The importance of usability and SEO, p.2

January 24, 2008       (Updated from our previous Nov. 12, 2004 article)

Make it simple and intuitive
Did you ever try a new software package or tested a new program application for the first time and found it to be so easy to operate and very user-friendly? You seem to know in advance what effect on the program every button or menu function will have, even before you click on it. Your website should have the same ‘look and feel’. Make it easy for them and they will come back for more.

People today are always in a rush and they have less and less time to figure out how something works. They came to your site because they typed a keyword or two in a search engine and they expect to rapidly find on your site what it is they are looking for. Make sure they find it fast and they will probably be repeat buyers.

Clearly indicated menus and links
I still sometimes come across a website that seem to have been designed for the person that originally built it and nobody else. What may seem to you as self-explanatory may not be as simple to figure out for some users. Having a button called ‘Knowledge Base’ may not mean much to some people. Instead, if that button would simply be called ‘Help’ it probably would assist them better.

A well-designed site map
A good site map has two functions: it helps your users find what they are looking for and it also helps the search engines better index all of your site. It’s always a good idea to group your site’s pages under topics. If you are selling both physical products and actual services on your site, it might be a good idea to place them into two different groups. Avoid the temptation of cramping all your pages together to make it go faster.

Take the time to design a good site map where people will easily find the page or section that interests them. Also, make sure your site map is directly linked to your homepage. Also, make sure that your site map link is a text link, since search engines cannot read Java scripts or image maps.

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Article written by Serge Thibodeau,
President & CEO,
Rank for $ales
Copyright (c) Serge Thibodeau 2004

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