---
title: 4 Surefire Ways to Improve Web Usability
description: Nothing is more frustrating to an online consumer than not being able...
---

[Marketing Insights and News | Website Magazine: Digital Marketing Tips and Blog](https://www.websitemagazine.com/marketing)

# [4 Surefire Ways to Improve Web Usability](https://www.websitemagazine.com/marketing/4-surefire-ways-to-improve-web-usability)

 Written by [Matt Hensler](https://www.websitemagazine.com/marketing/author/matt-hensler) | Dec 22, 2015 6:00:00 AM

:: By Matt Hensler, [H.I.M.](https://www.hensleragency.com/) ::

 

**Nothing is more frustrating to an online consumer than not being able to complete his or her goals on a company's website - everything from accessing information quickly to completing a sale with ease.**

 

Despite so many top brands providing a sub-par user experience, Web users have high expectations for how a website should look and act. If an enterprise isn't focused on welcoming each and every visitor with a topnotch experience, it is doomed to fail. Luckily, there are four surefire ways to improve Web usability - keeping current and potential consumers on a site longer, converting more and coming back often.

 

## Accessibility

The term accessibility means many different things in 2015 (and even more so as we look to the New Year). On one hand, brands need to ensure everyone - [regardless of ability](https://www.websitemagazine.com/blog/advice-from-the-pros-designing-for-web-accessibility) - can access the information they need through tools like a contrast checker ([see more here](https://www.websitemagazine.com/blog/tools-for-designing-for-web-accessibility)) and, on the other, enterprises must cater to all devices, Internet speeds and more.

 

If mobile users are bouncing from a website, the best place to start is either with providing a mobile-friendly or responsively designed website or improving the one a brand already has. Brands have jumped on to the mobile bandwagon (a lot to do with Google's push to do so), but they aren't really considering what a user wants to do from their mobile devices. For starters, they want to access local information quickly (so [such data should be prioritized](https://www.websitemagazine.com/blog/3-tactics-for-prioritizing-content-for-mobile-users)) and they don't want to fill out long forms (so social login and/or guest checkout should be considered).

 

<https://www.ajokeaday.com/user/register>

 

## Relevancy

[Content may be king](https://www.websitemagazine.com/blog/facebook-hops-on-quality-bandwagon), but it's pointless to publish material (e.g. blogs, social posts, infographics, whitepapers, etc.) without it being relevant to a brand's audience. Understanding the customer will help increase key metrics like time on site and conversions. An enterprise can monitor FAQs, on-site search queries, users' social posts and more to get an idea of what type of content will perform well with their users. Monitoring a company's social mentions can also open a brand's eyes to an emerging demographic using their products. For instance, Dollar Shave Club markets mostly to men, but a tweet from a female customer, may indicate it's time to start developing content for women as well.

 

 

A more sophisticated approach would be to leverage content management system information to serve men-oriented copy to the males visiting their site and women-oriented content for the females visiting the site. Birchbox includes women and men navigation options to separate the offerings and allow users to self-select. 

 

<https://www.birchbox.com/>

 

## Clarity

A website serves as a virtual tour guide for a company. Just like in real life, clarity always wins. Even the most clever pun or play on words is ineffective if not all users understand it. A website should refrain from overly complicated copy, as well as design elements. For example, [ghost buttons](https://www.websitemagazine.com/blog/ghost-buttons-in-focus-sort-of) are an emerging trend (calls to action lacking clear contrast), but if they don't clearly tell a user what to do, then a brand risks losing a sale as the user will drop out of the conversion path very quickly. The alternative, and better options, is a CTA with clear contrast and clear copy to be clear about what a user should do.

 

<https://www.desk.com/>

 

## Trustworthiness

With any brand, trust is an important factor in keeping a website visitor. Brands will want to prove they are a legitimate company by including contact information, testimonials, reviews, social media widgets, press mentions, awards, their client list and even trust seals.

 

 

A potential customer, for example, may feel uncomfortable conducting business with a new company, but if they see it has been covered by the mainstream press or even offers PayPal as a checkout option, they will likely move forward with their purchase if all the other Web usability expectations have been met too.

 

[Matt Hensler](https://www.hensleragency.com/) is a digital marketing educator and award-winning digital marketer. With both in-house and agency experience, he works with small businesses, startups and Fortune 500 brands, including notable clients like DISH Network, Hailo, USA Today, Wells Fargo, Marriott and Chick-fil-A.

 

####  [Request Website Magazine's Free Weekly Newsletters ](https://www.websitemagazine.com/newsletter-sign-up)

[View full post](https://www.websitemagazine.com/marketing/4-surefire-ways-to-improve-web-usability)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Matt Hensler"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2023-05-01T21:36:33.175Z",
  "datePublished" : "2015-12-22T06:00:00Z",
  "headline" : "4 Surefire Ways to Improve Web Usability",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 400,
    "url" : "https://22253773.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/22253773/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-23-2023-12-06-38-9845-AM-Apr-10-2023-01-43-01-4512-PM-Apr-25-2023-03-28-33-1592-AM-3.png",
    "width" : 400
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/marketing/4-surefire-ways-to-improve-web-usability",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60.0,
      "url" : "https://22253773.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/22253773/gradient-regular@3x-1.png",
      "width" : 242.48277
    },
    "name" : "Digital Marketing News, Tips, And Insights From Website Magazine"
  }
}
```