On average the regular viewer spends less than 20 seconds per website before deciding to stay or leave. This means that there is only a small window of opportunity to grab their attention. So how can you convince viewers to stay on your website?
Firstly it’s important to understand the general viewing behaviour of the average user. Most website visitors want to find things quickly; hence they tend to rush through webpages. One study has found that approximately 25% of text on a webpage is read by the average visitor before leaving the page.
Since this is the case it’s important that a website directs visitor’s to the most important content that you want them to read. There are a number of design techniques that help achieve this, one such method is using focal points.
What is a focal point and why should you use them?
A focal point refers to a prominent area on a webpage where you want the visitor’s eyes to be directed to. Therefore this point needs to stand out and immediately grab the viewers attention.
The focal point should be setup to help achieve the goal of the website (whether that is communicating a message, signing up to a trial plan, sending an enquiry or purchasing a product). This makes the focal point the most important aspect of a webpage.
Where should a focal point be put?
Every page of the website should have a focal point that is related to the goal of the website. However the layout, design or wording may be different depending on the webpage information. It is especially important to have a focal point on the home page as it is the most commonly viewed page.
When choosing a location for your focal point, ensure that it can be easily accessed in a prominent position closer to the top of the page. To accomplish this you could utilise a sidebar or the heading on the page.
Its best practice to have one focal point per webpage. However if you are going to have more, they should be easy to distinguish. Using contrasting colours, positions, sizes, and visual weights will help achieve this.
How to create a focal point?
For a focal point to be effective it needs to dominate the page. There are many different ways that focal points can be created. Sometimes a focal point may use a number of elements, while other times they have only one or two. Below are a list of important elements that can be used when creating a focal point:
- Size: Different sizing of pictures, text and buttons helps draw attention to the key aspects of the focal point.
- Colour: The use of complimentary colours creates a nice contrast between the elements.
- Spacing: The use of white space helps the viewer to focus on the main elements of the focal point.
- Pictures/Illustrations: These assist in communicating an important message without using text.
- Typography: Using complimentary fonts helps to differentiate the elements within a focal point.
- Buttons: A great tool for attracting the eye and persuading a customer to complete a call-to-action.
The team at All About Group is committed to helping businesses create an effective website design that will captivate your audience. Back it up with a congruent business card Brisbane for a truely seamless brand experience to help grow your business.