5 Subtle Features of a Well-Designed Website
Browsing webpages, there are several detailed features that can enhance the user experience. Though often subtle and not immediately noticeable, these elements play a crucial role in preventing frustration and aiding in smoother navigation. In this article, we will explore 5 such features that impact the effectiveness and user-friendliness of a website.
Persistent Scroll Position:
When you accidentally click on a link after scrolling down a page, you hope that pressing the back button will redirect you to the position where you last were. Persistent Scroll Position is in place to make sure this happens. It is a functionality where a webpage remembers the position where the user was before navigating away. Upon returning, the user is brought back to that exact position.
By saving the user’s position on a page Persistent Scroll Position enhances the experience and also makes navigation more seamless and intuitive. This is especially useful when users are scrolling through shopping lists or detailed articles with links referring to other pages. Without this feature, if the user unintentionally clicks on a specific e-shop item and is redirected to the item page, clicking on the back button to find their previous position would return them to the beginning of the previous page, rather than where they actually left off.
Make sure the users will not be upset clicking back…
Use of back to top link
A feature very similar to Persistent Scroll Position is the ‘back-to-top’ link. In this scenario, the user remains on the same page, without switching to a different one, but has scrolled too far down. When they decide they do not want to scroll more, a backlink placed at the bottom of the page can elegantly solve this problem.
Without it, users may often end up swiping or scrolling upwards, which is quite inconvenient and uncomfortable. Implementing a back-to-top link therefore saves time and prevents the frustration that users could have.
Menu adaptibility:
As you scroll through a webpage, the last thing you want is a navigation menu that becomes unreadable against certain colors or images. This is where Dynamic Menu Adaptability or Sticky menus come handy. These features ensure menus on the webpages remain fully readable and will not overlap with the webpage’s elements.
Using the idea of Dynamic Menu Adaptability in practice means automatic control of the menu’s color scheme, adding text shadows, or adjusting transparency levels to maintain readability against various page backgrounds. Regardless of a user’s location on the site, the menu remains distinct and readable.
Sticky Menu feature, also referred to as a fixed menu is an option too. This way navigation will remain fixated on the screen as the user scrolls, making sure the navigation is visible from any point on the page. Its primary focus is on improving accessibility rather than visual adaptability.
However, it is important to note that every page is different and you need to be careful and intuitive about whether to use sticky menus or not. Some UX designers do not prefer it, while others do. However, it can be a better solution than blending black menu text with a dark backround on the page.
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Consistency on all browsers, don’t forget Safari
One of the biggest issues is that the page is not compatible with all browsers. Often, what is viewed in Chrome as correct does not display the same in Safari. This inconsistency in appearance and functionality between browsers is a common in new or not fully tested pages. It could be a result of differences in how browsers interpret web content, adhere to web standards, or implement their specific features.
To eliminate the issues with display, developing teams should make sure the webpage will be well tested on different devices, including mobile devices and the browsers that are not usually used, not forgetting those usual ones like Chrome, Opera, Firefox. Sometimes the old mobile devices can also cause the issues with the display. Don’t forget to test those too.
Make sure to check your website layout across different devices.
User convenient and working link redirections
Ensuring that all links on a webpage redirect correctly and logically is a sign of good website design. This includes accuracy of the links leading to the intended pages or sections, as well as their strategic placement and design for user convenience.
For instance, it is a common practice that clicking on a website’s logo will redirect the user to the homepage. This intuitive link supports easy navigation and offers a quick way to return to the start without searching for a separate ‘home’ button. Similarly, internal links within a webpage should form a consistent structure, guiding the user through the site’s content in a logical and helpful manner. Navigation menus, breadcrumb trails, and even call-to-action buttons should be crafted to lead the user correctly and enhancing their journey through the website.
Links that are visually clear and easy to recognize help users find their way around. A website where links consistently perform as expected creates a sense of comfort, which is vital in retaining engagement and reducing bounce rates.
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To make sure user will be redirected to the correct place after hitting back button.
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Navigate smoothly up from the bottom of the page
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Ensures the website’s menu will be readable on every background.
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Make sure your website is displayed uniformly across all devices.
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Effective website design is characterized by correctly functioning, logically placed, and user-friendly links, including intuitive navigation like clickable logos leading to the homepage, which enhances user experience and engagement.
