Importance of Web Site Usability
Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by Pete Hollier in Web Usability
Do you help or hinder your web site visitors?
Lets face it, if a web site visitor has difficulty using your web site they are gone. Why stay? There are no shortage of options for Internet Users.
However, even with this being the case Web Site Usability is often overlooked completely, or completed only as an after thought.
Why is Website Usability is important?
This question needs answering, to do that we need to consider three things:
- Think back to when the decision was made to develop a web site and the reason why.
Many web sites are developed to achieve a business goal or objective. To do this web site visitors must complete a web site task which is beneficial to the business, be it a sale or client acquisition. If they can’t complete the task the web site is of absolutely no benefit.
- Consider some of the basic characteristics of the Internet User:
- Wants to complete web site tasks with optimum speed; read, sales processes, input forms
- Runs on instinct and expectations, avoids complicated decision processes
- Unlimited variety of choice, always thinking “where can I click next”
- Consider web site issues which you find annoying.
Lets face it, we all come across web sites which frustrate us enough to leave for a web site we find easier to use.
This is a very good point of analysis to work from. Think of Internet User characteristics and your own personal list of web site grievances and your reactions to them. It is at this point when it gets personal the need of Web site usability becomes clearly evident.
What stops visitors dead in their tracks?
I recently posted a Blog on Frustrating Web Design Elements which resulted in some interesting feedback on Linkedin. The items most likely to stop visitors in their tracks and leave were:
- Auto loading audio and video files
- The inability to easily find business and contact details
- Flash presentation which required additional web page load times.
Following Instincts
As the web evolves, so do User Instincts, some of the web elements which need consideration to ensure the web site meets visitor expectations are:
- Identifiable Navigation with clear concise labeling
- Text links in Blue (I must change my Blog’s CSS Style-sheet)
- Company Logo and tag line, screen top left
Making it Easier
Making the web site easy to use will satisfy some of basic internet user characteristics. A few of the more important web elements which can assist to improve visitor experience are:
- Clear and concise content heading and sub headings
- Make text scan-able avoiding large blocks of text
- Ensure adequate contrast between Text and Background
- Reduce page load times
Moving Forward
Above is only a brief overview of some of the more important web site usability issues. There are countless others.
Web Site Usability is an important step in the development of a web site which meets business objectives and provides a positive ROI.
Financial and human resources used to promote and generate web site traffic will provide little or nil return if the web site is not able to function as visitors expect. With this being the case I do have to wonder why Web Site Usability is often neglected or completed only as an after thought.
If users are unable to complete identified business goals the web site is a failure.
Web Site Usability is rewarding and fascinating, review your web site and of course visit Jakob Nielson a long time promoter of the necessity of Web Site Usability.
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Written by: pete@seowizardry.ca a Search Engine Optimization Consultant
Want to use this content on your web site?
If you would like to use this article on your web site please contact pete@seowizardry.ca for an html version. All I request is you provide Pete Hollier and Seo Wizardry with a reference to this article and provide a link back to www.seowizardry.ca