Common User Frustrations (and how to avoid them)

It’s important to design your site so that user frustration is kept to a minimum.

A professional design, engaging content, user-friendly navigation, and fast loading speeds are all characteristics of a good website and crucial to a positive user experience. Not only will reducing the following frustrations contribute to improved search engine ratings, but it will ultimately contribute to more customers.

Slow loading time.

Users hate waiting. Slow loading time is directly related to page abandonment and every second counts. 47% of users expect a web page to load in two seconds or less. In order to speed up your website, consider optimizing images and CSS delivery, and reduce the number of plugins on your site if you’re using an open-source content management system, such as Wordpress.

Unable to read content.

Bad typography choices and typos all contribute to poor legibility. The color palette, typeface, and general tone of your website can have an enormous impact on customer retention.

Conversely, users will stay on your site longer, come back more often, and even share your content with others. Not only will your site receive better rankings, but the possibility of new customers will increase.

Improper navigation.

Even with an excellent inter-site search engine, users will still turn to primary navigation first. Complex or inconsistent navigation can cause users to feel helpless, confused, or angry.

Your website navigation should be logical, intuitive and easy to understand. Try grouping navigation elements in a central area. If users find it difficult to locate information because the site’s navigation isn’t intuitive, they will likely give up and move on to the next site.

Obtrusive use of audio/video.

Research shows having video or audio that loads automatically drives visitors away. It is also wise to avoid music playing in the background. Instead, give users the option of viewing video or audio content - don’t force them. Remember, audio and video plugins can also decrease the speed of loading the web page.

Lack of frequency.

Keep your content current and fresh. Not only will this boost interest level in your site, it will contribute to higher rankings on search engines. With Visionary’s own Content Management System, Site OnCall, you can easily update your own content as often as needed. Click here to learn more about the latest features available with Site OnCall.