Members frequently email me with website questions. Over the years, I’ve been asked everything from on-page SEO techniques to logo placement.
But by far the most common question I get is, “what am I doing wrong?”
Yes, this broad, all-encompassing question always makes me chuckle. It’s virtually impossible to cover in an email. In fact, I do a two-hour-plus session at our annual Master Your Remodeling Business Workshop where I evaluate attendee websites and provide feedback and still we only scratch the surface.
So what are you doing wrong? Well, I’m not clairvoyant, but I’m going to take a guess that the things you’ve heard in the past relate to technical website components: things like “you need good on-page SEO” and “you need good link architecture.”
But some of the most overlooked elements of a website pertain to the user experience. So here’s five critical elements that will make your website more user-friendly and, in turn, improve the visitor’s experience.
1. Scannability
85% of people scan a web page before reading it. They want to determine quickly if the content on the page is relevant. So if you don’t want people to abandon your website then you’ll want to employ these scannability components:
- Use headers (H1, H2, H3) to segment your content.
- Use crossheads to break up the monotony of large blocks of text.
- Use bullet points and numbered lists.
- Keep sentences and paragraphs short.
2. Grammar & Spelling
Obvious, right? And yet not one workshop goes by in which I don’t see a few websites with spelling and grammatical errors. This is the single most avoidable mistake being made, and it makes you look really bad in the eyes of your prospects. If you struggle with spelling and grammar, then I recommend you check out www.grammarly.com. It’s a great tool.
3. Use Images and Video
The human brain is a visual organ. We process visuals 60,000 times faster that text. In fact, 90% of the information absorbed is visual in nature. So to not use images and videos on your website is depriving your visitors of the one thing they crave most.
It’s not a coincidence that the top ranking web pages average seven images per page. So, it turns out a picture is worth 60,000 words.
4. Use White Space
Too many websites try to cram content into every corner of the page. But the use of white space is critical to good design. It helps visitors focus on what you want them to see and makes everything feel more open and “comfortable.” According to CrazyEgg, white space alone increases content comprehension by almost 20%.
5. Be Responsive
I’m not talking about how quickly you respond to inquiries. What I’m referring to is having a mobile-friendly website. More than half of website visits (56%) are occurring on mobile devices according to marketingland.com.
Believe me when I tell you, there is no greater pain than trying to view a desktop website on a smartphone.
If you want a user-friendly website, then this is a must-have element. Although you could have a “mobile version” of your website, most website owners are moving to responsive design. This means that the web page itself repositions the content based on the screen size (i.e., responds to screen size). This is a much easier solution than having to manage two separate websites.
Conclusion
I wish I could tell you that once you implement these five elements, your website will be perfect. But this is just the tip (of the tip) of the iceberg. However, it’s a great place to start if you want to get your website in shape.
If you really want to dig in and have your website whipped into shape, then you should come to the annual Master Your Remodeling Business Workshop this June. I’ll be there to analyze your website and give you the help you need to turn it into a lead generating machine.
But that’s only one small part of the workshop. There’s a slew of top industry minds covering topics in Production, Sales, Management, Financials and more in this two-day intense business training event. I hope to meet you there.
Have questions?
Just drop them in to the comment section below!