What happens when someone visits your website?
Someone visits your website to find out about your services, look for a job or learn more about your organisation. They might be interested in what you offer, but if they cannot find the information they need, they may not stay for long.
Perhaps the vacancies are difficult to locate, the information about your services is unclear or it is not obvious how to get in touch. These might seem like small issues, but they can affect whether someone decides to take the next step.
The difficulty is that you may never know they were there. They leave without making an enquiry or applying for a role, and you may not realise that your website played a part in that decision.
Is your website making things harder than they need to be?
It is easy to become familiar with your own website. You know where the pages are, what the menus mean and how to find the information you need. Someone visiting for the first time does not have that knowledge.
Research published by the Baymard Institute in October 2026 found that **64% of leading US and European e-commerce websites had mediocre or poor homepage and navigation experiences**. Its research examines how easily people can find their way around websites, including how menus and links are presented.
Although this research focuses on online shopping rather than care providers, it raises a useful question for any organisation with a website: are visitors able to find what they came for without having to work it out for themselves?
For a care provider, this could mean making sure vacancies are easy to find, explaining services in straightforward language and ensuring contact details are clearly displayed. Visitors should not have to guess which page to visit or click through several menus to find basic information.
Could your website be excluding people?
Not everyone uses a website in the same way. Some people rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation or magnification, while others may find small text, poor colour contrast or complicated forms difficult to use.
The Government Digital Service’s monitoring of 1,203 public-sector websites between 2022 and 2024 found accessibility issues on nearly all the websites and apps tested. These included problems with colour contrast, keyboard navigation and content that did not adapt properly to different screen sizes. More than 55% of the accessibility issues identified during monitoring were fixed by the organisations involved.
These findings relate to public-sector websites, rather than private organisations, but they demonstrate how easily accessibility problems can go unnoticed until a website is tested.
For organisations hoping to reach a broad range of potential employees and customers, accessibility is worth considering from the outset. A website that works well for someone using a mouse on a large screen may not work as well for someone navigating by keyboard or using a mobile phone with enlarged text.
Small improvements, such as clearer headings, readable text, descriptive links and forms that work with assistive technology, can make information easier to access. It is also worth checking that important documents, including service information and application forms, are accessible.
Are you making the next step clear?
Finding information is only part of the experience. Visitors also need to know what they can do next.
If someone is interested in working for your organisation, is it clear how to view vacancies or apply? If a family wants to discuss care, can they easily find the right contact details? If a professional wants to learn more about your services, is there a straightforward way to get in touch?
Clear links and buttons can help. Labels such as “View our vacancies”, “Find out about our services” or “Make an enquiry” tell people what to expect. By contrast, vague wording can leave visitors unsure where a link will take them.
The same applies to enquiry forms. Asking for unnecessary information, making required fields unclear or failing to explain what happens after submission can create extra work for someone who is already trying to get in touch.
It is worth considering whether every step is genuinely needed. A straightforward route to the right person may be more helpful than a long form or several pages of information before someone can make an enquiry.
Making your website work for the people using it
You do not necessarily need a complete redesign to improve someone’s experience. Sometimes, the most useful changes come from looking at your existing website from a visitor’s perspective.
Try asking someone who is unfamiliar with your organisation to find a vacancy, locate information about one of your services or work out how to contact your team. Notice where they hesitate, what they overlook and whether they can complete the task without help.
Website analytics can also show which pages people visit and where they leave, although they cannot always explain why. Combining this information with feedback from visitors, applicants and current employees can give you a clearer idea of what needs attention.
Your website is often one of the first ways people encounter your organisation. Making information easier to find, keeping content up to date and considering different accessibility needs can help people understand what you offer and decide whether they want to take the next step.
Ultimately, the aim is not simply to get people onto your website. It is to make sure that, when they arrive, they can find what they need.
Start taking the steps needed to make an accessible website, find out how we can support you by pressing the button below!
