Design, UI, UX, Insights
How to Create a Website Button Design That Converts
Buttons go beyond their original purpose of allowing users to click. Instead, they have a wider variety of uses. Buttons can now be on toolbars and in dialog boxes, enabling them to control and change the look of an app. They are also used to make selections in forms, whether it is for a form or a webpage. Making buttons more interactive makes them more dynamic and, in turn, improves user experience. Button design is a focus area for many design experts.
Website page buttons can be used for many things – they can submit a form, purchase goods, or re-direct to other pages. They have plenty of functions, depending on the goals set by the person who uses them.
But how to design a button that will grab the attention and check all the requirements? In this article, we will show you what do to (and what not to).
Article overview:
1. Why is website button design important?
2. Things to avoid when designing your buttons
3. How to Create a Successful Button Design?
4. Button Types
Example by Aaron Iker
1. Why is website button design important?
Interface elements need to be obvious to users. As the usability expert, Jakob Nielsen states, there is a “10-second rule” for user interfaces. Interactions within the interface should take less than ten seconds to complete, as anything longer may distract users and make them lose focus.
Every single component from the website should be easily accessible and meaningful for the website visitors – from user buttons to the navigation bar, header, footer, etc.
Instead of trying to design a button that looks flashy and stands out, designers should put user experience first and only then think of aesthetics.
What does a typical button include?
A normal button design includes a text box, a text label, a border, and a background.
Example by David for UBANI
2. Things to avoid when designing your buttons
There are many good practices and we will also mention them in the article. However, we will start with the mistakes that would cost you visitors and sales, respectively.
2.1 Disabled buttons
Imagine being a user. You click a button and… nothing happens. It is very frustrating to have disabled buttons on your websites and you should avoid them at all costs. Usually, there are two reasons for non-working buttons:
- An issue with the code – sometimes, a small error in the code linking the button to the desired location might make it “dead”.
- Links to non-existent pages – websites often change their vision. They update their offerings, add and remove pages. Sometimes, they might delete a page to which a button was leading.
Both problems can easily be tackled. In the first situation, it is always a good idea to test every new detail you add to your website – how does it function? Is it loading well, is there any issue? You should address the problem before users reach your platform.
In the case when you have to update, you should back up your old site version and carefully track any links and buttons. After the migration, ensure everything is working well.
2.2 Creating buttons for the sake of it
New designers can learn a lot from experienced professionals and from the businesses that have been there, done that. Most designers are able to recognize good design and great design when they see it.
Consumers have the same capabilities. They can quickly pick out designs that perform well and those that do not. The difference between a successful design and an unsuccessful one is huge, and it often separates successful businesses and filing bankruptcy.
2.3 Too many buttons
The most significant action is the one that you want your website users to take. There’s no rule stating that multiple buttons are better, as it leaves users more confused. If your site has a lot of options, try grouping similar functionalities into their own drop-down menus.
2.4 Misleading text labels
If you are going to use an action button, make sure that it is clear and concise. An unclear or confusing label can prevent users from taking action or lead them to take the wrong action. Instead of “Yes” or “No,” try descriptive labels like “Buy Now” or “Subscribe.” Be specific and avoid ambiguity.
Example by Aaron Iker
3. How to Create a Successful Button Design?
Successful button design can bring a lot of benefits, including higher click-through rates and conversion rates. Here are the best practices for making gorgeous buttons.
3.1 Focus on consistency
Consistent buttons on a website help the overall look, feel, and structure of the site. They also lead to a better user experience. The easier it is for your users to navigate and interact with your site, the less likely they are to bounce and close their browser.
3.2 Create button hierarchy
Hierarchy is important in every aspect of design. Buttons are not an exception.
CTAs should be a masterpiece
Click-to-action buttons should be clear, visible, and direct. They should also be placed next to the main action items on your page so that when a user takes the first step towards conversion or is ready to take action, they know exactly what to click.
Primary actions
Primary actions drive users to the next best action. They are buttons that take a user from one stage to the next, in a flow. They should be more visually dominant so that customers don’t miss them as they complete a task or journey.
Secondary actions
Secondary actions are shortcuts for users to move back up a page or return to the previous page. These should be different colors from primary buttons and placed at the bottom of a page or on the side, so users don’t accidentally click them.
3.3 Make the buttons bigger
Bigger isn’t always better. However, when it comes to creating an amazing UX design and great buttons it is necessary to make buttons bigger.
One of the most important things to do is to research what percentage of your users come from mobile traffic. Mobile devices are smaller than desktop computers and small buttons could make it really hard for visitors to click buttons. To ensure you won’t have such issues, simply make the buttons better.
3.4 Provide visual feedback
User interfaces need to deliver appropriate feedback in response to user actions. For example, a simple click of a button should be met by either a visual or audio confirmation that the command has been received and processed. When this feedback is not provided, users might feel uncertain about whether their input was accepted and will repeat their request.
3.5 Avoid excessive use of buttons
One of the most horrid user experiences is confusion. You should design buttons that convert. However, creating too many of them is going to give users plenty of options. According to Business Insider, having too many options is actually bad. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should aim for a single button. Not at all. Just be mindful when creating buttons. Are they useless? Will they confuse users? If at least one of the questions can be answered with “Yes”, then you can spare the button design.
Example by Md Shamsuddin
4. Button types
In general, there are four main button types that are used by designers. Of course, there are others but they are less utilized.
4.1. Standard button
Standard buttons are text-only labels that fall outside of a block of text. The text you use for the button should describe the action users are performing when they click or tap the button. Text buttons have low emphasis, and shouldn’t be used for important actions because they don’t have an icon to help clarify what happens when you tap them.
4.2 Ghost button
Ghost buttons lack a solid fill, making them ideal for secondary actions. They’re great for indicating an action that is important but may not take center stage on a page’s design. Ghost buttons should be outlined just enough to be visible but not so much as to distract or be overbearing.
4.3 Floating action buttons
When developing floating action buttons, brands should ensure that the button adds value to the screen, and performs a constructive activity such as creating a new item or sharing the item on the screen.
4.4 Toggle buttons
Toggle buttons have a unique interface, as they offer two different options. While it is usually a “Yes/No” dilemma for an option, they might also represent Day/Night mode.
4.5 Checkbox buttons
Another highly used type of button is the checkbox. Most of us have seen it when signing Terms and Conditions or for accepting what types of emails we can be sent by businesses.
Example by Abel Hancock
4.6 Menu buttons
Menu buttons find great applications in mobile apps where space is limited. They can appear and disappear, depending on where the user is hovering.
Example by nasserui_
5. Conclusion
Button design is important for the whole user experience. The way you make your buttons can be a substantial part of conversions, which are clicks that lead to an action on your website or app. Buttons should be clear and concise. They should exclude distracting colors or images because they have limited space in order to catch people’s attention quickly. It is also good practice to consider how many different actions there might need to be on the button itself so it doesn’t look too crowded when multiple options appear at once.
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