How much thought have you put into your client experience on your website?
It is one of the most important aspects of a website as it determines how long a user stays on your website to learn more about you and look around at the services that you offer.
Having a unique user experience will set you apart from the rest and guarantee that people keep coming back to your website for more. I recently had a great user experience at a car dealership that I use to get regular maintenance on my car. Instead of using a traditional shuttle that is stuffed with a bunch of people and shuttles you from place to place, they use uber to shuttle people around. It was a great experience. No more waiting for everyone to arrive before departing, no more spending so much time stopping at other places. It was direct and private and while this dealership is a little further out of my way, I will go back every time just for the unique user experience that I had.
Tracking the User Experience
You need to make your user experience as unforgettable as that uber shuttle. But first, you must determine the success of your user experience. The best way to do this is through Google Analytics.
You can sign up for a free account and track your website analytics. The main things you should keep an eye out for is the bounce rate and length of time spent on your website. The average website bounce rate is around 44-55%, but if your number is between 60-100% you have a problem that needs to be fixed right away.
Optimize Your Website
Here are some ways to create an optimal user experience and to keep them coming back for more;
- Visit your website yourself and make sure that your first page loads quickly and has everything that they need to know. If it doesn’t load quickly, be sure to do some updates and make changes so that it does. Having a lagging homepage is a recipe for disaster.
- Visit your website on a desktop, mobile device and tablet. Around 85% of users now visit websites from their phones and not a desktop. Making sure that your website is mobile and tablet friendly is key in this mobile era.
- Check your navigation menu. Is it easy to find? Read? Are all pages directing the visitor to where they’re supposed to go? Does the menu have too many options? Take all of this into consideration when creating the nav menu.
- Does your website guide you to the multiple services or products that you offer with ease? If they are on one page, are they able to navigate to other services you offer?
- If you have a blog – is it easy to navigate back to the main website from the blog? Make sure it doesn’t take you to a new window or off the website completely.
- If your website visitor wants to connect with you on social media. Can they find you easily through your website? Are your social accounts visible? Are you searchable?
- Do your links take the user where they need to go? Are any of your links broken? This is a big turn off for most visitors. If you can’t take the time or attention to ensure that all of the links are broken, how can you take care in their work?
Your website should be a unique and easy experience for each user. They should be able to navigate your website without frustration or confusion and spend enough time on it to learn about your products or services. Creating a pleasant website experience is a game changer for anyone who wants to begin or even grow their own business.
Lisa M Gale Digital Marketing helps service professional business owners improve their online presence and visibility to attract new clients. We develop systems and processes to improve digital marketing efforts and help entrepreneurs reach their business goals. Download your Digital Marketing Made Simple for free here >>
