Attracting new users to your website can be difficult. But with these five web design tactics you can maintain an active readership base, attract new users, and increase your page hits.
1. Bright Colors and Eye-Catching Designs
With billions of websites available to Internet users at literally the click of a button, it is SO important to make sure that your website stands out! A dull or monochrome website is likely to turn users off, while a vibrant and visually appealing site will attract more readers and ensure that those who are sent to your website via an external link are immediately hooked.
Be careful to not go overboard with the bright colors and designs as this can be seen as a lack of professionalism and will likely turn users off as well. In general, keep it simple. A cool background and neat letterheads will do more for your site than you would imagine.
2. Easy Readability
One of the most important elements of any website is that it is user-friendly. Web pages must be easy to read, with reasonably-sized texts, good fonts, and appropriate spacing. Users can become very annoyed or frustrated when they attempt to read pages or articles only to find that the words are too small, the font too whimsical, and the text all jumbled. When this happens the reader will more than likely become confused or distracted and choose to leave your site. To keep users on your site and attract more to it, make sure to keep ALL of the aspects of easy readability in mind and you will be just fine.
3. Sensible Layout
Most people are familiar with the frustration that comes with searching for a website only to discover that the website is poorly formatted and almost impossible to use. So frustrating, right? Maybe the website was laid out in a confusing way. Maybe it was outdated or unintuitive. Whatever the reason, nothing drives away users faster (and prevents your website from becoming more popular) than a website that is difficult to navigate.
Make sure your website is clearly laid out so that users can access the parts of the website that they need, without getting bogged down by overly intrusive advertisements. Otherwise, users will search for “better” websites with more sensible designs.
4. Clear Directions
When necessary, it is important to include steps or instructions so that users can find the part of the website that they are seeking. For example, it might be important to include explanations like, “To read about more of my ideas, click on the bio section!” or “Use the search bar to find any product you need!”
Websites can be complex, and it is important that users know where to find what they want. This goes hand-in-hand with designing a user-friendly and intuitive layout that users will understand. If your website is easy to use, it will attract more users, and encourage those who have been using your website to keep coming back for more.
5. Modern Designs
Last but not least, make sure your website doesn’t look as though it hasn’t been updated in ten years! An outdated website is sure to put off users who are afraid that the website owner doesn’t care about how they present themselves. It’s also likely to strike users as challenging to use even if it isn’t. Technology is all about clean, interesting presentation and designs that catch the eye. Don’t cripple your website by refusing to keep it updated, modern, and interesting. Users will be attracted to websites with new layouts and features, and will be more likely to pay attention to websites that look well-maintained.
If you’re looking to boost your website traffic, these five web design tactics are sure to help attract and keep new users. If you’re stuck, try to remember what attracts you to certain websites, and incorporate that into your work.
