What is the Functionality of a Web Page?
When we think about functionality and web design, strictly visual elements surely come to mind, such as a supreme quality of images or striking colors that attract the attention of the user.
However, and without minimizing the aesthetic criteria, there are others that should never be overlooked, such as free forms functionality or usability criteria. It is the job of both web page owners and designers to provide an optimal browsing experience to the user, which should be characterized by being simple and straightforward.
What is Web Usability?
In accordance with the previously stated on the functionality of a web page, web usability includes all the basic techniques and principles that are used in order for a web page to be fully optimized for browsing.
In other words, web usability consists of creating a page so that it is simple, comfortable and intuitive for the visitor. At the end of the day, a large part of the success or failure of a web page lies in usability, since said web must be created for its users.
12 Functionalities of a Web Page
1. Legibility
Adapt your website so that users do not have difficulties reading the text, especially if we think of a computer screen. Low levels of readability on the mobile device are more common, since it is assumed that the user will increase the size on the touch screen due to lack of space.
2. Encourage web interaction
As an essential part of usability, your page should facilitate interaction with the content, essentially through forums, chats, comments, communities, contact forms.
3. The importance of color
In addition to taking into account both the harmony and the harmony of colors when designing, we must add both the possibility of including corporate colors and the possibility of applying concepts related to the psychology of color. On this website you can find more information about it, for example, CTA (Call To Action) in warm colors such as red or orange provide more incentive to purchase than if we use cold colors. Also, do not forget to include text marking the action to follow.
4. Links to internal pages in new tabs or windows
An error that many businesses make, either due to ignorance or by mistake, are redirecting to other content within the same website by leaving the home page. This is fatal, both for your website traffic and for the user experience. You probably don’t want to go back to the home page and look elsewhere for what you need.
5. Includes breadcrumbs and friendly, simple and essential URLs
The breadcrumbs, or the references created as we enter a website, clearly indicate to the user where they are on the website, in addition to promoting navigation through it.Unfriendly URLs, in addition to being confusing for the user, are not usually liked by search engines. If you work with WordPress, most of the templates come like this by default; you can still change the settings in:
6. Beware of typography
Although not everyone is aware of it, typography is one of the most important factors in terms of web usability. A clear, legible font in accordance with the values and image that the business wants to convey is essential for proper optimization.
7. Don’t abuse clicks
As a general rule, a user tends to get bored if he has to go through several links before reaching the desired destination. It tries that the user can access all the important sections of the web in no more than 3 clicks, especially if it is about special offers or promotions.
8. Short menus
The ideal is to have no more than seven items in the main menu of the web.
9. Watch the loading speed
If the page takes too long to load, the user can get bored and abandon it, in addition to being penalized by search engines.
10. Avoid excessive distractions
Animations in banners and headers are a very attractive option, but they tend to distract the user and divert attention from what we want to achieve.
11. Incorporates the ‘back’ button
Like breadcrumbs, this button will help the user to go back to the previous point on the web when they have already searched for certain information. For example, a user wants to buy a certain product, but first he / she looks at the ‘offers’ section. If you do not see anything of your interest, it is very possible that you use this button to proceed with your purchase.
12. Attentive to the scroll
It is very important that the highlighted information is at first glance without having to scroll down or to the right.
