And just like that, summer is coming to a close. It always goes by so fast. Before we jump into the busy fall ahead, we’ve got two more installments of August’s edition of Wednesday Roundup, How to Improve Your Association’s Website. Missed the first few? Check out last weeks post here.
This week I’m fleshing out some tips I read on a recent HubSpot article titled “10 Tips That Can Drastically Improve Your Website’s User Experience”. Besides being well-written, I like that this article makes suggestions with a limited budget in mind. Many associations don’t have the financial bandwidth to complete a full on redesign. However, every group could handle small changes that can make one heck of a difference.
See the points I thought most compelling below:
Leave some room for white space
Many associations feel the need to communicate everything they offer on the homepage or internal pages. While it’s with good intentions, that amount of material could be really overwhelming to the visitor.
Break up your text with white space. “White space can… make your website feel open, fresh and modern and if your branding is consistent with these then it can help you communicate that feeling to the user,” says Darling Jimenez, a web developer and UX marketer.
Create interesting CTA’s
We talked about this in our second episode of Wednesday Roundup but wanted to reiterate our point. CTA’s give a website visitor direction. They provide a path to more information. Not only is the information linked to a CTA important, but the design of the CTA button is as well.
“In creating buttons for your website you should think about color and the psychology of color” (Jimenez). What matches your brand? How does the color make a visitor want to click?
In addition to the color, think about the specific words you’ll use. “The words should include a verb or an action word that excite the user to do something,” (Jimenez). Draw the user in and then be clear about what comes next.
Separate Chunks of Information with Bullets
As an association, you probably want to communicate your membership options, events and ways to get involved. Presenting that information on your homepage is okay, as long as it’s organized and easy to digest.
Bullet points are a great way to separate text and help the reader quickly consumer your content. You don’t have to use the convention black circle either. Get creative! Use an icon that represents that section of your message.
As we’re prepping for September, let us know what you’d like to see. Send me questions, topics or themes – aketcham@arcstone.com.