- Moti Sarig
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
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After six years in UX, one thing has become clear: a website is only as strong as the thought that goes into it. Too often, I see businesses rush to launch a site that simply “looks nice” or works “well enough,” only to realize later that they’re leaving money on the table.
The good news is that many of these issues could’ve been avoided. I’ve noticed the same challenges come up again and again. So, to help you avoid making these mistakes, I thought I’d share a few tips that can help you create a website that works for, not against, your business.
01. You are not the user
You can’t see a page the way a user does, especially as a business owner. A lot of owners assume that their customers will care enough to read everything on their website, know all the industry terms and will follow every process exactly as it’s written.
In reality, most people are busy or distracted when they land on your site. They don’t read; they scan. And if they don’t get what they need within a few seconds, they leave.
In UX, we talk a lot about something called “F-Pattern” reading. This principle is based on eye-tracking research, which shows that when people read content online, they usually start by reading from left to right. The further down they look, the less and less they read. The resulting path resembles a capital F letter—and this behavior is consistent across both mobile and desktop.
“[The F-Pattern] happens because people are trying to minimize the work they need to do and maximize the benefit they get from that work,” according to Nielsen Norman Group. “For eye-tracking that means they’re trying to economize on the number of fixations that they do on the page, and learn the most that they can from the content that they actually do look at.”
This highlights the importance of getting your point across clearly and quickly on your site, both through the words you write and the design of your page. My recommendation: put your website in front of people who know nothing about your business. Sit them down with your site and don’t explain anything, then give them a task and watch where they get stuck.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to conduct hundreds of tests. The Nielsen Norman Group’s “5-user rule” shows that by the fifth test, you’ll uncover around 80% of the major usability issues on your site, making this a super cost-effective method.
02. Don’t make people think
Related to my previous note, when it comes to both product and web design, you’ll want to avoid making your users think more than they have to.
One of my favorite UX books is called “Don’t Make Me Think” by Steve Krug. Krug mentions that his first law of usability is, just like the title of his book, “Don’t make me think!” A webpage should be “self-evident,” he says, and visitors should immediately know what they’re looking at. They shouldn’t have to guess what a button does, or if something’s even clickable.
To that end, I like to ask myself three questions when I look at a website:
Is it clear? Can I tell what this site is about in a few seconds?
Is it usable? Can I find my way around (through clear menus, dropdowns and overall navigation) without guessing?
Is it accessible? Is the text easy to read against the background? Does it look just as good on mobile as on desktop? (Some owners think accessibility is optional and only for people with disabilities, when in fact, it improves the experience for everyone)
Your design plays a vital role in all these areas. Smart design choices can help guide the eye to the right places and break the F-Pattern behavior mentioned earlier. It can be as simple as making important text bigger and bolder. Or it can be as subtle as having the person in your header image look towards a button that you want people to notice.
03. Fewer clicks aren’t always better
People often think that fewer steps always mean a smoother experience. But in practice, most don’t mind a few extra clicks, as long as each step feels clear and straightforward.
Sometimes breaking tasks into smaller parts makes them faster to complete overall. For example, think about the payment process. Some apps split the process into several screens instead of cramming everything into one. This leads to more clicks but makes it easier for the user to focus on one question at a time.
If you’re not sure what steps are worth keeping versus taking out, follow this rule of thumb: a step is worth keeping if it reduces confusion and saves mental effort. Good UX isn’t about minimizing clicks; it’s about making it easy for people to get what they came for without hassle.
If you’re still unsure, test it. Let people try two different versions of your form or checkout process, and measure how long it takes them to finish. Keep the version that lets users complete the task with less effort.
Related reading:
04. Customers expect feedback
When people click, swipe, type or submit something on your site, they want to know what happened. Did it work? If nothing happens on the screen, most people assume that your site is broken.
Therefore, implementing a visual cue—like a loading spinner or “success” checkmark—can go a long way in reassuring users that an action went through.
Fortunately, you don’t need to know how to code to do this. On Wix, you can add micro-interactions (like button hover states, loading spinners or other subtle animations) to your site through the drag-and-drop editor. You can additionally customize success messages to make the interaction extra personal.
05. UX goes deeper than your visuals
The best-looking sites aren’t always the best-working ones.
From my experience designing websites, everyone falls for the same trap: they spend hours picking the perfect color or the perfect hero image. They fixate on the small details, before they’ve even spent time on site architecture or layout.
This is why I like to draw wireframes in black and white before introducing color. Even in today’s day and age—where AI and website templates make creating a website almost instant—I encourage people to avoid getting distracted by the graphics.
Look at the structure. Look at the navigation. Look at the functionality. Once you’ve got a solid foundation, then you can switch to the fun part.
Said another way, you want to balance efficiency with emotion. The former means solving real problems and removing friction by creating a well-working experience. The latter means making an experience that feels satisfying, welcoming and even delightful.
If a website looks beautiful but doesn’t work smoothly, it fails. If it works but leaves people frustrated or cold, it also fails. The best UX balances both to earn and maintain trust.
06. You should prevent mistakes instead of apologizing for them
Good websites don’t just show error messages—they help users avoid mistakes in the first place. For instance, instead of waiting until someone hits “submit” to tell them their password is wrong, they flag problems as they happen.
Preventing errors is often simpler than it sounds. A few ideas:
Make sure required fields are clearly marked on any forms
Instead of asking people to type a date, use a calendar picker
For file uploads, set clear size and type restrictions (like “JPG only” or “under 5MB”) so users don’t submit files your site can’t handle
These small design choices stop errors before they happen, which means fewer frustrated users.
Further reading: How to design a website
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