Understand why people are visiting your site and optimize that
If you don’t get anything else from this post, understand this: There is a reason you want people to visit your site, and the reason your site exists is to fulfill that purpose. The function, logistics, and aesthetics should reflect this. If you want potential buyers to sign up for something, make it intuitive and easy to do. If you are showcasing your products, then go wild with the art design. Use this to guide your design during all stages of development.
Understand the paths your users will take
This one is tightly bound to the previous point. If there are sub-pages to the site, and multiple points for users to find different types of information, plan out the paths they will take to get there. Make sure each button, link, and tab in the chain makes sense and doesn’t cause confusion or difficulty on the part of the user.
Have a complete footer
Users need to be able to easily find information about your company. Your footer should include links to ‘about us’ info, ‘location’ info, social media accounts, the legal information, and a way to get back to the main page.
Don’t sacrifice usability for aesthetics
If your website is anything other than a visual arts portfolio, then the design is second to the function. The visuals are important, no doubt, but it should neve make the site harder to use. The visual design should give your webpage an air of professionalism and a pleasant visual experience, as well as enhancing the intuitiveness of any user interfaces.
Have someone test your website as if they were a user
During testing, get someone outside the designers or client to give feedback on your website. Put them in the user’s mindset by explaining what the typical user would be trying to do, and watch to see if they can figure it out on their own. Take note of where they are confused, and where they automatically try to click.
Featured image by Pixabay, at pexels.com