Every online business has the same goal which is to boost website conversion rate. The key to this is to keep the website content simple and easy to understand. Time is a valuable commodity these days. Those searching for products and services online look for quick answers. This is especially true as many of us are using our mobile devices for search. No one today has time to read every line and visit every page of the website. Just the facts mam!
Website usability:
Many items are purchased online with just a few clicks. Knowing this, there is no need for endless bloated content because most of this may never be read. Just as we pay close attention to each and every element considered for the project, we also strive hard to keep content to a bare minimum. This will boost our website usability and our chances for website conversion success.
What is cognitive overload?
Cognitive overload (just too much information) occurs when online users must read lots of content to find an answer. Consumers just don’t want to bother with having to think too much. They must get their questions answered quickly. A website full of cognitive overload leads to visitor frustration and a lower website conversion rate. A great tip to avoid cognitive overload is to stay away from text or graphics with no obvious purpose. Keeping this out of the design will help the overall website usability. Modern web designers today take all of this into consideration as they determine site elements.
Overwhelming the visitor:
Today’s modern website simple, clean and follow a good content strategy. This will go a long way in keeping the visitor from feeling overwhelmed. An easy-to-use navigation bar with only a few choices works best. Other menu items can appear on a dropdown menu should they be needed. Bulleted lists are great when explaining services or products offered. Google suggests the word count should be kept at about 300. Following a great content strategy plan will bring success your way. You’ll show up higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Caution: always avoid plagiarizing:
Never copy and use any content from another source online. This is referred to as “plagiarizing.” This can result in your site being penalized or even banned permanently. Take the time to write your own content even if this takes a bit longer. Another choice is to hire a professional content writer, capable of generating good, organic content. This will in turn boost your website conversion rate and is a win-win for any website owner.
If your budget is low then consider taking an online course on blogging. You can do this yourself with some basic training. Most importantly, please remember this, you would never want others to copy your own content. So be kind and never copy from another source. We all have to live in this online environment and kindness goes a long way…. peace!
Suggested home page items to include:
- Website name (domain)
- Display the brand logo
- Navigation bar (simple)
- Phone number (clearly listed)
- Call to action element (buy now, etc.)
- A few popular items (best sellers)
- Brand message (why choose us)
- Customer review (add to the footer)
- Leave plenty of whitespaces
The role of whitespace in today’s modern design:
Adding a bit of negative spacing between paragraphs allows for balance and offers a more pleasing design experience. This helps consumers read and understand your content in an easier form. Using bullets spaced properly on product or services pages is a plus in today’s modern design. All of these suggestions lead to a better user experience and boost website conversion rates. Keeping it simple is always the best way forward for top SEO results.
Design simplicity for today’s modern user:
The simple, less cluttered web designs will always rank higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). These are the sites that have fewer elements and minimal content. They are referred to as minimalist web design. The navigation menu is simplified (fewer sections and pages). At first, it may be difficult to get used to having fewer menu items and dropdown selections. However, once you realize the additional information will not help with the website conversion rate you’ll see the advantage.
Another great advantage of having a simple website is that it loads faster than larger sites. This will keep the website code simple and efficient. By avoiding bloated content and numerous pages on the site you can now take advantage of the home page design. It will now be the main feature of the site and all crucial elements will be upfront and available immediately as visitors reach the site. This will quickly improve the user experience and make it easier for the site to be scanned by search engine bots.
Conclusion: The advantages of a simple web design
Currently, we read that only 16% (percent) of the users read pages (word-for-word). Above all you want your visitors to keep coming back for more as your website becomes more and more popular. The end result is always to strive for a beautiful website, simplistic in design and yet full of great content, avoiding the pitfalls of too much content. Keep your best and most important content on the home page to get the best results for website conversion rate.
Keep the overall look and feel of the website simple and clean. This will help search engines scan and rank the website as a modern and functional structure. All of these suggestions will improve your website conversion rate and you will be a real player in this challenging online environment. We look forward to hearing from you should you need a quick critique of your site. Sometimes it is a simple thing that can improve your chances for success.
Be kind, be safe and hurry back for more next time from the Design Wizards at Inside Design Orlando
“An Orlando Website Design Company since 2001”
We wish all mothers a very happy and safe Mother’s Day ...
Jean Holland-Rose
Chief Creative Officer & SEO Professional
