11 Design Tips to Improve Website Engagement

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Getting people to stay on your website is the key to success. What is a site that looks great if it doesn’t keep people interested and keep them coming back? Whether you run a business or blog, knowing how to keep people interested and come back for more is important. With the right design tips, you can improve website engagement and create a compelling website that has a lasting impact.

In this article, I’ll show you 11 design tips that will make people want to spend more time on your website. We’ll talk about actionable ways to make your website more exciting and easy to use, like speeding up the time it takes for pages to load and adding interactive features. So, if you want to improve website engagement and connect with your guests meaningfully, buckle up because we’re going on a design journey together. Let’s dive in and find out how to make your website more exciting and popular so that people keep returning for more.

Table of Contents

1. Make navigation easy

Visitors to your website should be able to move around it easily and quickly. When people visit your site, they want to be able to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. An easy-to-use search system is vital to keep them interested and happy as they browse. So, let’s look at some design tips to ensure your site is easy to use and navigate.

Clean up your main menu. Try not to give your guests too many choices. Think about using drop-down menus for groups, but be careful not to make the navigation too complicated.
Your call-to-action (CTA) buttons lead users to important steps you want them to take, like “Sign Up,” “Buy Now,” or “Learn More.” Use different colours and symbols that are easily recognizable to make these buttons stand out.
When creating links, use text that says something about it. Instead of “Click Here” or “Read More,” use phrases that tell readers what to expect when they click, such as “Download our E-book” or “Explore our Latest Products.”
Keep your menus in the same place and order on every website page. Users rely on this regularity to get around quickly, which makes them less frustrated and more interested.
Sometimes, people know exactly what they want and want to find it quickly. Add a search bar to the top of your website so people can type keywords and quickly find what they’re looking for.
Breadcrumbs make it easy for users to return to a previous page without starting over by leaving a clear trail of what they did.
As the use of mobile devices grows, it is vital to prioritize mobile navigation. Use a menu that changes to fit smaller screens so that people using smartphones can easily use your site.

2. Improve how quickly your pages load

You know how annoying it is when a website takes forever to load. So, what do you know? The same goes for your guests. If it takes too long for your site to load, people will hit the back button before you can say “loading.” So, let’s make that speed the best it can be and keep your audience interested.

Get rid of heavy pictures and things that aren’t needed. When files are smaller, they load faster. You can compress photos without losing quality.
Use the caching feature of your browser to store static files offline. So, when people return to the site, it will load faster because some parts are already on their devices.
Don’t be cheap with hosting. A better hosting plan can do wonders for the speed at which your site loads.
You should use lazy loading. It only loads the things you can see first and saves the rest for later. Why load things that people can’t see yet?
Keep an eye on the Redirects. Too many reroutes slow down the process. As much as possible, try to stop them.
Keep your CSS and JavaScript files organized and optimized. Combine and load them at different times to make the experience go faster.
Check your plugins. Not every plugin is the same. Some can make you move slower. Keep only the ones that are important and get rid of the rest.
Remember people on mobile devices. They are also antsy. Make sure your site works well on mobile devices so everyone is happy.
Test, test, test. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to check your page speed often. Find the problems and fix them.

3. Employ mobile-friendly design

We all know how much our phones mean to us, right? Well, your website should care just as much about mobile users because, let’s face it, there are a lot of them. So, let’s make sure that your website looks great on those tiny screens and gets people coming back for more.

Ensure your site is responsive, which instantly adjusts to different screen sizes. No one wants to pinch and zoom to read your content.
Use buttons room to breathe. Nothing is worse than accidentally hitting the wrong thing.
Make sure your mobile menu is simple and easy to understand. If people can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll leave your site before you can say “menu.”
Mobile users are always on the go and don’t like to wait. Speed up your website so it loads faster than a rocket taking off.
Choose styles that are easy to read and don’t hurt your eyes. Tiny text is a big no-no!
Put important things where they are easy to reach with the thumb. We don’t want people who do flips to use your website.
Less is more on mobile, so get rid of the extra stuff. Keep it neat and clean. Say “bye-bye” to too many pop-ups and other distractions.
Test on All Devices. Don’t forget people who use Android! Test your site on different devices to ensure everyone can use it easily.
Make those pictures smaller without losing quality. Mobile data can be valuable, so don’t waste it on images that occupy much space.
If your site has forms, ensure they work well on mobile devices. No one likes putting their big hands in tiny fields.

