The idea behind most websites is to deliver information, products or services to an end user. But what happens when that end user has difficulty in finding that information, those products or services? They leave the website and turn else where for their needs. Not only does usability help people quickly and easily find what they’re looking for in a website, but great usability will also help search engines rank and categorize websites. This article identifies five key points which are essential in retaining visitors through usability friendly websites.
A needle in a haystack
The ability to search is one of the most important aspects of usability on a website. A search field allows any user to access to what they are looking for in a quick and convenient way. It is this for this reason that search engines are among the most popular websites in the world. Just imagine if Amazon or Ebay didn’t have the ability to search, however another competitor did have such capability… it wouldn’t take very long for both Amazon and Ebay to go out of business. Efficient search capability is a must have for any website boasting a product database, a list of services, or an organised collection of information.
Helping your visitors to not get lost
Having descriptive titles and keywords is an important factor in usability because they help users quickly identify content that they are looking for, and helps them stay on track. People don’t like to read online, especially for long periods of time. Most people are more likely to skim through a large body of text to find what they are looking for, and if they don’t find what they are looking for, they are likely to leave.
Descriptive titles are like road signs that lead the end user to where they are going. A simple but effective tactic is to use the same keywords within the body of a paragraph; this will remind the user that they have come to the right place to find the information they are looking for. Another tactic when using keywords is remembering to use the same keywords in the first and last sentences of a paragraph.
‘X’ marks the spot
Having a clear, categorized site map with descriptive link titles is another key for great usability. Generally a user will resort to the site map in order to browse the entire collection of links. Sometimes a visitor will not know exactly what they are looking for, and and a site map will allow them to get an understanding of what your website has to offer.
Having a site map will go a long way towards helping people find what they are looking for, and it will also help search engines categorize and rank your website. In fact, a site map is a major key in any successful SEO (search engine optimization) campaign!
Hello, is anybody there?
Giving the user an easy and accessible way of contacting a relevant person/department is a great way to improve the usability of any website. Examples of this include listing e-mail addresses and phone numbers in obvious places, or even having a forum or live chat module available on the site. Generally, listing a phone number is often the best way to help people find the information they are looking for (but don’t worry about mass incoming phone calls, as most users will only make a phone call if your website usability is poor).
In addition to using a phone number, you can expect most users will be willing to drop an e-mail or open a live chat. Some users will even be willing to post on a forum, which is a great way of generating a base of knowledge and useful information and is definitely something you should encourage your visitors to do.
Note: Although live chat features are extremely effective, there is a general feeling of distrust among web users that there might not be a real person on the other end. Try to make it clear to users that there will be a real person answering, and avoid using bots for ‘live chat’ functionality!
A picture paints a thousand words
Using a diagram, model, or photo can often do a much better job of explain something then using words. Rich media (otherwise knows as photos, videos, and sound clips) is more convenient for your users; looking at a picture, watching a movie, or listening to an audio clip is much more pleasurable than trying to read and comprehend something a wall of text.
Some studies have actually shown that a website with rich media is, on average, able to retain user attention for up to ten times longer than a website without rich media. Therefore, opting to use a variety of rich media is a full proof way of improving the usability of any website.
Our final words
Usability is the focus of evolving the internet so that users are able to find and accomplish their online goals in a quicker and more convenient manner. It is for this reason that usability is so important for both personal interests (such as keeping a healthy flow of visitors coming to your website), but also for the bigger picture of evolving the internet into something that everybody is able to gain from.