A new survey by Clutch reveals what consumers look for in e-commerce websites. Ninety-four percent of the respondents answered easy navigation as the most important website feature to them. This shows that consumers value efficiency in websites.
What does “easy navigation” mean?
Directing Users to the Content They Need
Easy navigation should be incorporated into your website design and development because it pertains to usability. It involves maintaining clarity, using automation, limiting options to design for a stronger impact in providing information, and helping your users achieve their intended goal on your website. Without sensible navigation, your website is likely to lose structure and organization and confuse users.
The headers, menu bar, and sidebars are just some of the components of your site’s navigation. Although these things could appear as creative as possible, simplicity is still the best principle behind your navigation. Ideally, your users should get to their destination page in one or two clicks. Otherwise, you could lose valuable traffic.
But navigation isn’t the only part about your website that can persuade users to stay or click away.
From Content to Design
The Clutch survey also lists other features users focus on:
- Descriptions of products and services, which accounted for 91 percent of the survey results
- Visuals of products and services also accounted for 91 percent
- A beautiful and updated design received 83 percent of the total survey results
- Links to social media received 67 percent of the total survey sample
- The “about us” and “company team” pages accounted for 63 percent of the total results
- Company blogs ranked last with just 50 percent of the total number of respondents considering it as one of the most relevant features in your website
Customers want their needs met right away. They tend to expect prompt responses to their inquiries, whether it’s done by email or through a chat. When consumers don’t receive the kind of service they expect, they’ll simply move on to the next business. Others may take to social media to share their poor experience with a business. So it’s crucial to meet their expectations through a well-designed site.
A website designed simply actually increases the chances of a consumer buying from your website. A study conducted by researchers from the Harvard Business Review suggests consumers rely on intuition and personal experience in deciding which companies they trust online.
Consumers then want websites that convey their services straight to the point, have little to no clutter, and seem familiar in terms of layout and design.
What You Should Do
Redesign your current website if it differs from what consumers currently want. Optimize for your user’s convenience. Take out clutter, like misplaced buttons, text and images that have a purpose, and more ads than content.
Make simple changes, like switching complicated and flashy fonts to something standard but not too familiar. Change images, colors, page layout, and your website’s overall aesthetic design because these affect how your client views your site.
Have an aesthetically pleasing design that offers clear navigation, straightforward product descriptions, and has an easily understandable call to action.
Make your user’s journey as seamless as possible by providing them with what they want the minute they decide to visit your website.
