A webmaster will not only want visitors to gaze at his /her site but want them to use it. On the other hand, individuals want websites to be comprehensible, increasingly convenient, and effortless for them to use. A small glitch can act as a turn off making you lose a visitor forever. We list down a few website usability mistakes that you must grapple with, in order to render a great user experience. Below are the 9 Must Avoid Mistakes:
1. Let Your Clickable area seem visible
The objective of using hyperlinks is that they must be clickable. However, the purpose is not served if the clickable area is microscopic. It has to be clearly visible to attract the attention of visitors and initiate them to click. Besides, it makes it easy for the user to hang around the mouse cursor over the link. Either make the whole link seem bigger or use CSS padding property in order to increase the space around the link.
2. Do not use Pagination unless required
There are times when Pagination is necessary to enhance your website’s usability like in cases where you split a long list of products into different pages. Not only does it increase the time of loading and processing, but leaves the user less confused. However, when used unnecessarily to increase page views and create more room for ads, it may annoy the visitor. Nobody would want to load more than three pages to read the same article. Besides, it can also have a negative impact on your ranking, as each page will render less meaning and purpose to the search engine.
3. Same page titles across the website
Many websites keep a common title like the website‘s name when they begin their work on the website template and then use it across the website. However, this can turn out to be a big blunder. Instead of keeping a title for the sake of it, one must use it to convey the users about the information on the page and use it to your advantage. Besides users, you can also please search engine by optimizing page headings since they entail different information to rank different pages based on search query.
4. Make Your Copy Readable
Cluttered content without enough use of white space may put off a user. Besides, we all are aware that their reading habits of an internet reader are different from that of other readers, as they may prefer to jump and switch from one paragraph to another. Bring into play different colors, font, and highlights to directly convey the user important stuff that they might be looking out for.
5. Give room for user engagement
A user may have few queries to ask. There are times they may want to appreciate and times when they may want to offer some suggestions. Giving room for contact information shows that you care to know and would want to resolve.Instead of incorporating automated feedbacks, one must provide an appropriate email address and phone number where some representatives of your team are available to them.
6. No Search Box
There are instances when user may not find information that they are looking out for. In addition, at such cases, absence of search box can add to one’s irritation. A studyby with the objective of understanding usability mentioned that more than half of the users are search dominant who may directly opt to use the search button once they enter the site.
7. Functionalities requiring registration
Websites with too many applications generally entail registrations in order to impose restrictions on unregistered users. Many may not take the initiative to register and hence may significantly deter user interaction.
8. Working On Permanent Links
There are times when a visitor can land up 404 errors in a page using an old link. Unless a website uses a 301 redirect, this permanent link can go dead and show a 404 error.
9. Cumbersome Registration process
One thing that we all hate is to fill registration forms. Users tend to switch to other options rather than filling a form as it may consume their time and energy. One must try to eliminate registration process in most cases and in places where they are necessary, one must try to make it short and effortless.
Shun these mistakes and give no room for irritation or frustration. The way your site treats your visitors will have a huge impact on your conversions.
Summary:
Website Usability has lately gained a lot of importance considering the high dependence on the internet for every basic need. Individuals cannot afford to invest a lot of time and energy that makes usability a pivotal aspect of website designing. Mistakes like designing a website without search box, using same page titles all over the website, the clickable area seeming miniature, long registration process, etc.must be avoided to enhance user experience.
The author represents Convonix an internet marketing firm based in India.
1. Let Your Clickable area seem visible
The objective of using hyperlinks is that they must be clickable. However, the purpose is not served if the clickable area is microscopic. It has to be clearly visible to attract the attention of visitors and initiate them to click. Besides, it makes it easy for the user to hang around the mouse cursor over the link. Either make the whole link seem bigger or use CSS padding property in order to increase the space around the link.
2. Do not use Pagination unless required
There are times when Pagination is necessary to enhance your website’s usability like in cases where you split a long list of products into different pages. Not only does it increase the time of loading and processing, but leaves the user less confused. However, when used unnecessarily to increase page views and create more room for ads, it may annoy the visitor. Nobody would want to load more than three pages to read the same article. Besides, it can also have a negative impact on your ranking, as each page will render less meaning and purpose to the search engine.
3. Same page titles across the website
Many websites keep a common title like the website‘s name when they begin their work on the website template and then use it across the website. However, this can turn out to be a big blunder. Instead of keeping a title for the sake of it, one must use it to convey the users about the information on the page and use it to your advantage. Besides users, you can also please search engine by optimizing page headings since they entail different information to rank different pages based on search query.
4. Make Your Copy Readable
Cluttered content without enough use of white space may put off a user. Besides, we all are aware that their reading habits of an internet reader are different from that of other readers, as they may prefer to jump and switch from one paragraph to another. Bring into play different colors, font, and highlights to directly convey the user important stuff that they might be looking out for.
A user may have few queries to ask. There are times they may want to appreciate and times when they may want to offer some suggestions. Giving room for contact information shows that you care to know and would want to resolve.Instead of incorporating automated feedbacks, one must provide an appropriate email address and phone number where some representatives of your team are available to them.
6. No Search Box
There are instances when user may not find information that they are looking out for. In addition, at such cases, absence of search box can add to one’s irritation. A studyby with the objective of understanding usability mentioned that more than half of the users are search dominant who may directly opt to use the search button once they enter the site.
7. Functionalities requiring registration
Websites with too many applications generally entail registrations in order to impose restrictions on unregistered users. Many may not take the initiative to register and hence may significantly deter user interaction.
8. Working On Permanent Links
There are times when a visitor can land up 404 errors in a page using an old link. Unless a website uses a 301 redirect, this permanent link can go dead and show a 404 error.
9. Cumbersome Registration process
One thing that we all hate is to fill registration forms. Users tend to switch to other options rather than filling a form as it may consume their time and energy. One must try to eliminate registration process in most cases and in places where they are necessary, one must try to make it short and effortless.
Shun these mistakes and give no room for irritation or frustration. The way your site treats your visitors will have a huge impact on your conversions.
Summary:
Website Usability has lately gained a lot of importance considering the high dependence on the internet for every basic need. Individuals cannot afford to invest a lot of time and energy that makes usability a pivotal aspect of website designing. Mistakes like designing a website without search box, using same page titles all over the website, the clickable area seeming miniature, long registration process, etc.must be avoided to enhance user experience.
The author represents Convonix an internet marketing firm based in India.
Also, for an effective Social Media campaign that actually works,
Easy navigation, inner-links, useful information are also some points which help in increasing usability of a website.
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