4. Use compelling visuals

Let’s dive into the exciting world of interesting pictures and discuss how to use them to keep your audience’s attention. How does finding a website with beautiful photographs or attractive graphics feel? Well, get ready to do the same thing on your site. Visuals have a significant impact on how the user experience is as a whole, so let’s look at some great ways to make your website a visual beauty.

Do you know the saying “quality over quantity”? So, it also works here. Invest in high-quality pictures and graphics to make your website look professional and appealing.
People want sincerity, so feel free to show what your business is like. Show real pictures of your team, goods, or happy customers to build trust.
Infographics are like superheroes with pictures. They can show complicated information in a way that looks good and is easy to understand. Use them to teach your audience something valuable.
Videos can be beneficial, whether a product sample, a customer review, or a sneak peek at what goes on behind the scenes.
Use visual order to guide people through your website. Use size, colour, and arrangement to make important parts stand out.
Pictures are great, but keep them from taking over your site. Find a good mix between text and images to make the experience enjoyable.
Adding alt text to your images is like giving people with disabilities and search engines a small present. Describe your images to make your content more accessible and search engine optimized.
Make sure that your visuals look great on all devices. A flexible design ensures users have a smooth experience on a computer or a phone.

5. Be consistent with your branding

Do you know how it feels when you see an image or a set of colours and know right away what brand is behind it? Well, that’s the power of branding that stays the same over time. It is like your website’s style, and leaving a lasting effect on your audience is essential. Let’s look at great ways to keep your branding on point and give your guests a memorable experience.

You can only have constant branding if you know who you are as a brand. Figure out the personality, values, and purpose of your brand. This is the basis of how people see you.
Choose a colour scheme that fits the feel of your brand and stick to it. Consistent colours make a pleasing look and improve website engagement.
Choose a set of fonts that fit with your brand’s image. Use the same fonts throughout your site, whether it is for fun or business.
What are the rules for using images and graphics? Choose a style, tone, and theme that fits how people think of your brand.
Just as important as how you look is how you sound. Use your brand’s voice constantly in your copy, whether it is friendly, formal, or funny.
Look closely at your website and ensure everything fits your brand’s rules. This includes the logo, the footer, the buttons, and everything else.

6. Make good use of white space.

Let’s discuss white space’s power and how to use it like a design ninja. Do you know how it makes you feel calm and clear-headed when you find a well-designed website? Well, that’s how effective white space works its magic. It is a breath of fresh air in the middle of all the content. So, let’s look at some great ways you can use white space to make a website that looks good and is easy to use.

You don’t have to put text or images on every inch of your page. Leave some space around things to let them stand out.
Less is more. Remove junk and distractions from your design to make it easier to use. Your users will be grateful.
White space can lead people’s eyes to the most important parts of a page. Use it smartly to bring attention and flow to your work.
Make your text easier to read by giving it some room to breathe. Line spacing and margins help people read, understand your writing and improve website engagement.
Give your CTAs a lot of white room around them to make them stand out. This gets people’s attention and gets them to act.
White space in your design gives it a sense of balance and harmony. It makes your website look organized and professional.
Remember that white space is as important on mobile devices as on desktops. Don’t cram things together; give them room so people don’t accidentally click on them.
Make a clear visual hierarchy by putting white room between things. The space size between parts or headings shows how important they are.
White space doesn’t always have to be white. It can be any background colour that gives the picture room to breathe.

