Did you know it only takes a visitor 7 seconds to decide if they’re interested in your website? Making an immediate impression is essential for your website to succeed, and we’ve compiled a list of 5 actionable tips to help make your website as attractive, functional and, ultimately, successful as possible.

1. Above the Fold and Scrolling

While the term “above the fold” originated from newspapers – literally above the folded portion of a printed piece – it’s been adapted to the digital space since the majority of consumers devote most of their attention to the top third of a page.

Since visitors are accustomed to a little bit of scrolling, especially on their mobile device, you don’t need to cram everything above the fold. Instead, focus on a clean design at the top of the page that includes essential information, like your logo and contact info, navigation and search tools, login, cart, hero banner and tagline.

“The fold” content should be your brand at a glance – a quick read that invites further exploration.

2. Lists (see what we did here?)

• When keeping in mind the “7 second” rule, you want your viewers to absorb a lot of content in as little time possible.
• Lists have proven much more effective at grabbing attention than paragraphs.
• While there’s still room on your site for more intricate and dense content, that should be saved for sub-pages and blog posts.
• On the homepage, your goal should be help visitors find that they’re looking for quickly.
• Cleverly designed bulleted lists make summarizing your available content easy.

3. White Space

It doesn’t matter how strong your content is – if your website is cluttered and chaotic, visitors will not be enticed to read on. When designing your pages, the use of white space is important for helping differentiate between sections and guiding viewers’ eyes through the composition.

Simply put, don’t just shove content into your design for the sake of filling the space. White space helps organize content and give visual breathing room.

4. Contact Information

If there’s no contact information available, 44% of visitors will leave a website. It may seem obvious, but many businesses still neglect to provide this info.

Luckily, that means by simply including a well-marked section (in the header, footer or both) where customers and prospects can reach out, you’re giving your company a leg up. Make it easy for them!

5. Menus & Buttons

With the ability to quickly categorize your content, menus and buttons should act as visual cues to promote a user friendly experience.

In tandem with a responsive design, these navigation tools will make visitors things easier for your visitors. Use buttons to highlight major calls to action, and design your menu to help guide your visitors down a meaningful path.

 

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