Web Usability?

Posted by Graeme Davidson on July 21, 2008

 

Is web usability a simple thing to utilise?   Hmmmm…a difficult one to answer.

 

If you have a wonderful looking site, this becomes completely inconsequential if the usability is all wrong.   Things like layout, structure, copy, navigation and even button types come into play.

 

The navigation of a site should be both visually appealing and uncluttered to your visitors.  Pages should be consistent and links you be obvious.   To be put simply, you want to make it easy for your visitors to find content they want.

 

How easy is it for your customers to find different sections of your site?   Do you have a sitemap to guide them should they be lost?  Do you have a breadcrumb navigation bar so that they have a sense of where they are in the site?  Does it feel like you are in the same site at all times?  Is every page necessary? 

 

There are many “tricks” of the trade which can improve your usability, such as focussing on your customer’s journey or simplifying the process of requesting a brochure or quotation.  Include a search box, an email sign-up (always above the fold), the company’s logo should be on each and every page, avoid too much Flash, use great copy as on the web copy is very different from print (people only scan on the web – in fact, I’m surprised you have read this far already!) and make it quick to load or the visitor will have left before seeing anything.  All this needs to be added into a large melting pot and brought together into one manageable site that looks and feels fantastic, but above all is user friendly! 

 

Our approach to site design and build is a user-centric one – we take the view that a website can be the prettiest in the market but if it doesn’t convert it doesn’t work.  We focus on the user journey and from day one after launch we continue working on a website to improve conversion.

 

So how do we do it?   We have an obsessive insight into your audience and how this affects the customer journey.   Our strap line is “We know what makes your customers click” – this means every page and every element on the page has a justification as to why it will aide a visitor down the conversion funnel.   If we can’t explain it then it is out!

    

Being a full service digital agency, your marketing needs are considered from the outset.   For all channels we have in depth scoping sessions to see how your PPC, SEO, affiliate and media requirements will integrate with the design requirements.   This will determine what should be included or not and, in short, you will get justification.

Web usability is making your site easy to navigate and convert, plus being understandable, beautifully presented and easily marketable.  It is paramount to being a successful online business. 

 

We are here to help to do all these things for you so why don’t you give us a call.