Third in a Series

Websites used to carry this sort of disclaimer: “Best viewed with so and so browser.” No longer. Because that’s discrimination. And that’s just wrong. Truth is, people are spoiled. They expect your site to work, regardless of how or where they’re viewing it. They’re just demanding that way.

How Does Your Site Measure Up?

Check your site against these criteria. Be honest now.

• Your website is optimized for multiple screen sizes – desktop computers, tablets and smartphones.

• Members of the media can easily find and download key information and photography about you.

• Your site can be updated internally with an easy-to-use CMS and it is, in fact, updated frequently.

• Your site loads quickly – that is, all the bells and whistles are done loading in less than five seconds.

The Multiple Platform World

Consider the typical web user these days. Oh wait. No such thing. We can, however, construct a hypothetical user, just for the sake of argument. Wakes up to the smart phone alarm, decides to check the Hong Kong index to help jar herself awake. Checks email on her iPad while waiting for the coffee to brew – checks a couple random websites. Gets on her latest-generation PC laptop for some serious browsing during the long rail commute. Works at a corporate-dictated old PC system all day.

Think she’s going to organize her searching according to who has a website compatible with her various web-access platforms? Right. Think she’ll switch platforms when she discovers your site doesn’t work on the one she’s using? Right again.

Invisibility: Good Superpower. Bad Strategy

If your site doesn’t function properly, people won’t be able to find you – or they’ll find you, get frustrated and leave. For good. Furthermore, you risk being invisible to search engines – which means you’re invisible, period.

In addition to ensuring that your site programming is visible to most platforms – we use 95 percent of all current platforms as a minimum criteria – here are a few other website functionality criteria to keep in mind.

• Keep your navigation intuitive, easy and logical.

• Don’t clutter it with too many call-outs and images.

• Put thought into site content beyond the homepage.

• Mind the detail. Because the devil really is in there.

• Check to make certain that all your links work.

• Don’t over-direct your visitors, keep it as simple.

• Test your site’s functionality on all formats and search engines.

Take our website scorecard test and see how your site stacks up. 

Next week: Accessibility.

Second in a Series

We’ve all been there. You’re on a website looking for store hours and instead pull up photos of the CEO’s dog. All because the navigation was confusing and misleading. Unfortunately, there’s no Siri or GPS to tell visitors how to get where they want to go. It’s your job to provide navigation that makes sense to them and makes things easy to find.  

True or False?

Look at your website, then ask yourself if these statements are true.

• Your site orders information logically, intuitively.

• Every page uses easy, consistent navigation.

• You perform usability testing to confirm ease of use

• Your navigation button titles are short and clear.

• Your footer provides contact, policies, social media, etc.

Make it Easy

Most Internet users think they’re regular Magellans when it comes to navigating the net. But your navigation needs to serve those who might not be quite so savvy (not to mention the wanna-be Magellans who can’t actually navigate their way out of a bathtub). Even with great content, a hard-to-navigate website can’t turn visitors into customers. But it can turn them into angry surfers who will never again darken your url.

Let’s Get Started

Here are a few strategies to pursue as you work to make your site more user-friendly.

 Structure

• Make your website’s organization and structure clear in your navigation toolbar.

• When all of your content is evident on the toolbar, your site looks tightly focused.

• Navigation is not a one-size-fits-all. Design your toolbar according to your site type.

• Remember: A well-designed toolbar provides simple, fast, organized navigation.

Menu Subtitles

        • Adding subtitles to the main navigation menu improves your website’s navigation.

        • Subtitles increase aesthetic value – something visitors will notice and appreciate.

        • Subtitles make your navigation more usable and provide important extra information.

Drop-Down Menus

        • An older, yet highly effective technique. A good reminder not to simply dismiss the tried-and-true.

• Drop-down menus are the opposite of subtitles. They appear after clicking on desired information.

• They work because they’re familiar, so users intuitively know what will happen when they click.

Icons

• Icons help you grab user’s attention and make navigation links more descriptive and informative.

• A picture is worth a thousand words – imagery stimulates users more efficiently than simple texts.

Creative Footers

• Many web design experts use navigation links in the footer. Why? Because they work.

• Users wondering what to do next often scroll to the footer. An engaging link there keeps them onsite.

Take our website scorecard test and see how your site stacks up. 

Next week: Let’s get functional.

First in a Series

Your website may be pretty, but does it have personality? Is it witty and engaging, or is it the kind of party guest you’d wish would leave early because it bores people to tears?

Good content is what drives people to your site, and it’s what keeps them there. And make sure your content is constantly updated, because there’s nothing worse than someone who tells the same stories over and over.

Can You Answer ‘Yes’?

• Your website offers clear calls-to-action throughout.

• Tagline and body copy quickly say who you are, what you do.

• Your homepage communicates key points at a glance.

• You frequently update your website’s content.

• Your website copy conveys your “brand voice.”

Be brutally honest. Remember, content is king. It will largely determine your site’s success. Then keep these points in mind as you start thinking about what you need to do.

• Lack of quality content may hinder your SEO efforts.

• Be different from the masses – try to provide unique content.

• Convey expertise and confidence but don’t overdo it.

• Share and express your knowledge in meaningful, helpful ways.

Keep It Short

When creating content, remember to keep it short and concise. Don’t dumb it down – we’re not talking Dick and Jane here. But we’re not talking Jet Propulsion Lab either. Use headlines –  they facilitate scanning, which is how most people read. Use bullets for lists. Again, it assists scanning and provides emphasis.

Your content design should actively – and interactively – engage visitors in ways that are appropriate to your goals and prospective clients

• Put your most important information toward the top of your page.

• Avoid text that looks difficult, boring or confusing – readers reject that.

• Use white space effectively to break up large blocks of text.

• Don’t put your text in one big block. Separate it into paragraphs.

Reap the Rewards

Follow these guidelines and you’ll almost certainly attract more visitors and keep them longer. Which you can track using simple analytics. Yes, yes, we’re getting to that. Stay tuned to this space for a primer on analytics.

Take our website scorecard test and see how your site stacks up.

Next week: Navigating your navigation.