Is your website giving your customer the experience they expect?

The digital world has never been more important than it is now – supporting our lives during this global pandemic. Our work and homes lives are reliant on the goods, services and entertainment that we can access online and with this increase in digital usage comes an increase in users’ expectation of great service and what a good experience feels like.

Is your website up to scratch and meeting the expectations of your customers? We’ve compiled 5 things to think about:

1. First impressions count

How up to date is your website? Do you regularly refresh content and imagery? Does a visitor know from the outset what it is you offer and why they should come to you over a competitor? What do you want a customer to do as a next step – is there a clear call to action?

These are the fundamentals for your homepage and they really count.

A visitor will create a first impressions of a website in only 50 milliseconds source: Behaviour & Information Technology

2. Design

Good website design is really important. Aesthetically it should be attractive to your target audience, strategically it should be an extension of your brand but, most important of all, it should be the framework for your content and support the journey the user takes through your site. Good design can highlight important messages, divide up and present information in an easy to digest way and leave a positive impression on the user. Good design can also help build trust and credibility in who you are as a business or organisation.

3. Functionality to meet today’s needs

Have you updated your business to operate in this new global market? Have you needed to? Perhaps your opening hours have changed, or you can’t offer your full range of products or services – is this clear on your website? Or on a positive note, perhaps the pandemic has, or could allow you to reach new markets? Have you thought about how your website could support this? Can you offer your services in a different way using your website as the tool?

4. Navigation

A website which is difficult to navigate is so frustrating for a user. In fact, according to Goodfirms.co 61.5% of visitors leave websites with poor navigation. Working their way round a website should be a pleasure for the user, clear paths through to where they choose to go and a clear way back to where they were. Navigation within the page is also important, helping to take in the points they need or undertaking a particular action. Good design can help to support this and should include content broken up with bullet points, areas of clear space, images, clear titles and links to continue the journey through.

5. Going the extra mile

What free resources do you offer to visitors on your website? Reports, articles, advice, guidance, free samples, tasters, trials, webinars, courses, podcasts, virtual tours…there are lots of things you can offer to help potential or existing customers who visit your website. It’s a great way to showcase your business as well offering something for free which will benefit another person.

Need help?

If your website isn’t fit for the demands of this new world, or you are feeling a little lost as to what functionality could better support your business, we can help. We’re a friendly team of technical experts. We use Drupal to build brilliant websites and have a wealth of experience to solve the toughest of unique business challenges. Check us out www.olamalu.com

February 2021

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