81% of customers today research online first. Even if you are a brick-and-mortar business, a customer’s first interaction with you is usually digital.  60% of people who visit a website expect to buy something that day. If you don’t provide a seamless user experience, that purchase will be made elsewhere. Analysts expect the user experience to be more important than either price or the product by 2022. Customers no longer expect you just to have a small business website. They expect seamlessly.

1. Test Your Mobile Friendliness

Mobile website design matters. Over 50% of website traffic now comes in through mobile devices. We’ve reached a tipping point where ignoring mobile experience could impact over half of your potential customers. That’s why many no longer say be “mobile-friendly”. They say put “mobile-first”. According to a research, 48% of people say they feel “frustrated” with a business that doesn’t have a mobile-friendly site. An astounding 91% say they aren’t likely to have further dealings with your brand. Test your website on multiple mobile devices. Know how it renders. Don’t assume that it works. Some popular out-of-the-box website design programs say that they make your site mobile-friendly for you.

2. Make It Readable & Legible

Legibility and readability not only impact your user experience. They can impact your conversion rate for the simple reason that people can’t read your pages. Did you know that by middle age the average person has lost 50% of their ability to perceive light? Screens, text, and images all seem a little darker. It’s harder to distinguish between text and the page it’s sitting on. As you age, the challenge becomes greater.

3. Make It Helpful

A study found that 73% of people will pay more for something if the company seems 100% transparent. 39% will switch brands if they find that another brand is more transparent. 94% will be loyal to a brand that continues to demonstrate transparent behavior. The psychology behind this is clear. If a brand seems elusive, people wonder if they’ll really get what they paid for. They’re willing to pay more to make sure they do. Obviously, there are some businesses where services are too varied and complex for a one-size-fits-all price tag. But be as forthcoming and helpful as you can be. Show customers, you have nothing to hide. Website solutions like this one both improve user experience and your bottom line.

4. Apply Website “Rules” Consistently

If you find a search box on a website, 9.99 times out of 10 it’s in the top right corner. This isn’t a law. You won’t go to prison for breaking this rule. But this is where people look for the search box. Putting the search box in the bottom right to be different negatively impacts user experience. Applying website solutions like this one will fix that. Another “rule” comes into play with the call to action. Customers expect to see a single, clearly defined CTA button on a webpage. They want to know where to click.