The Importance of Website Usability

If there is one quality that any website should have, it should be the quality of usability. What purpose can any website fulfill if it is not usable enough to grab the attention of Internet users? Thus, more attention should be placed in website usability.

What would happen if my website is not usable?

This is a very simple question to answer. If a visitor does not find your website easy to navigate, then he or she would simply look for another website to browse. And if visitors do this at first bat, even when they are still a few clicks away from your homepage, then all the information you place on your website will be in vain. No visitor would waste his or her time on a website that is hard to navigate simply because there are other websites that offer more usable features very easily.

What can I do to make my website more usable?

The first thing to do is to put yourself in your customers’ shoes. What can make navigating a website easier for you, as a customer? Is it all about graphics? Or does the color of the website play a significant role? What about the icons that you use? And the fonts, do they even matter? All of these and more should actually be considered so that you can make your website more usable.

• Graphics. No one wants to use a website that is very slow. Thus, do not overload your website with too many graphic images for these take time to download. Just use the necessary ones.
• Color. Use shades that are contrasting so that these can grab the attention of your visitors. Stay away from colors associated with certain disabilities, like color blindness. There are indeed many Internet surfers who suffer from these disabilities.
• Icons. Just stick with the standard icons used in all sorts of websites today. If you operate a tennis online store, then stick with the traditional HOUSE icon that leads to your homepage, rather than going for the more radical icon of a tennis ball. This radical icon can be misleading, making it ineffective.
• Fonts. The recommended font style is Arial because it is soothing to the eye. Comfort should be kept in mind when choosing font styles.

What are the reasons visitors visit websites over and over again?

By keeping these reasons in mind, you can adjust the design of your website accordingly.

• Convenient navigation
• Fast download time
• Fresh and updated content
• Content organization
• Content quality
• Content quantity
• Quality customer service
• Homepage layout
• Website appearance
• Website search tools
• Animated graphics

When should I test my website for usability?

Many web designers make the mistake of waiting until their websites are already up and running to test for usability. This should not be the case at all. while the website is still being developed, you should already perform tests for usability so that problems can be determined early on, and the appropriate solutions can be implemented.

How can my visitors help me in improving my website?

Do not be afraid to ask feedback from your customers. They are the ones navigating your website in the first place, so they are the frontliners here. Surely they have comments and suggestions that you can find useful. Thus, offer feedback forms that they can fill out online.

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