7. Prioritize readability

You know how annoying it can be to read a wall of text with no breaks or tiny fonts that hurt your eyes. We’re here to ensure that doesn’t happen on your site. So, let’s look at some great ways to make your writing easier to read and keep your readers interested from beginning to end.

Do you know those fancy fonts that look pretty? They may look cool, but they aren’t very nice to look at. For your main text, use fonts that are clean and easy to read.
Tiny text is a big no-no! Ensure your font size is big enough to read easily, especially on mobile devices.
It is hard to read long lines of text. Shorten your lines, or your readers’ eyes will tire. Try to get between 50 and 75 letters per line.
Ensure enough contrast between the text and the background colours. When there is a lot of difference, reading is easy.
Use detailed subheadings to break up your text. They make it easy for people to skim and find what they want.
Long paragraphs are frightening. Keep them short and to the point to keep your readers’ attention.
Italics and all capital letters may look cool, but they can make reading hard. Use them rarely and emphasize specific points.
Before you share your work, read it out loud. This helps you find awkward words or phrases that might need clarification for your readers.
Although colourful writing might look fun, it is not easy to read. Most of your body text should be black or dark gray.
Reading is easier when you use correct language and spelling. Carefully check for typos and other mistakes that might distract your readers.

8. Create engaging content

How can you make your website a place that people want to visit? You know that feeling when you find something to read that you can’t put down? Well, prepare for your content to do the same magic. Getting your readers interested is the best way to keep them returning for more. So, let’s look at some great ways to write content that grabs people from the first word.

To make interesting content, you need to know everything there is to know about your viewers. Find out what they like, what hurts them, and what they want.
Everybody likes to hear a good story. Whether it is a personal story, a success story from a customer, or a made-up story, telling it is a great way to get your readers’ attention.
Your content should provide real value to your viewers. Give them ideas, tips, or ways to solve problems that will help them and make their lives better.
Visuals are solid tools for getting people interested. Include interesting pictures, graphs, and videos that accompany your content and keep people interested.
Add a dash of humor, and make people laugh. Add some humor to your writing to keep it light and fun.
Asking questions is a straight way to get your readers interested. Encourage them to tell you what they think and feel in the comments.
Use short paragraphs, subheadings, and bullet points to break up your writing. Content that is easy to read and keeps people interested is scannable.
The first thing people see is your title. Make it catchy and attractive so they can’t help but click through.

9. Get people to interact with your website

Let’s talk about the magic of user interaction and how you can give your guests a fun and exciting time. Do you know how it feels when you visit a website that makes you want to stay, look around, and talk to others? Get ready to make people feel the same about your site. The best way to make real connections with your audience and keep them returning for more is to get them to interact with your site. So, let’s look at some great ways to improve website engagement by getting people to connect with your website and making it hard to leave.

You want people to do something, right? Then say it in plain English! Use calls-to-action (CTAs) that are interesting and well-placed to get your guests to do what you want them to do.
Make it enjoyable, whether it is a contact form, a form to sign up for something, or a poll. Keep it simple, easy to fill out, and pleasant to look at.
Quizzes and polls are fun ways to connect with people. Use them to find out what your guests like, what they think, or just to entertain them.
Add comment sections to your blog posts or stories to get people talking. Having conversations with your viewers makes them feel like part of a group.
Add buttons and tools for sharing on social media. Make it easy for people to share your information and talk to you on social platforms.
Give people real-time help through live chat. It is a great way to improve website engagement and help them personally.
Add game-like features like badges, points, or progress bars to make the user’s experience fun and rewarding.

10. Customize user experience with personalization

How do you feel when you visit a website that knows exactly what you want? Well, get ready to give your guests the same personal touch. Personalization and customization are game-changers because they let you connect with your audience on a deeper level and keep them interested. Let’s look at some great ways to use customization and personalization to make your website stand out.

