Web Design Tips: Design Websites for Humans, Not Search Engine Bots

Did you know that a little design psychology can go a long way towards enhancing the user experience? Basic design psychology, as opposed to what many think, is relatively easy to implement.  Here are some web design tips to make your website more engaging for a human audience.

1. Make it pleasant to use. The font type and size must be readable. The contrast between colors must also be strong enough to stand out under different lighting conditions. Moreover, buttons or tabs have to be clickable on different phone types and thumb sizes. Lastly, there should be enough white space to make the design feel open and organized. Overcrowded lettering or elements placed tightly together are eye sores whereas excessively wide spacing gives the sense that there’s something lacking. Overall, the key is to find balance.

2. Evoke emotion through visuals. Emotional connection is essential in promoting brand loyalty, and in terms of design, this is where photos and videos become relevant. The tone and mood should match your core values. For instance, if you’re selling leisure, you’d want visuals that depict enjoyment. Conversely, no matter how glum your line of service may seem (e.g. criminal law, debt financing), refrain from making things seem “heavier”. It’s all right to be factual, but try to use visuals that evoke positive feelings like hope, confidence, and even a bit of humor. Furthermore, the visuals should be of good quality; otherwise, your website may only end up looking lousy and cheap, which will certainly reflect on your brand.

3. Enhance ease of navigation. People visit websites sometimes because they want to see what you offer, but more often, because they have a product in mind that they want to know more about. If those potential customers don’t find the information they seek right away, chances are they’ll jump to the next competitor who can make life easier for them, especially in time-sensitive purchase decisions. Therefore, you should streamline your navigation design to make it as simple and as direct as possible. Minimize clutter, drop-down options, chain links, and loading time. To determine how your new navigation affects users, test it out using a prototype first.

Considering visitor psychology in your design process can significantly boost your end results. By choosing the kind of design that is pleasing to the eye, evokes the desired emotion(s), and enhances ease of use, you can make every visit to your website infinitely more satisfying. Your audience may then be more likely to stay in touch with you, if not buy your product or refer new business to you.

You can find the latest web design news and tips on websites like Marketing Digest.

 

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