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Ten Mistakes Websites Still Make--And How to Fix ThemDespite an increasing number of studies available on website usability, a vast majority of companies and organizations continue to make the same common errors with their websites. Whether commercial or informational in purpose, a poorly designed website results in a lower number of repeat visits, which translates into less traffic, fewer sales, and an overall dissatisfaction on the part of the user, which in turn can mean fewer potential customers. In a recent AEP Virtual Seminar, Michael Gold of West Gold Editorial presented a rundown of the top 10 most common mistakes still seen on the web and solutions to resolve the problems. 10. Content or Advertisement? Mistake - Using large graphics and/or commingling your branding or colors with advertising Why this is problematic - Users tend to ignore advertising or anything that resembles an ad on a page. Solution - Use text to promote content; it looks more credible and attracts more attention than logo-like graphics and colorful boxes. If you do choose to incorporate images, Gold recommends keeping them small and still. "If it's too large relative to other content on the page or it's moving, it looks like an ad and risks being ignored," says Gold.
9. Squandered Vertical Space Mistake - Oversized graphics at the top of a page that push content below the "fold" Why this is problematic - The "fold" is the line at which a user's browser cuts off a web page, or the first view a user will get of your website. Filling the space above this area with graphics or navigation presents the user with content that tends to be non-informational in nature--not a very good first impression. Solution - Make logos, banner graphics and display type shallow. Use the entire horizontal space, deliver real content, and signal the presence of content below the fold.
8. Information Overload Mistake - Overwhelming users with too many topics, navigational choices, content items, etc. Why this is problematic - Not knowing where to begin can be extremely frustrating to a user, increasing the chances of them giving up and going to another site. Solution - Use bullets to separate items, start lines with words that will get the user's attention, and use formatting to help users scan blocks of text. If navigation is too complex, divide choices up into separate categories. "There's a general rule of thumb in usability guidelines called 'the rule of sevens' that says people can't absorb more than seven bits of unrelated information at once," says Gold. Use this as a guideline to create manageable bins of information for your user.
7. Fuzzy Identity Mistake - Site fails to introduce itself and make clear its value to the user Why this is problematic - This is a problem for obvious reasons--if a user can't figure out what you do, how will they know if they've come to the right spot for whatever it is they're looking for? Solution - Create a short explanatory tagline to display along with your organization's logo at the top of the screen, and set up page layouts, promotion, and presentation of content so that users can quickly understand what your site is about.
6. "Un-Webified" Text Mistake - Long, dense, gray, unformatted text Why this is problematic - Recent usability studies have found that 80 percent of web users don't read--they SCAN. Long articles and reports are hard to digest quickly and painful to read on computer monitors. Solution - Shorten up copy and carve large pieces into smaller, bite-size chunks. Format with bullets and bold type, and make page content clear at the top of the page, possibly with links to different sections below.
5. Unsatisfying Site Search Mistake - Placing your search box below the fold, organizing results in ways that aren't clear or helpful (such as the number of times a word appears on a page), displaying results as page titles or URLs Why this is problematic - Similar to Mistake 8, if a user can't easily find what they're looking for, they're much more likely to go elsewhere next time. Solution - There are a number of guidelines to follow when creating a useful search function on your website: - the standard box and "Search" button should appear at the top of every page - program your search engine to display "best bets," or pages most often associated with the search term, at the top of the list of results - assign meaningful keywords to documents when they are created - allow users to sort results in different ways (for example, "most recent" or "by format") - if there are no results, say so clearly - write summaries that clearly describe documents - highlight search terms in results
4. Untapped Web Power Mistake - Site is comprised entirely of static html pages--"print materials dumped on the web" Why this is problematic - Companies are foolish not to take advantage of the opportunities for activity the web has to offer. Solution - Solutions to this problem really depend upon the scope and purpose of your organization's website. Incorporating different types of media--podcasts, video, streaming audio--into your website continues to get easier as technology advances. User-generated ratings, custom alerts, traffic analysis (top 10 lists), and content indexing are all examples of interactivity that will keep users coming back, said Gold.
3. Unconventional Navigation Mistake - Usingunfamiliar icons, "clever" Flash animation, confusing navigation Why this is problematic - Unfamiliar navigation forces users to learn new rules, and navigation that shifts or is too complicated will confuse and frustrate users. Solution - Keep navigation consistent, simple, and obvious. Put the main navigation at the top or side of the page, and always make it easy for users to return to the home page. Links should stand out from non-links by differentiating colors, fonts, styles, or all three. And while Gold does not forbid employing Flash, he recommended using it sparingly, and in ways that will make navigation easier, not more complicated.
2. Forgetting to Channel the User Mistake - Site organization fails to reflect the user's thinking and language Why this is problematic - As with many of the mistakes on this list, when a user doesn't find what they expect to find, they will not stay on your website for very long. Solution - Organize the site and label the navigation in ways the user would. Watch out for internal lingo--words that make sense to you, but may be meaningless to someone outside your organization or industry.
1. Burying Your Treasure Mistake - Not making your site's most valuable asset easily accessible Why this is problematic - According to Gold, if a user has to make more than two clicks to get to the information they are looking for, chances are they will give up. Solution - Create prominent home page tools that let users perform the most critical tasks for which they come to your site. Gold also recommends offering links to and sample of lower-level content on your home page, using concrete, specific language that "sells" the benefit to the user. You can find more information on West Gold Editorial here. To order this virtual seminar on CD, please contact Stacey Pusey.
Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 302-295-8349. |
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