Halloween is just around the corner, and while we’re planning to make our costumes look as frightening as possible, most of us intend to keep our websites welcoming. Read on to find out what might be scaring away your site visitors.
Bad Navigation
Online shoppers are impatient, and have learned to expect to find what they need at their fingertips in moments. If a customer is finding it difficult to navigate your website or find what they are looking for, chances are they will give up in a matter of moments. Don’t let your site cause frustration; a simple site is always preferable. If you know your site is difficult to navigate, it might be time to consider a redesign.
No Search Tool
Many website users, when looking for a specific product or for information related to a particular topic on your site will head straight to the search tool – if there is one for them to make use of. If the search functionality is slow, inaccurate, difficult to find or non-existent, this can be a huge turn-off for your users. Search accounts for over 30% of all website activity, and a recorded 80% of customers will abandon a site after a poor search experience, so search functionality is essential to the success of your site.
Not Responsive
With the World Wide Web in our pockets, most of us enjoy browsing numerous sites on our smartphones rather than waiting until we’re at a laptop or desktop computer. By failing to make your site responsive you’re making it difficult or even impossible to use for a huge number of potential customers. If your site is not yet responsive, make it a priority, and welcome in the mobile traffic knocking at your door; you’ll be in for a treat.
Unmanageable Text
Browsing online, most people do not want to wade through dense pages of vast amounts of content, particularly if the font is too small, difficult to read, or if it’s simply too wordy. Creating content that is easy to read and digest is much more user-friendly, and accessible to more people. Breaking your content up into manageable chunks or bullet points and using relevant sub headings that contain strategic keywords has a slight SEO benefit.
Slow Load Times
If your site is slow to load, the likelihood is you’ll lose customers; at 3 seconds or more, they’ve probably moved on. It’s also possible that slow loads times are impeding your SEO. However, if you are suffering from a slow-loading site, there are things you can do to help – get in touch and we can create a plan for you.
Trick or treat? This year, treat your site visitors to a good site experience!
