Search engine promotion is important: most visitors use a search engine to find your site.
But once they arrive, they have to be able to actually use the site and understand the content.
Otherwise, your site is a waste of their time.
Our usability checklist highlights five important components of a usable Web site.
* 1.) Design a clear and simple navigation system.
* 2.) Keep the content clear and simple.
* 3.) Support your brand.
* 4.) Provide for visitor feedback.
* 5.) Test the site on real users.
You may attract visitors with an eye-catching design, but content is what keeps them at the site
Always keep search engines in mind when you write content, but remember that your ultimate audience is human visitors.
Present your content with humans in mind.
* Don't save the best for last.
* Make page content easy to scan.
* Avoid using text inside images whenever possible.
* Add ALT and TITLE attributes to all images.
* Contrast, contrast, contrast!
Your site's navigation system will answer all three questions
1. 1. Where am I?
2. 2. Where have I been?
3. 3. Where can I go?
if you're careful to include these basic elements:
* Keep it consistent.
* Use appropriate text inside links.
* Use CSS to emphasize text links.
* Always include text links.
* Add a text-based site map.
A good brand creates or reinforces a user's impression of the site.
When your site is strongly branded, that means that visitors will think of you first when they go shopping for your product or service.
Branding on a Web site takes time, effort, and close attention to page design and layout.
* Keep colors and typefaces consistent.
* Keep page layout consistent.
* Custom error page.
* Create a good tagline and use it on every page.
Remember that you're the designer so of course you effortlessly use the navigation system, love the content, and understand the value proposition. But now it's time to get user feedback!
Usability testing helps you replicate the experience of the average Web site user and correct problems before online visitors find them.
It also gives you valuable answers to other questions:
* Do visitors enjoy using the site?
* Do they understand the purpose of the site?
* Is there any incentive to return after the first visit?
* Can they recover from errors?
Forms are critical to the success of ecommerce sites. Without forms, you can't have a shopping cart.
But any site usually needs at least one form to allow for user feedback.
A form helps you hide from email spiders and also helps you control how user feedback is formatted and sent.
* Keep feedback forms short and clearly note which information is required to successfully submit the form.
* Remember your international users and don't require information they may not have - like area codes or ZIP codes.
* Present complete contact information including your business phone number and postal address.