Top 5 Tips for Creating a User-friendly Website

Let's be honest – we've all landed on websites that made us want to click the back button immediately. You know the ones: confusing navigation, tiny text, or pages that take forever to load. As someone who's spent years helping businesses create beautiful Squarespace websites, I've learned that user-friendly design isn't just nice to have – it's absolutely essential for keeping visitors engaged and turning them into customers.

Here are my top five tips for creating a website that people actually enjoy using:

1. Make Navigation Feel Like a Breeze

Think of your website navigation like directions to your house. You wouldn't give someone a confusing, roundabout route, would you? The same principle applies to your website design.

Your visitors should never have to play detective to find what they're looking for. Whether they want to learn about your services, read your latest blog post, or get in touch, the path should be crystal clear. I always tell my clients to use simple, descriptive labels and organize everything in a way that makes sense to a first-time visitor.

When working with Squarespace, I love how their navigation tools make it easy to create clean, intuitive menus that work beautifully on every device. No guesswork required!

2. Speed Matters More Than You Think

Here's a reality check: if your website takes more than three seconds to load, you're probably losing visitors faster than you can say "bounce rate." I've seen gorgeous websites fail simply because they were too slow.

The good news? There are plenty of ways to speed things up. Compress those high-resolution images (they'll still look great, I promise), clean up unnecessary code, and take advantage of caching tools. Squarespace actually handles a lot of this behind the scenes, which is one of the reasons I recommend it to clients who want professional results without the technical headaches.

3. Give Your Content Room to Breathe

White space isn't wasted space – it's your secret weapon for creating a website that feels modern and professional. Think of it like the pauses in a good conversation; they give people time to process what you're saying.

When you strategically use white space in your website design, you're essentially creating a visual hierarchy that guides visitors' eyes to what matters most. It makes your content easier to read, your images more impactful, and your overall design feel more sophisticated. Plus, it gives your website that clean, uncluttered look that today's users expect.

4. Make It Work Everywhere

Here's something that might surprise you: more than half of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. That means if your website doesn't work well on phones and tablets, you're missing out on a huge chunk of potential customers.

Responsive design ensures your website looks and functions beautifully whether someone's browsing on their laptop at home or scrolling on their phone during their lunch break. Squarespace templates are built with this in mind, automatically adapting to different screen sizes so your content always looks its best.

5. Guide People to Take Action

Every page on your website should have a purpose, and clear calls-to-action (CTAs) are how you guide visitors toward that purpose. Whether you want them to contact you, sign up for your newsletter, or make a purchase, your CTAs should stand out and tell people exactly what to do next.

I always recommend using contrasting colors that catch the eye, writing compelling copy that creates urgency or excitement, and placing your CTAs where they feel natural in the user's journey. Think of them as friendly signposts that help visitors know what step to take next.

Ready to Create Something Amazing?

Creating a user-friendly website doesn't have to be overwhelming. With the right approach and tools like Squarespace, you can build a website that not only looks professional but actually works for your business.

If you're feeling stuck or just want to chat about how to make your website work harder for you, I'd love to help. After all, your business deserves a website that makes visitors want to stick around and learn more about what you have to offer.