User Experience (UX) basics: How small businesses can make their websites work harder for their customers

User Experience, or UX, is all about making your website easy, enjoyable, and effective for visitors. For small businesses - from cafés to salons - a positive UX can turn casual visitors into loyal customers. UX is basically the overall feeling a person has when interacting with a product, service, or company, how things are placed on the site, and the journeys a user has to take make to get them to click the contact button. If they can’t find something, they’ll press the back button and go to a competitor.

You don’t need a big budget or a design team to improve your UX. Here are 10 practical tips to make your website more user-friendly, build trust, and boost conversions.

1. Simplify your navigation

Visitors should find what they need in three clicks or fewer. Organise menus clearly - for example, Home, About, Services, Blog, Contact - and avoid unnecessary dropdowns that overwhelm users.

Use clear labels that your customers understand. Instead of “Our Solutions,” try “Services” or “What We Do.” Group similar pages together, and consider adding a simple search bar for larger sites.

📘 Read next: Creating a website that builds trust with local customers

2. Make it mobile-friendly

Most people now browse on phones, so a mobile-friendly site is essential. Check that buttons are big enough to tap, text is legible without zooming, and images scale correctly.

Consider how users scroll - important information should appear near the top. Avoid pop-ups that cover the screen, and test interactive elements like forms or menus on multiple devices.

Check your mobile UX using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

📘 Related post: The psychology of website speed: Why every second counts for local businesses

3. Clear calls to action (CTAs)

Guide your visitors with simple CTAs such as “Book Now,” “Visit Us,” or “Call Today.” Each page should have a clear next step.

Position CTAs above the fold where possible, and use action-oriented language. For example, “Book Your Appointment Today” is more effective than “Submit.” Using contrasting colours for buttons also helps them stand out.

📘 Related post: 10 digital tips for local businesses

4. Reduce clutter

A clean website helps visitors focus on what matters. Too many images, animations, or pop-ups can confuse users and increase bounce rates (when people hit the back button without viewing a second page).

Prioritise content in order of importance, use whitespace to separate sections, and limit distracting elements like auto-playing videos or excessive banners. Simplicity doesn’t mean boring - it means clarity.

🔗 External reference: NNGroup: Basics of UX Design

5. Use consistent branding

Your website should feel like a natural extension of your business. Keep colours, fonts, language and tone consistent with your physical store or brand identity.

Consistency reassures users that they’re in the right place. For example, a local café using warm tones and handwritten fonts on their website should match the in-store menu or signage to create a cohesive experience.

📘 Related post: Branding on a budget - How small shops can look professional without spending a fortune

6. Improve page speed

Slow websites frustrate visitors and hurt conversions. Compress large images, remove unnecessary plugins, and enable browser caching.

Consider lazy-loading images - they only load when visible - to reduce initial page load times. A faster site not only improves UX but also boosts SEO, helping your business show up in local searches.

📘 Related post: The psychology of website speed: why every second counts for local businesses
🔗 Tool: Google PageSpeed Insights

7. Make contact info easy to find

Visitors shouldn’t hunt for your phone number, email, or address. Place contact details in the header, footer, and on a dedicated contact page.

Adding clickable phone numbers for mobile users or a map embed showing your location can reduce friction and make it easier for customers to reach you.

📘 Related post: How to turn your digital presence into local foot traffic

8. Use high-quality images

Images communicate faster than text. High-quality photos of your team, products, or location can help users understand your offerings instantly.

Avoid stock images that feel generic, where possible. Real, local imagery fosters trust - for example, photographing your shop or café makes the experience authentic for customers nearby.

📘 Related post: The Importance of good photography for local businesses

9. Make forms simple

Complex forms frustrate users and increase drop-offs. Only ask for essential information, and use clear labels.

Include inline validation (telling users if an email is invalid immediately) and consider auto-filling options for returning customers. Even small changes can significantly increase form submissions.

🔗 External reference: Website forms usability

10. Test and iterate

UX is an ongoing process. Regularly test your website with real users or ask friends and customers to provide feedback.

Use analytics to track user behaviour: which pages have high drop-offs, where visitors click, and how long they stay. Make small improvements, then monitor the results. Iterative testing ensures your site evolves with your customers’ needs.

🔗 External reference: NNGroup: Usability Testing Basics

Conclusion

Even small changes can make a big difference in UX. Simplifying navigation, speeding up pages, improving mobile design, and using consistent branding can help your business attract and retain more customers.

If you’d like help improving UX and making your website a true asset for your business, get in touch with Kyeeni Digital.