technology
Faster, Better, Sleeker, Stronger : Essential Website Updates SMEs Need to Make in 2018
05 May 2018
Your website is easily one of the hardest working and most valuable assets your business has. A shop window to the world, it’s the first port of call for customers, suppliers and investors. So what does your website say about your business? Often, we are so used to seeing it that we don’t take the time to critically evaluate the website user journey or take account of shifting customer expectations and best practice web design. That can be a critical mistake. Great websites don’t have to cost a fortune- with a few simple adjustments, you can bring your website into 2018 with these easy tips.
Loading Times Are Crucial
There’s nothing shorter than the attention span we have on the internet- and it’s declining all the time. It used to be that you had around eight seconds to capture the attention of a potential customer, but thanks to the constant tug of new notifications and stimulus, there is evidence that our
attention spans are getting shorter
. That means that the initial ‘pull’ of a website has to be much stronger to draw us in. So site loading times are absolutely critical in order to get over this first hurdle and allow your site to do the job of showcasing your products or services. You simply cannot afford to have a page with a slow loading time. Use a checker like
to effectively analyse your website loading speeds and find proactive solutions to slimming down bulky content with a tool like Unbounce landing page builder. Your conversion rates will thank you for it!
Mobile Rules
If your platform is not optimised for mobile usage, you’re about a decade behind the times. Mobile phones and tablets now account for the majority of most browsing sessions, so if your website is difficult to navigate on these devices, it may as well not be there. Find a web designer who specialises in mobile friendly design and make sure that CMS that you use allows you to optimise the site for on the go browsing. Increasing sales is all about removing barriers to the moment of purchase - so you need to ensure that your site doesn’t stop prospective customers in their tracks through bad design practices.
Get Comfortable With Analytics
You don’t have to be a UX specialist to benefit from the continued gift of website analytics. Although that dashboard may look scary, getting to know it is the fastest route to obtaining customer insight. The truth is, you are not your target audience, and you can’t second guess their needs and reactions. The metrics that you get on your site are your window into customer behaviour - so take the time to understand them and review them regularly. Let what they tell you be the guiding factor in your business decisions and budget allocations - you’ll soon see the impact of this approach. Your final design should take account of key indicators such as specific goals and numbers of conversions. Keep constantly refining these elements as you gain more information.
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