Accessibility is a much talked about web design issue. Help the elderly get online to make their lives easier. Think about it, our post offices are disappearing, public transport can be unreliable and infrequent, especially for those of us who live out in the sticks. The elderly are being encouraged to go online to shop, pay their car tax and do a multitude of other tasks that are possible to do online but quite difficult and time consuming to do at the post office, supermarket or bank. The fact is that many elderly people are starting to use the internet and this trend will only increase.

So why do so many small business owners fail to realise that this trend exists? Many do not have a website because they advertise in the local paper or directory book. I’m not saying stop doing this. But don’t ignore the ever growing trend of online users.

Ok so if you’ve found this post the chances are that you’ve either got an old website which needs updating or you’ve only recently had a new one created for your business but think it may be lacking a little something.

Let’s begin by looking at a few simple indicators that your website needs a complete revamp or maybe just a few little tweaks here and there. A professional web designer should have the experience and expertise to redesign or tweak a website solution to your requirements. But it isn’t always that simple. What if your requirements were wrong in the first place or your website are been built on an unsuitable solution to grow with your business.

So let’s look at a couple of typical fixes to common website problems. Unfortunately not all problems are straightforward so it’s always best to look at the website in the context of the business requirements before undertaking any potentially expensive remedies. The following the meant as a guide only as multiple variables could have compounded the problem.

Problem: Website slow.

Potential Issues: Server speed, image size, code quality.

Solutions: Change server, optimise images, optimise code.

Problem: Poor organic SEO conversion rates.

Potential Issues: Poor website copy, inaccessible web design, usability issues.

Solutions: Enlist the help of a professional copywriter, perform an Accessibility Audit, undertake Usability testing.

It is worth noting that the accessibility testing and its remedial actions should always precede usability testing. The design recommendations of the accessibility testing should be incorporated into the website before usability testing is carried out by people with disabilities.

In my opinion a complete redesign is only required if the original design’s fundamental design is wrong. The decision of whether to redesign, revamp or tweak should be made during the Analysis phase but it must be noted that a website should be a constantly changing entity anyway.

Just been looking through a few Barnsley business websites today. There’s some pretty good ones out there but there’s always room for improvement. I tend to always view a website from a user’s pont of view rather than from a designer’s perspective. Ultimately your end users is the one who will be visiting and revisting your company website again and again. Come on business owners, start listening to what your website’s visitors require from your website and get a redesign done to accommodate your users needs.

Websites in Barnsley come in all shapes and sizes but most of them could be improved in some way.

Get a Website Audit today from Computer Coders Ltd to help identify key areas for improvement.