Get the most out of your website in the age of decreasing user engagement
On average, 55% of website visitors spend less than 15 seconds on any given website. That means you are already starting to wonder if it's worth reading this blog post or not. But seriously, stick with me; you can make your website better!
With Google Analytics, you can find out exactly how long visitors are spending on your site but 15 seconds is a good rule of thumb to live by when creating any website content. If we are being really honest…this window is shrinking fast.
TikTok's FYP is conditioning us to make decisions in the first 3 seconds of viewing any content. Yes, you read that right, 3 seconds.
First, we must address some backend website issues that would cause users to bounce:
Long Loading Speed
How long does it take for your site to load? You can run a speed test or Google Lighthouse report. If it’s longer than 3 seconds, you need to find out why and resolve it.
Mobile Friendly
Our mobile phones run our lives. If your website does not work seamlessly on mobile, website visitors bounce. Make sure your site is optimized for all mobile devices.
Navigation
Is it easy for visitors to navigate your site? If a customer has to work too hard to find what they need to go, they bounce. Remove all the clutter and excess clicks. Keep it simple and direct. Don’t bury important stuff, and simplify your top navigation bar to have what your customer needs. Also, the top navigation is your opportunity to direct traffic to the places you want them to go.
Now let’s talk about the stuff that people see on your website, the content!
Website Design
Looks aren’t everything, but…on a website, it is. Unfortunately, looks matter. If your site is outdated with old stock images or is not visually appealing, visitors get suspicious and bounce. Visually appealing = trustworthiness on a website!
Website Copy
What does your website say? Remember, people scan websites first; then if you are lucky, they may read them. Keep it simple and straightforward. Eliminate industry or technical jargon! Communicate quickly what you offer & how it solves their problem, and how to purchase what you offer!
Provide a Clear CTA
Let’s face it, Amazon has trained us all to be able to purchase something in less than 3 seconds with their “Buy Now” button. When evaluating your website, you need to consider how long it takes a customer to buy your product or service. What does the process look like? It is easy (as easy as Amazon?) or complicated. If there are too many steps to the process you risk losing potential customers. Eliminate any barriers and make it easy.
A common theme is to keep it simple, and when you make decisions to update your website content, it is vital to consider how it will actually be used by your customers (UI/UX). Because sometimes, in theory, something seems great but in practice, it just doesn’t work. We discussed this point further in our blog Creating an Engaging Website with UI/UX.
Also, listen to your customers' feedback and any data you can use to help inform any changes.
Finally, don’t forget to put your feet in your customers' shoes and use your site like they would. You’d be surprised what you might find!!
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