It takes alot of resources and effort to build a website, so it’s frustrating when that website doesn’t perform. Users keep leaving your website without making a purchase or an enquiry. What gives?
Yes.
If you already know people are leaving your website, then you’re ahead of the situation already, which is fantastic. Read on.
No.
If not, ensure you have tracking tools installed so this very valuable data is being recorded. You cannot make website improvements without knowing what it is exactly that needs improving.
Click through every page on your website on desktop and on a smartphone and double-check that no elements are missing or displaying incorrectly.
I’m talking Contact buttons that might be cut off, or images overlapping critical call-to-action text, or pop-up messages that can’t be closed.
These issues can be prevalent if your website is not regularly maintained and kept up to date on a regular basis. Alternatively, it could be due to poor mobile optimisation.
Try loading your website on desktop and on mobile (using WiFi and 4G/5G) and count how long it takes to load. If you’re seeing a white page for longer than 2 seconds, that’s already too slow.
This issue is largely dependent on your hosting provider, their server location, infrastructure and hardware. Use a quality provider and you’ll have no issues.
Because it’s not immediately obvious, this one is more difficult to check for. But when going through your website, click every link/button and make sure it’s performing as expected as well.
There’s nothing worse than discovering your Contact Form’s submit button doesn’t actually work.
Then let’s dive into the nitty-gritty.
The following issues will not be immediately obvious and we recommend asking your website professional to perform a Design Audit so they can compile a list of not-so-obvious issues on your website that might be affecting user retention.
Is the messaging on your website suitable to your target audience?
From the style of the images to the wording/phrasing of headings and content text, ensure you’re speaking your customer’s language.
If they don’t understand you or if it’s not what they were expecting, they will immediately switch off.
Your customers should perceive your brand as exactly what they were looking for.
Is your website a pleasure to browse? Or a pain?
It may not be immediately obvious but if you don’t like your website, but can’t put your finger on a reason why, it’s probably the UI/UX (user interface / user experience) design.
A good website should have a clear flow. At any point, the next step of interaction on a website should be immediately clear to your users.
If they’re constantly overwhelmed, unsure or simply not hooked, then your website has failed to perform its purpose.
Does your brand image match or exceed customer expectations?
Unless your brand is a household name, your website needs to instil confidence in your customers by showing off what you can do, or what you have done.
Here are some ideas:
- Good examples of your work
- Glowing testimonials from your customers
- Social proof – showing off all your past customers
- Accreditation logos or other certifications
- Awards or achievements by your brand/staff
- Social media feed to show how active your brand is
- A well-designed website, to demonstrate to customers that you take everything seriously, even your website
Summary
Check for:
- Errors, display issues, glitches
- Slow loading speeds
- Accurate linking throughout
Afterwards, ask for a professional design audit to look into the not-so-obvious. The design audit will look for:
- Accuracy and relevancy of messaging
- Issues or opportunities with visual design
- Credibility and accuracy to market expectations
With all of these improvements made, you’ll see improvements in user retention as customers stay on your website longer.
Hopefully, your users will even navigate across more of your website pages, reading more of your services and buying into your brand. And finally, this will lead to increased enquiries and/or sales.