In the modern world, a user-friendly website is vital to staying relevant. Users and customers won’t want to visit a site that is difficult to use, which means less traffic for your organization. Here are a few reasons why a user-friendly website is important.

1. User Accessibility

Running a website is similar to running any public space in certain ways. For example, it must be accessible to all users and an easy way to design a user-accessible website is to ensure your site meets ADA compliance. If you’re wondering what is ADA compliance, you’re not alone. ADA compliance means your website or property meets the accessibility standards set by the American Disability Association. ADA compliance for physical spaces is relatively straightforward. You should install ramps for wheelchair users, Braille signs for visually impaired visitors and make sure your property is accessible for service animals, too. The same applies to web design but in different ways. You need to include image descriptions and alt text for screen readers and implement color blind-accessible color schemes. Accessibility measures can assist other users, too, such as those with slow internet connections or looking at content on a small screen.

2. Easy Navigation

An easily navigable website works in tandem with user accessibility to make the experience as simple and streamlined for the user as possible. A cluttered website where all of the information is crammed into one webpage or where the organization is lacking can make it difficult for users to find what they’re looking for. You always want the user to be able to easily find the content they’re searching for, or else they’re more likely to go somewhere else to find what they need. Headers with drop-down menus, a search bar and a sidebar or header with links to important pages such as a blog, the home page and social media can help you create a clean, easy to navigate site experience for the user.

3. Optimal Messaging

A website provides you with the opportunity to optimize your messaging. You can create simple, clear messaging that is catchy, informative and easy to share and interact with. You can also optimize your content to rank on search engine result lists, driving search results and visitor traffic to your site. Optimizing the cohesion of your messaging is also vital. A cohesive design and brand identity can make your brand stick in users’ minds the same way search engine optimization improves your website’s online stickiness. A well-designed brand and advertising message can span your site and help steer your audience’s reactions and expectations in the directions you want them to go.

4. Design Accessibility

You may not realize it, but design accessibility is just as important as user accessibility and user-focused design. You not only need to make the site easy for users to navigate but also to make the site easy for various devices to load. Users may access your site from a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone and via wifi or a wired connection. You must make sure your website is designed in such a way that it will be accessible to users with slower connections and those using different screens so they can access your site from anywhere without worry or frustration. A good solution for varying connection strengths is avoiding excessive animations such as gifs or slideshows, which can take up a large amount of bandwidth. The best solution for the latter is responsive design, a web design method where the website’s code itself is programmed to detect what kind of device a user is accessing it from and automatically adjust its dimensions according to the screen.

5. Relevant Content

As the saying goes, the internet is forever. Conversely, the internet is always new. This means a good, user-friendly website can keep an archive of older information while also informing its users of new events, content and promotions or the content that is most relevant to the user’s interests. While you should ensure users can search for content independently, you can also use your website as a way to keep customers informed and suggest content to them. The internet also never sleeps, which means you can schedule updates to the website and content far in advance or post new content at any time of the day or night for users to view whenever they wish.

6. Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is becoming the main marketing vehicle, so a user-friendly website can really help you leverage it. You can post ads on other websites or interact with customers and users on social media to drive traffic toward your site. If you already have a well-designed website and brand, you can transfer that messaging to your ads and social media posts to continue cultivating a cohesive tone in your marketing.

7. Good Customer Service

A user-friendly website can also help you improve customer service. While phone lines are still vital for more complicated issues, many organizations have added various customer service options to their websites. You can include a customer service email address, a contact us page where users can submit their issues and questions directly or chatbots that can answer simple user queries or direct them to customer service representatives for more complex issues. Adding these kinds of services to your website creates a more cohesive experience for the customer so he or she can send a quick email or chat with someone immediately instead of having to wait on hold for a customer service representative over the phone. Easing the communication process and providing multiple points of contact means users are more likely to do what they need to when visiting your site and are more likely to have a good experience.

8. Credibility

In the modern world, a business without a website is considered suspicious or strange. You can increase your credibility with a well-designed, user-friendly website that offers clear communications to your users. Including transparent contact information and the ability for users to leave reviews or connect on social media will also increase your presence and familiarity with your users.

Making your website user-friendly will make it easy for people to navigate it, which can increase your visitor traffic or customer base and those users will have a good experience when visiting your site.