your site complete an action. In other words, if the graphics don’t serve a greater purpose, you don’t need to have them. 

2. Optimize website visual hierarchy. 

Visual hierarchy involves organizing your website elements in a way that draws users’ attention to the most important elements first.

Focus on structure. You can change the position, color, and/or size of certain elements on your website. Remember that the combination of elements should entice users to click on your CTA and complete a task.

3. Optimize website navigation.

Intuitive navigation is important; you want visitors to land on your website and know where to click next. Let’s dig deeper into tips on effective navigation:

•  Users should see the primary navigation toward the top of your page. 
• Add navigation to the footer of your site. 
• Think about using breadcrumbs on every page except your homepage to help users remember the way they navigated your site. 
• Put a search bear near the top of your website so users can search keywords.
• Minimize navigation options per page. You don’t want to overwhelm users; simplicity is key.
• Incorporate links in your page copy.
• Stay consistent with the labels and location of your navigation.

4. Make your website consistent. 

In addition to making your navigation features consistent, you need to ensure that the overall look of your website is consistent across pages. Check that the backgrounds, color schemes, typefaces, and writing tone are all consistent. 

When we say make your website consistent, that does not mean every page needs to have the same layout. In fact, you can have different layouts for different pages, such as the homepage, product page, blog, and others. 

5. Improve your website responsiveness.

Not everyone is looking at your website from their desktop computer. Many people are browsing the internet on their smartphones and tablets. That is why responsive design is important. You need to make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices. If your website does not load fast enough or does not display properly on a mobile device, people are more likely to click out. 

A responsive site contains content that automatically resizes and reshuffles to properly fit the dimensions of users’ devices. You can create a responsive design with mobile-friendly HTML templates, or you can make a special mobile site.

In addition to optimizing your website for mobile devices, you should also test your website’s cross-browser compatibility. 

6. Make sure your website is accessible. 

A major part of providing a satisfactory user experience is making sure your website is accessible to the public. People with disabilities should be able to navigate your site with relative ease. 

Accessibility applies to every component of your website: structure, page format, visuals, and written copy. Our Los Angeles web design experts recommend checking out the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) if you want a comprehensive guide on website accessibility. Here are the major takeaway points from the guidelines:

• Visitors should be aware of the content presented to them.
• Your website should be able to function in various ways.
• Your content writing and alerts should be easy for readers to understand.
• Your website should be usable across a variety of assistive technologies, devices, and browsers.

7. Balance creativity and conventionality.

Here are some conventions your website should adhere to:

• Put the primary navigation at the top of your page.
• Put the logo at the top left or center of your page.
• Your logo should be clickable and take a visitor back to the homepage when they click on it.
• Include a shopping cart icon if you run an e-commerce website. This icon should have a number badge that tells users how many items they have in their cart. 

8. Make sure your website is credible.

Are you redesigning your website and want to improve your credibility? If so, you need to be transparent and honest about the product or service that you are selling to consumers. You can do this by providing up-front information on your homepage. Customers will appreciate it if you explain the value behind the work that you do. 

Conclusion

The look of your website and user experience is not going to satisfy everyone, but you can help visitors to your site feel more welcomed when you apply these tips from our Los Angeles web design experts. Try to put yourself in your visitors’ shoes as you design your website.

Find other web design tips here: https://www.webdesigncompanylosangeles.net/2022/11/09/how-to-use-web-design-in-anaheim-to-get-more-traffic-for-your-website/