7 Ways to improve website usability
Small changes make a site easier to use: clearer navigation, readable type and faster pages. Seven fixes you can make this week.
Usability isn't about adding features. It's about removing the small moments of friction that make people give up. These seven fixes take hours, not weeks, and visitors notice the difference immediately.
- Keep the main navigation to five or six items, named the way your customers speak.
- Make body text at least 16px with generous line spacing.
- Give every page one obvious next step, such as a single primary button.
- Compress images and lazy-load anything below the fold.
- Label form fields clearly and explain errors in plain words.
- Check colour contrast so text stays readable in bright light.
- Test every page on a real phone, with one thumb.
Watch real people
Nothing beats five minutes of watching someone try to complete a task on your site. Ask a friend or a customer to find your prices or book a call, stay quiet and take notes. You'll learn more than any analytics report can tell you.