See your website through your users’ eyes
By Dany Stadtmuller · web developer and strategist
Have you ever tried to truly see the world from someone else’s perspective?
Not just metaphorically, but imagining their exact viewpoint and experience?
When you do, it instantly changes how you understand things. The same is true when looking at your website.
Every Visitor Experiences Your Website Differently
As a web designer, I often remind clients that how they see their own website can be very different from how actual visitors experience it.
You want every visitor to have a positive experience, but how can you be sure unless you look at your site from their point of view?
Visitors come with different devices, internet speeds, locations, and expectations. All of these factors shape their experience.
Use Personas to Walk in Your Users’ Shoes
Create profiles of your target audience as if they were real people, complete with needs, frustrations, and goals.
Ask yourself questions like:
- What problem are they trying to solve by visiting your site?
- What do they see first when they open your homepage? Is it clear and inviting?
- Does the site load quickly enough for users on slow connections or older devices?
- What tasks do they want to complete, and how easy is it to do so?
For example, if one persona is a busy parent browsing on a phone, does your site make it easy for them to find key information quickly?
Watch Others Use Your Site
Another way to gain fresh insight is to have others navigate your website while you watch quietly.
Ask a friend or family member to explore your site without any instructions from you. Resist the urge to step in, even if they struggle or act unexpectedly.
Observing their natural behavior often reveals usability issues or surprises you might not have considered.
Seeing your website through your users’ eyes helps you build a better experience, making visitors more likely to stay, engage, and return.