Frustrating Web Design Elements

Posted on 17. Sep, 2009 by Pete Hollier in Search Optimization

Web site design and frustration

In the course of a day the nature of my work ensures I visit numerous web sites. Some good, Some not so good, and others which are just out right bad.

I’m busy, so when I visit a site I want the site to work well and enable me to accomplish my goals, whatever they might be as they differ widely. While visiting a web site I may be interested in making a purchase, downloading trial software, research or a site registration, the options are endless.

Other times when visiting a web site it is to audit the web site to review what may be causing the web site to perform poorly.

Regardless of what I am trying to achieve on the Internet, I find myself increasingly frustrated by some very basic web site elements.

This is not a usability analysis this is a frustration analysis.

Frustrating Web site Elements

Auto Play Video

Web sites that autocratically load a video, for me has to be on the top of this list and no wonder, it creates the most frustration for me while attempting to visit the web site.

For a start, I may not want to view the video, the page loads much slower and then on occasion my browser freezes. After going through this process my first reaction is to move on to the next site. Game over.

A simple fix for this is to provide a play button. The page loads quicker, I decide to look around, and then if it interests me, I click the video. All is good.

Auto Play Audio

What can I say? Audio files that automatically load with the page although not quite as bad as the video are still annoying. The page loads are slowed, but not to the extent of video and my browser does not freeze. The fact remains, I may not want to listen to your message or music and this choice has been taken away from me.

I think the most frustrating thing for me with auto audio is, while quietly working in Starbucks suddenly my speakers come alive and not startle just me, but many of my fellow caffeine addicts.

Again a simple solution: The Play Button

Screen Clutter

Landing on a web page with extensive Screen Clutter competing for my attention is a recipe for stress. The banners are flashing at me, the text ads shouting at me, and somewhere I’m hope there is the information or process I was looking for.

My first instinct is to escape. I like it simple, being overwhelmed by competing elements is frustrating, it is so much easier just to go back to the Search Results and try somewhere else.

As before a simple fix. What could be simpler than just removing elements from the web page?

Textual Content

The web page’s text must be highly scan-able. Facing a big block text doesn’t just frustrate me it also has the “Oh no I have t read all that?” feeling. So no surprise, I up and go to the next site to see what they have to scan. If I like what I scan, then is the time to read.

The fix for textual content development is not an easy fix, the solution covers numerous issues, most of which are covered in many of Seo Wizardry’s Blog Posts.

What can you do for me and who are you?

Instant information, I don’t want to look for it, I want it to find my eyes.

How do I benefit from visiting this web site has to be instantaneously apparent. I don’t feel it is my responsibility to figure this out on my own from hints left within the web page content. I want to be told.

This fix is closely related to your content development as above.

Who are you, how do I contact you?

When I find it difficult to discover who the web site or business is, or how to contact them, it is like the trust has instantly evaporated. I feel uncomfortable and wonder why would a business go to all the effort of developing a web presence and then not want to be contacted.

Well, one click and I’m gone, visiting someone who does want to talk to me.

The fix is easy, visible navigation to a web page with company information and contact details.

The Last Word

OK I vented, but the reality is, I doubt I am alone in my reactions. These issues do frustrate me and the solution for me is so very easy. I just have to click to the next web site if that works great, if not a couple more clicks and something will come up.

Are you losing visitors to any of the above web site elements, to some extent we all do.

Written by: pete@seowizardry.ca a Search Engine Optimization Consultant

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