Creating a successful website goes beyond high-quality content; it requires excellent presentation and usability. A poorly presented website can turn visitors away even if you have exceptional content. At LB Digital Agency, we focus on combining great design with usability to ensure your visitors stay, read, and engage. Here are five key writing and design conventions you should follow to maximize your website’s potential.
1. Start Each Page with the Most Important Content
Visitors tend to scan pages quickly and leave if they don’t immediately find what they’re looking for. This makes it essential to place your most crucial content near the top of your page—your “Prime Real Estate.” Avoid large logos, excessive graphics, or ambiguous headlines that push valuable content below the fold. A compelling summary or key points listed prominently can retain visitors’ attention and keep them exploring further.
2. Use Meaningful Link Text
Web users quickly decide whether to stay or leave a page. Descriptive, informative link text helps guide them by providing context about where a link will lead. This is particularly important for visually impaired users who rely on screen readers to announce link text.
- Bad Example: “Click here for more details.”
- Better Example: “Learn about iceberg formation.”
- Best Example: “Discover where icebergs come from.”
Pairing links with short descriptive blurbs also enhances clarity and helps visitors decide whether to click through.
3. Write Scannable Pages
Online content is often read non-sequentially, unlike traditional print formats. Structuring content in smaller, digestible sections with informative headings, subheadings, bullet points, and bold keywords makes it easier for readers to quickly grasp key information. Well-structured pages help maintain readers’ interest and encourage them to read further.
4. Use Simple Website Designs
Your visitors aren’t coming to see flashy graphics; they’re there for information or solutions to their needs. Unnecessary design elements like spinning logos, blinking text, or excessive animations distract visitors from your primary message and can slow down page load times. Simplicity and clarity in design improve user experience:
- Minimize the use of large images.
- Use optimized images to keep page load times low.
- Keep animations to a minimum unless they serve a clear purpose.
Complex design elements may look impressive but can overwhelm and drive away users. Less is often more.
5. Implement Clear and Consistent Navigation
Difficult-to-understand navigation is one of the biggest frustrations for website users. To avoid this pitfall:
- Use a consistent menu across all pages.
- Organize links logically, grouping related items together.
- Make link titles and descriptions clear.
- Text links are preferable for accessibility and SEO. If you use image-based links, include descriptive
altattributes.
For websites with many pages, a logical site hierarchy with a “Table of Contents” for each section can enhance navigation. Every page should provide a direct link back to the home page and, where necessary, a site map.
Conclusion: User-Focused Design for Maximum Engagement
By applying these five conventions, your website will offer an improved user experience, leading to higher engagement and conversions. Visitors will stay longer, absorb more content, and are more likely to take desired actions. At LB Digital Agency, we specialize in creating websites that balance aesthetics, usability, and functionality, all while meeting your business goals.
If you’re ready to optimize your web presence with user-friendly design and compelling content, reach out to us today. Together, we can elevate your website’s impact.