Making the Best First Impression

May 5, 2025 / Kevin Bossons / April 2025

7 ways to improve the user experience of your website

As a small business owner or marketing manager, you know that your website is often the first impression potential clients have of your business. Whether you’re running a law firm, an HVAC service, a landscaping company, or a multi-location accounting firm, your website needs to make a great first impression and be easy to use.

But here’s the thing: you’re busy running your business, and you don’t have time to become a web design expert. The good news? You don’t have to. By focusing on a few key areas, you can significantly improve your website’s user experience (UX) without needing a degree in computer science.

Let’s dive into seven practical ways you can make your website more user-friendly, which can lead to more inquiries, more clients, and ultimately, more revenue for your business.

1 Speed up your website.

Have you ever left a website because it took too long to load? Your potential clients feel the same way. A slow website is like a slow cashier – it frustrates people and makes them want to go elsewhere. Run your website through the Google PageSpeed Insights tool to get an idea of how you’re doing.

The report will first give you a mobile speed, which you want the “Speed Index” number to be below 5, then you’ll have a tab for Desktop, and you want that speed index under 2. Don’t get too caught up in this tool – there are a lot of numbers and colors, and all that really matters is the total website load time. The mobile speed is always slower because the tool emulates a slow mobile connection, so don’t get too upset if that’s not great.

Here are some easy ways to speed up your site:

Optimize your images: Large images displayed at a much smaller size create unnecessary load time. For example, a photo that is 4000x3000 pixels, but displayed at only 300x200 pixels wastes bandwidth and slows down your website. Use a free tool like TinyPNG to resize, crop and compress your images before uploading them to your site to ensure they are optimal.
Use quality hosting: Choose a reputable WordPress managed host like WP Engine, Kinsta, or Flywheel for optimal performance. Basic shared hosting from providers like GoDaddy often leads to slow load times and downtime. While managed hosting costs more ($30-300/month vs $5-10/month), the improved speed, security, and support justify the investment.
Clean up third-party code annually: Review and remove unused plugins, scripts, external resources, and functionality each year. Third-party code can accumulate as features become deprecated or requirements change. Regular audits help identify and eliminate unnecessary JavaScript files, WordPress plugins, CSS stylesheets, and custom code snippets that slow down your site without providing value.

2 Ensure your website is truly mobile-friendly.

These days, more people are accessing websites on their phones than on computers. It’s not enough to assume your website looks good on mobile – you need to test it yourself.

Here’s what you can do:

Use a responsive design: This means your website automatically adjusts to look good on any screen size. Most modern website builders offer responsive templates.
Test on your actual phone: Don't just rely on your computer's mobile preview. Pull out your phone and go through your entire website. Is everything easy to read? Can you navigate without zooming? Are buttons easy to tap?
Test on different devices: If possible, check your site on both iOS and Android devices, and on tablets too. Each can display your site slightly differently.

Remember, your mobile site isn’t just a shrunken version of your desktop site – it needs to be tailored for the mobile experience. Test your site regularly across different devices and prioritize your key conversion pages to ensure customers have a smooth, frustration-free experience.

3 Create clear, robust service pages.

Your website visitors need to understand exactly what you offer. Vague or incomplete information about your services can drive potential clients away.

Here’s how to create effective service pages:

Dedicate a page to each core service: If you're a landscaper, have separate pages for lawn care, tree services, hardscaping, etc.
Be comprehensive: Include all the details a potential client might want to know. What does the service involve (features)? What are the end-user benefits? How long does it typically take? What is the process?
Use clear, jargon-free language: Explain your services in terms your clients will understand with the goal of creating complete clarity across different target audiences who may have differing backgrounds and education levels.
Include calls-to-action: Make it easy for visitors to take the next step, whether that's requesting a quote or scheduling a consultation.

4 Make your website accessible to everyone.

Making your website accessible isn’t just good for business – it’s the right thing to do. Plus, it’s not as complicated as you might think.

Here are some easy ways to improve accessibility:

Use clear, readable fonts: Fancy fonts might look nice, but they can be hard to read. Stick to clean, simple fonts.
Ensure good color contrast: Make sure your text stands out clearly against its background. Here is a great tool: webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker
Add alt text to images: This helps people who use screen readers understand what's in the image. Keep alt text descriptive yet concise.
Make sure your site can be navigated by keyboard: Some users can't use a mouse, so test your site using just your keyboard. For instance, you should be able to use tab to cycle through your menus & forms.

Read more:

Understanding ADA Compliance

5 Create intuitive navigation for both desktop and mobile.

If visitors can’t find what they’re looking for on your site, they’ll leave. Simple, intuitive navigation is key to keeping them around.

Try these navigation best practices:

Use clear menu labels: Instead of "Solutions," say "Our Services." Be specific and use language your clients understand.
Include a search function: This helps visitors quickly find exactly what they're looking for.
Test your mobile menu thoroughly: Make sure your menu is easy to find and use on mobile devices. Can you access all pages easily? Is the drop-down menu (if you have one) easy to use with your thumb?
Keep your mobile menu simple: On a small screen, a complicated menu is hard to navigate. Stick to the essentials.

6 Use data to guide improvements

You don’t need to be a data scientist to use website analytics. Even basic data can give you valuable insights into how people are using your site.

Here’s what to look at:

Popular pages: What pages are people visiting most? Make sure these are easy to find from your homepage.
Time on site: If people are leaving quickly, your content might not be engaging enough.
Conversion rate: How many visitors are taking the action you want (like filling out a contact form)? If this number is low, you might need to make your call-to-action more prominent.

Many website platforms have built-in analytics, or you can use a free tool like Google Analytics.

Read more:

KPIs to Track SEO Performance

7 Organize your content effectively.

Good content organization helps visitors quickly find the information they need.

Here are some tips:

Put your most important information "above the fold": This means it's visible without scrolling.
Use headers and subheaders: These break up your content and make it easier to scan.
Keep paragraphs short: Long blocks of text can be overwhelming. Aim for 2-3 sentences per paragraph.
Use bullet points for lists: They're easier to read than long sentences.
Create a logical flow: Organize your content in a way that naturally leads visitors through your site, from learning about your services to taking action.

Conclusion

Improving your website’s user experience doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. By implementing these seven practical strategies, you can create a website that’s not only more user-friendly but also more effective at converting visitors into clients.

Remember, your website is often your first point of contact with potential clients. By making it fast, truly mobile-friendly, clear about your services, accessible, easy to navigate, data-informed, and well-organized, you’re setting a great first impression.

Ready to take your website to the next level? Start with one or two of these strategies and see how they impact your site’s performance. Your future clients (and your bottom line) will thank you!

Kevin Bossons

With over 15 years of experience in digital marketing and search engine optimization, Kevin Bossons has grown from an SEO contractor to Senior Digital Strategist at WT Digital Agency.

Contact WT Digital today for a free website audit and personalized improvement plan.