To customize the user’s experience, you need to know everything there is to know about your audience. Use polls, sign-ups, or website analytics to get information about their likes, dislikes, and needs.
Use the information you’ve collected to serve up content for them. Whether it is suggestions for products, blog posts, or special offers, give each user information that speaks to them.
Use recommendation engines that suggest goods or content based on users’ site use. It is like having your shopper!
Let people change how your site works for them. Let them pick their favorite language, theme, or type of content.
Use geolocation to serve information or offers that are relevant to your location. It gives your website a neighborhood feel and makes it more critical.
If your site lets people sign up for accounts, let them change their names and settings to fit their needs. It makes you feel like you own and invest in something.
Remember the user’s choices from the last time they visited. For example, if they choose a particular language or region, they use the same options the next time they return.
Use cookies or user accounts to keep track of what users have done in the past and give them appropriate suggestions when they come back.

11. Make your website accessible

Let’s talk about accessibility, a crucial part of web design. How important is making a place everyone can use and feel welcome in? So, this is where the idea of ease comes in. Making your website accessible means ensuring everyone can see and use your information, no matter what they can or can’t do. Let’s look at some great ways you can make your website more accessible for everyone to use and give every user a good time.

Add descriptive alt text to your pictures so that people who can’t see can understand what they are about.
Not everyone uses a mouse to move around on your site, so make sure that all dynamic parts, like buttons and links, can be used with the keyboard.
Use colours with enough contrast to make reading your information easier for people who can’t see well. Choose font styles that are easy to read for people who can’t see well.
Organize your information using the proper heading tags (H1, H2, etc.). Screen readers use these labels to move from one part of your page to another.
Don’t let movies or music play automatically. Users should be able to play media when they want to.
Ensure your form areas have clear labels and explain what they are for. Help people fill out forms correctly by giving them clear error messages.
Use the “lang” attribute to show what language your text is written in. This improve website engagement and helps people who can’t see the words on your site and search engines understand what they say.
Put yourself in the shoes of a user with a disability. Use assistive technology like screen readers or voice directions to test your website and find places where it could be better.

9 Key metrics for website user engagement

Let’s talk about the most important data you need to track to keep people interested in your website. Knowing how people use your website to improve website engagement is important, right? Keeping track of these metrics will give you helpful information about how your users act and help you make data-based decisions. So, let’s look at the 9 critical metrics you should monitor to measure and improve website engagement.

Bounce rate: This measure tells you how many people who visit your website only look at one page before leaving. A high bounce rate could mean your website’s content or style needs work.
Time on page: Track how long people spend on each page. Longer times mean your content is likely exciting and helpful to your audience.
Pageviews per visit: Keep an eye on how many pages people visit on average in a single session. More pages per visit mean people spend more time on your website.
Click-through rate (CTR): CTR counts how many people click on a particular link, button, or call-to-action (CTA). If your CTR is high, your calls to action are working.
Exit pages: Figure out which pages people leave your website most often. By figuring out why people leave, you can make your pages more enjoyable and keep people on them longer.
Scroll depth: Tracks how far down a page a person scrolls. This helps determine how much people like your work and improve website engagement.
Average session duration: Figure out how long people spend on your site during a session. Users who stay on your site longer must find it interesting.
Returning visitors: Keep track of how many people visit your site repeatedly. If the number is high, people like what they see and return for more.
Clickmaps and heatmaps: Use tools like clickmaps and heatmaps to see how people interact with your website. These details can show how users act and where they have problems.

Hire a web designer in Nigeria

My last piece of advice to improve website engagement: remember that design isn’t just about looks but about creating an experience that sticks with your audience. Every part of your website should work together to leave a lasting impact on your visitors.

If you want to take your website to the next level and make it an absolute powerhouse in your business, I’d love to help! As a professional web designer who loves creating beautiful, user-friendly websites, I’m here to make your ideas come to life. Whether you need a whole new website or just a few changes to get more people to use it, I can help.

Remember that your website is more than just a digital storefront—it mirrors your brand and is a way to connect with your audience. So let’s make it something your guests will never forget. I can’t wait until you write to me!

Let’s work together to improve website engagement, impress your visitors, and help your business grow.