|
Of the web sites that you have visited...
- How many sites were easy to use?
- Did the site provide the information you were seeking?
- Was the information easy to find?
- Were there too many options, causing confusion?
Many web sites need to be redefined to improve their usability. They may be graphically
attractive but too difficult to navigate. By creating a useable
web site that caters to your customer's needs, goals and expectations,
you will increase the company's profits. Which is always
the goal for making changes or enhancements.
- If you already have a web site, how usable is your site?
- If you are planning a web site have you considered the appropriate usability
factors?
Usability Factors
Usability of a web site consists of...
Navigating the Site
- Too many selections or inconsistent navigation can make it confusing.
- Make sure all selections are obvious and clear as to where they take you.
- Does the flow of the site feel comfortable and natural to your customer?
- If a user action is required is it made clear that the action took place successfully?
Finding Things
- Is there a table of contents providing an overall picture of the web site?
- Does the site have search capabilities?
- Have you provided easy-to-use links to topics that interest your customers?
User's Expectations
- Does the site actually provide the tools or information that the user is expecting or needs?
- Is information provided with terms the customer is used to using?
Providing Valuable Information
- Is the information provided of use to your customers?
- Is there enough information or is information lacking?
top of page
Benefits of a Web Site
Some of the benefits to having a highly useable web site that will improve your company's marketing presence are ...
Facilitating your customer's goals
- Of course you have to know what your customer's goals are. Do you?
Increasing your customer's retention to your web site
- If the web site is not easy to use or does not provide the needed features, customers will not return.
Enhancing brand loyalty
- Are you providing adequate product information?
Inviting repeat purchases
- Any tools that make it easier for your customer to do business with you should result in repeat business.
Increasing productivity
- Customers should be able to increase productivity
- Your internal staff should also realize the same results
- This should also decrease your company's support costs by having the web site
address tasks that are currently provided by your staff.
Making products and/or services more accessible
- A web site works 24 hours a day seven days a week. Status of existing product
information and services is readily available to your customers.
New or changed product information can quickly be distributed to customers.
top of page
Who are your Customers?
Are they. . .
- New to the web
- Frequent repeat visitors
- Novices or experts on using their computer and/or a web browser
- What services do they need
- What information do they need
- How do they expect to access or find your services or information
- How will they access the web - slow dial-up or faster dedicated connection
top of page
Don't be Nosey
- Don't require that the user has to identify themselves until it is necessary
- Only prompt for necessary user and company information
- Provide an easy means for the user to change their personal information
top of page
Review Competitor Sites
- Discover what they did wrong and don't do the same thing
- Discover what they did correctly
top of page
|
