Too many businesses make the mistake of forgetting about usability when it comes to their website. And usability is so important for the success of any website; it can improve the overall performance of the site and that means increasing your chances of success. So along with attractive and functional Joomla templates, we need to look at usability.
Here’s what your website needs to be user-friendly and start generating the revenue you’ve dreamed about.
1. Mobile Friendliness
More people are using their mobile phones to browse the Internet. So a mobile-friendly site is essential.
2. Everyone Needs To Be Able To Access the Site
So you’ve chosen fantastic Joomla templates and you’re nearly ready to go live with your site. But is the site accessible to everyone from the elderly to the blind? Can you site be accessed by on-screen readers?
3. Information Architecture
The way in which the information is presented and organised on your site is important for usability. But it’s often a neglected element. Once you’ve chosen your Joomla templates, plan the sections of the site carefully to make sure information is presented in an easy way for users to find.
4. Easy-To-Scan Content
The average website visitor skims through a page’s content. Be sure to format the content using headings, sub-headings, lists, bullets, and paragraphs to break up text and make it easy to scan.
5. Quick Loading
Nothing’s more annoying than a site that takes an age to load and slow speed is one of the main contributors to visitors leaving your site. Make sure the website can load within 6 seconds for optimal usability.
6. Browser Consistency
Don’t overlook browser compatibility. It’s pretty bad for branding and certainly had a negative effect on the usability of the site.
While modern browsers have evolved, there are inconsistencies that still exist as to how different browsers interpret a site. Make sure your site appears and behaves consistently across the browsers. Something simple like well-designed Joomla templates will set your site apart from the rest.
7. Navigation
Good navigation is critical. Simple menus like those offered by good templates tend to work the best and will appear consisted across browsers.
Your navigation should also be clutter-free so limit how many menu items you have. A drop-down menu could work a lot better and be much neater.
Other aspects to consider regarding navigation include:
- Informative header and footer
- Good search feature
- Internal linking
- Various ways to explore content
- A custom 404 page
8. Error Handling
Descriptive on-screen messages and good error handling are vital for great website usability. Make sure your errors are correctly handled at code level to ensure your site is free from bugs. By displaying the correct error message, you’ll also improve user experience and overall usability within your Joomla templates.
9. Clean Code and Mark-Ups
If your site adhered to relevant best practices for web design, it’s bound to be more dependable. It also means the site will load faster and be consistent across browsers.
Leave a Comment