Simple Web Design Tips for User Engagement & Conversion

Have you ever seen a cake so pretty that you hesitate to eat it? But when you do, it’s not as tasty as it looks. This happens with websites, too. They look great but don’t deliver on content.

Many small business owners face this with their websites. They look fantastic, but the content is dull or the same old stuff you see everywhere else.

If you’re stuck in this place, keep reading as we get into the hidden superpowers your website can have—transforming it from a beautiful outside to a conversation-starting, relations-building cornerstone.

When Simpler Websites Outperform

Would you rather have a website resembling a stunning decedent dessert only to find out it tastes like it’s been sitting stale and blah for a few days? Or would you be okay with being served a generic-looking piece of cake filled with many flavors and spices and moist as all get up?

Each of the above servings has a different strength and weakness. The decadent dessert may have been amazing when fresh, but it was not made for the long term. It’s appealing at first, but there are better options over time.

However, the second is more functional and user-friendly but is not visually appealing. But then again, the customer isn’t worried about how it looks. They want answers that appeal to their problem, a soft, flavorful piece of cake.

While decisions are ultimately made based on your business’s priorities, scenario B is ideal for most small business owners like yourself; you want what appeals to the customer to help them solve the issue.

Surprisingly, some simpler-looking websites get more customers. Why? They focus on what users need, not just on looking good.

That doesn’t mean your website shouldn’t follow the basics of sound design principles; it should be optimized for the user and the functionality.

Rethinking the ‘Above the Fold’ Rule

In the early days of the internet, ‘above the fold’ was the holy grail of web design. Picture a printed newspaper. The biggest stories always land above the literal fold, right in the reader’s eye. This logic spilled over to the web, leading to a cram-fest of key information at the top of the page.

But here’s the kicker: digital isn’t print.

Nowadays, people love to scroll and swipe. So, don’t cram everything at the top. Let your visitors explore your page and discover more.

Engage them through the page. The fold isn’t a finish line; it’s the starting line of your customer’s journey.

Mastering Micro-Interactions

Remember the last time you got a ‘like’ on your social media post? The notification kicks off a mini endorphin rush. That’s a micro-interaction.

Micro-interactions, like small animations, make your website more fun and engaging. For example, when a user hovers over a menu item and changes color, it provides immediate feedback that the site is responsive to their actions.

Used sparingly and strategically, it can keep a user engaged.

Slow Sites: the Invisible Conversion Killer

Speedy sites are crucial to helping the decision to stay or leave. If your offer is not unique enough to keep people waiting around, then slow does not win the race.

Every second of delay slashes conversion rates. According to Google, as page load time goes from 1 to 3 seconds, the probability of bounce increases by 32%. This means people wait around.

Thankfully, optimizing site speed on WordPress doesn’t require a degree in rocket science. Simple changes, like compressing images, enabling caching, reducing plugins, and choosing a speed-optimized host, may be all you need.

Exploring No-Code Website Builders

No-code website builders are changing the game. Drag and drop your way to a professional-looking website. No coding is required.

This new trend could be your chance to shine. Tools like Shopify, Squarespace, and Webflow provide good design and user experience. They come with user-friendly interfaces, built-in SEO optimization, and ready-to-go integrations.

This is good news for all you WordPress fans, too! The Gutenberg block editor, WordPress’s answer to the no-code revolution, makes it easy to build and design your pages without touching a line of code. The future of web design is here, empowering businesses like yours to take control.

Test for more variables.

There’s a mantra in the web design space: “Always Be Testing.” A/B testing has been the go-to approach for a long time, not just on the website but in focus groups and more.

A and B. It’s like a school exam: two options, one choice.

But what if we’re limiting our potential by limiting our choices? Enter multivariate testing. This advanced approach allows you to test multiple elements simultaneously.

Unlike A/B testing, where you test one element at a time (like the color of a button), multivariate testing allows you to test multiple changes simultaneously—for example, different headlines, images, and button colors all at once.

The goal is to see which combination of elements works best together. It’s like an open-book test with multiple answers and endless possibilities.

Multivariate testing can be better than A/B testing as it lets you test many things at once. It gives you a detailed view of how different elements interact together.

Think of your WordPress site as a treasure chest of untapped potential.

Turning casual visitors into loyal customers isn’t about spending big on a total makeover. It’s about sparking their interest, adding those small, interactive touches, and embracing what makes you unique.

Web design constantly evolves, but you can stay ahead by focusing on what matters and adapting as needed.

Get ready to break the mold, embrace new ideas, and reveal the true power of your website to transform your business!”