The most important RULE to know: Users Click or they go back.
Users come to your site because they have a goal in mind.
On your web page, they will either click toward that goal or they will go back.
Your job in designing or optimizing your website is to make that
goal as easy as possible.
Tip #1 - Identify users' goals on each page.
- Ask: "Why did the user come here?"
- Ask: "What does he want to accomplish?"
- Check: Is the purpose clear?
- Check: Is the page clearly labeled?
- Check: Is it easy to get back to the home page?
Want a sample of people that do this well? Go to www.amazon.com.
Tip #2 - Remove or de-emphasize any page elements that don't help users accomplish their goal.
The Grocery Store vs. The Web Site:
All Grocery Store owners put the milk and the eggs in the back of the store. Why? Because every customer coming
in wants to buy milk and eggs. So, on your way to buy milk and eggs the isles are filled with chips,
Fiddle Faddle and other delicacies enticing you to buy.
But a website is different. If visitors come to your site looking for milk and eggs, and your homepage
features chips, Fiddle Faddle and other delicacies, those visitors will leave. - And may never return.
- Check: Are there infrequently used links or sections on your page? Remove them, or make them more
discreet.
Tip #3 - Emphasize elements that take users closer to their goal.
Where is the banana?
Picture a researcher who wants to make a banana
starved monkey do something. The researcher knows the key to motivation is the banana, because in every
situation, the first thing the monkey says is, "Where is the banana?".
How do you make your site great and easy to use? Put the banana in front of their face.
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