| Search Engine Optimization and Web Site Usability | | | | service and their experience level with the internet, |
| | | | you will want to simplify things more than ever. You |
| Build a Web site and the people will come. | | | | don't want to talk to yourself - make sure potential |
| Ha! If it were only that easy! The Web is the one | | | | clients understand your product/service. The best |
| sales environment where the customer has total | | | | way to do this is to create content that is |
| empowerment. They have all the resources (i.e., your | | | | informative, yet easy to understand for even the |
| competitors) just a mouse-click away. | | | | newest of the newbies. |
| Not only are you in competition with the millions of | | | | Web site design |
| other Web sites owners who sell the same product | | | | Secondary to content is the actual design of your |
| service as you, but you are also competing for users' | | | | Web site. While the user comes to your site |
| time and attention. While search engine optimization | | | | specifically for information, they also will want to |
| and submission can bring you the traffic you need, | | | | enter an area that is easy to use and visually |
| only you can ensure that visitors will stay on your | | | | appealing. Here are some usability tips regarding Web |
| site by giving them a reason to want to stay. That is | | | | site design: |
| where Web site usability comes in. | | | | 1. Avoid long load times. While the latest technology |
| What is Web site usability? | | | | for Web sites is incredibly interesting and fun, lots of |
| The International Standards Organization (ISO) | | | | graphics, Flash images, and audio can create long load |
| defines Web site usability as the "effectiveness, | | | | times that make the user wait. And, if customers |
| efficiency and satisfaction with which a specified set | | | | have to wait too long, they may leave -- and never |
| of users can achieve a specified set of tasks in a | | | | come back. As a guide, users will generally wait for a |
| particular environment." In simpler terms, usability is | | | | site to load for ten seconds before vacating. |
| how efficiently and effectively users can accomplish | | | | 2. Make your pages easy to read. A common error in |
| what they are trying to do when they visit your | | | | Web usability is the incessant need to create the |
| Web site. | | | | prettiest Web site that ever existed. We've all seen |
| Now that you have an understanding of usability, we'll | | | | them - every color from the Crayola box of 64 has |
| explain the basics of what a Web site should include | | | | made its mark on these pages. And, with a little bit |
| to make the most of the user experience: | | | | of color usually comes a lot of cute little images that |
| Content is king | | | | dance across your screen. In all seriousness, resist |
| Let's face it, people visit Web sites for content -- | | | | the urge to do this. Not only will it hoard a lot of |
| they want information. Sure, it helps if your site is | | | | memory, but it will drive your users crazy. Black text |
| visibly appealing as well. But, without the right | | | | on a white background is the easiest to read. If you |
| content, the results of the user experience can be | | | | really want a colored background, stick with a lighter |
| fatal to your business. They simply won't come back. | | | | shade, but remember to use black text. |
| Here are a few tips to remember in regards to | | | | 3. Create a well-organized site. Maintaining a |
| content: | | | | consistent look and feel throughout your site is |
| 1. Be concise. Research shows that reading from a | | | | critical. The navigation you use on the home page |
| computer screen is about 25% slower than reading | | | | should be carried out throughout your Web site. Clear |
| from paper or other print medium. To that end, you | | | | navigation can either make or break your site. You |
| will want to edit your writing to say the exact same | | | | are basically providing your users with a road map to |
| thing in half the words it would take if you were | | | | your products and services. Don't let them get lost |
| writing on paper. Also, think back to the last time you | | | | along the way. |
| came to one of those really long-winded Web sites | | | | 4. Consider your space. Content should amount to |
| where the content may have been great, but you | | | | 50-80% of your page design, with navigation taking |
| still had to scroll and scroll and scroll to get to the | | | | up approximately 20% of the space. |
| end. It can be a nuisance. So, keep your pages short. | | | | 5. Stay consistent with design elements. Select one |
| 2. Make your content scannable. When people use | | | | or two (maximum) fonts and stick with them |
| the Internet, they are looking at mass amounts of | | | | throughout your site. |
| information. Help them get to the core of what they | | | | 6. Have a secure and automated server. Amazingly |
| want by using bulleted items, short paragraphs, and | | | | only 20% of current Web sites are secure. |
| subheadings to make it easier for them to find what | | | | 7. What can you do different? This is probably the |
| they are looking for. | | | | most important thing to remember when designing |
| 3. Write without error. There is no excuse -- | | | | your site. Think about your business and your |
| absolutely none -- for poor grammar, typographical | | | | competition. What are you doing differently that will |
| errors, and misspellings. If you own a computer, you | | | | make users visit your site? Once you find out what |
| have access to spell-checking and grammar-checking | | | | that is -- whether you offer the lowest prices, have |
| technologies. Use them. These small details will reflect | | | | a special widget that no one else sells, or have |
| upon your site. If you don't convey professionalism | | | | reputable customer service -- capitalize on that one |
| on your own business, how will you be conveyed to | | | | thing by incorporating it in your design elements. |
| potential clients? Can they trust you with theirs? | | | | Conclusion |
| Before uploading any new content, proofread it. | | | | There are good sites on the Internet and there are |
| Then, turn it over to someone else for their input. | | | | an equal number of bad sites (if not more!) out there. |
| 4. Write as if you were a Public Relations pro. | | | | The good sites provide for a smooth user |
| Granted, many of us aren't PR exec's, but you should | | | | experience - easy navigation and easy-to-find |
| know how to market your business. Use the lingo | | | | information. The bad sites are slow to load, difficult |
| that is most appropriate for your business. While you | | | | to navigate and leave the users frustrated before |
| want to provide information, your main goal is still | | | | they can even get to the information they initially |
| one thing: to sell. So, write to sell. | | | | needed. If you've already invested the time and |
| 5. Maximize your keywords. As part of the search | | | | effort into developing a Web site, you should take a |
| engine optimization process, you went to great | | | | serious look at the usability of your site. Here's an |
| lengths to select keywords and phrases that are | | | | easy homework assignment: Some day, when you've |
| most appropriate for your business. Be sure to use | | | | got a few hours to spare, surf the Internet and |
| them whenever possible (without being overtly | | | | make note of sites you think are good and which |
| redundant) in your content. | | | | ones drove you absolutely crazy. Investigate the |
| 6. Refresh, refresh, refresh. Web sites should be | | | | qualities of those sites and what made them good or |
| updated on a regular basis -- don't let them go stale. | | | | bad. Pretty soon, you'll start to see some patterns |
| Add new products/services, update users with new | | | | that you can learn from and implement into your own |
| information and tools, do what you can to change | | | | usability strategy. Remember, usability is all about |
| your content and keep users coming back for more. | | | | creating a unique and enlightening user experience. |
| 7. Know your audience. Since most audiences vary in | | | | Usability is the name of the game -- isn't it time you |
| terms of experience level with both your product | | | | started playing? |