Improving website UX for better engagement

In the first blog in this series, I talked about why your website is your best marketing tool, and I mentioned that sometimes, all it takes is a few simple updates to improve your website UX for better engagement. 

 

Because even the best-looking website won’t do much if people don’t want to stick around once they get there.

 

And that’s where UX (user experience) comes in.

 

UX isn’t just about design. It’s how your website feels to use. And if it feels clunky, confusing, or overwhelming, people will leave. (Usually in under 3 seconds.)

 

Here’s how to make it easier for people to stay – and want to come back.

 

Make it easy to find what matters

Your ideal clients are busy. If they land on your site and can’t quickly see what you do, who you help, or how to take the next step, they’re out.

 

And fair enough.

 

So before anything else, make sure your top-level menu actually helps people. 

 

Keep it simple. Pages like:

• Home
• About
• Services or Products
• Work with me / Contact
• Blog or Resources (if you have them)

 

That’s usually all you need. You can always go deeper once they click, but your main navigation should feel intuitive, not like a guessing game.

 

Use headings to guide people (and Google… and now AI searches)

Most people skim websites. They don’t read every word. So use headings to help people find what they’re looking for fast.

 

Headings should be clear, helpful, and consistent. 

 

And yes, they also help search engines understand what your page is about. 

 

But let’s not make it all about search bots. If someone lands on a page and doesn’t know what they’re supposed to do next, your headings aren’t doing their job.

 

Prioritise mobile experience

We’ve all opened a website on our phone, only to be met with tiny text, overlapping images, or a pop-up that won’t close. Cue the eye roll, groan of frustration, and instant exit.

 

Your website needs to work properly on mobile. 

 

That doesn’t just mean it’s technically responsive. It also needs to be useful. 

 

The buttons need to be tappable. The text needs to be legible. And people should be able to navigate easily, without zooming in or getting frustrated.

 

If you’re not sure how your site looks on mobile, grab your phone and test it. Or better yet, ask someone who doesn’t use it often and watch what they do.

 

Load time matters

Slow websites lose people. It’s that simple.

 

If your page takes too long to load, especially on mobile, people will leave before they even see your content.

 

A few things that can slow down your site:

• Huge image files
• Too many plugins (especially on WordPress sites)
• Fancy animations or background videos
• Bad hosting

 

If you’re not sure how fast your site is, tools like PageSpeed Insights can help you check. Then you (or your web developer) can fix what’s slowing it down.

 

Think like your ideal client

This one is big. And it’s often overlooked.

 

Step back from your business-owner brain and think like someone visiting your website for the first time. What would they be looking for? What questions would they have? What would make them feel confident enough to take action?

 

Your website isn’t for you. It’s for them.

 

So if you’re making design or content decisions based on what you like, it might be time for a reality check. (Said with love.)

 

Keep content simple and skimmable

No one wants to read a wall of text. Break things up with:

• Short paragraphs
• Bullet points
• Headings (like we mentioned earlier)
• Clear calls to action

You’re not dumbing things down, you’re making them accessible. Which makes your business more approachable. Which makes people more likely to trust you. Which makes them more likely to take the next step.

It’s a win all round.

 

Use clear calls to action

Want someone to book a call? Tell them.

 

Want them to fill out your contact form? Say so.

 

Don’t make people guess what to do next. Every page on your site should have a clear call to action. And no “learn more” doesn’t count.

 

Make it obvious. Make it easy. And make it feel like something they want to do, not something you are desperate for.

 

Bonus tip: check your accessibility

Good UX also means being inclusive. That means checking things like:

• Is your font easy to read?
• Are your colours high contrast?
• Can someone navigate your site using a keyboard?
• Are your images described properly for screen readers?

 

This isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s part of making your website usable for everyone  and it’s good business too.

 

Good UX = better results

At the end of the day, improving your website’s UX isn’t about making it “prettier.” It’s about making it easier for your ideal clients to do the thing they came to do.

 

When your website is simple, easy to use, and makes people feel confident, they stay longer, take action, and are more likely to come back.

 

And that’s what you actually want, right?

 

Not sure if your website is easy to use? I can help. Let’s take a look and make sure it’s doing what it’s meant to do.