In today's digital landscape, capturing and retaining the attention of website visitors is an ever-present challenge. It's not just about attracting visitors; the real challenge lies in keeping them engaged and converting them.
In this episode, we delve into the world of performance design, with insights from Matt Trudel of Truer, a company specialising in UX and UI with a focus on enhancing website performance.
Imagine someone spends only 10 seconds on your site. How much information can they really absorb in that time? The goal of performance design is to remove roadblocks between landing on a site and taking the desired action. The first impression involves not just aesthetics but ensuring that message consistency is maintained right from the external ad click to the home page visit. Consistent messaging helps reduce bounce rates as visitors are assured they have landed in the right place.
Challenges across sectors
Businesses and not-for-profits alike face the challenge of coordinating stunning visual designs that still guide users effectively toward their goals. This is especially tricky for industries where product presentation is critical, such as retail. Here, performance design balances aesthetics with functionality, ensuring websites are visually appealing while still directing user focus onto essential actions.
Performance Design in charitable Organisations
Charities face unique challenges in web design - they must balance informing visitors about their missions with requests for donations. A well-crafted website narrative can guide a visitor from learning about the charity’s impact to making a contribution seamlessly. The difficulty often lies in not overwhelming visitors with either excessive information or an urgent request for donations without context.
What is Performance Design?
Performance design is a multifaceted approach that ensures your website’s effectiveness. It encompasses accessibility, speed, user interaction, and the strategic reduction of distractions. By focusing on ease of access, speed of loading, and clarity of direction, websites can ensure they capture and retain user attention, facilitating conversions and sustaining engagement.
Practical examples: Removing the roadblocks
To illustrate the principles of performance design, consider Amazon’s streamlined checkout funnel. Once items are added to your cart, Amazon minimises distractions to keep you focused on completing the purchase. This type of focused pathway is a staple in effective performance design, emphasising clarity and purpose.
'Quick Wins' for improving website performance:
Customer journey mapping: Identify entry points to your site and ensure they cater effectively to all potential user personas. If a site features multiple products, ensure visitors can easily find what they seek.
Strategic content placement: Control visual focus by pairing compelling images with engaging text. Avoid layouts where images overshadow the narrative you aim to convey, thus ensuring your message is heard.
Utilise heatmaps and data analysis: Tools like Microsoft Clarity and HubSpot offer insights into user behaviour. Analysing click patterns and page scrolls can help refine your approach, confirming what works and what might need adjusting.
Common Mistakes in Website Design
Many websites fall short due to basic errors like not optimising for mobile, losing clarity in messaging, or presenting overly flashy designs that detract from user engagement. A balance between a visually appealing design and a function-driven layout is crucial for effective user experience.
Conclusion
Performance design plays a pivotal role in turning website visitors into valuable engagements. By understanding user journeys, effectively structuring website content, and continuously testing and refining site elements, businesses and charities can remove the barriers to conversion and maximise the impact of their digital presence.