Good design communicates ideas clearly and effectively without getting in the way. It directs people's attention to certain areas of the page. Avoid unnecessary animation, flash introductions, and pictures. People want information and they want to get to it quickly.
HOW TO CREATE A STICKY WEB SITE
by Barbara Moore
Rochester Professional Consultants Network Newsletter
May 2005
Is your Web site sticky? Do people find your Web site informative, helpful, enjoyable and one that makes the user want to stick around? Or do people find your Web site bland and confusing? Perhaps the flashing images and popup windows actually send people away.
With just a few changes you can transform your Web site from one that seldom produces results to one that meets your goal. That goal could be for people to contact you, buy your product, type in an e-mail address, or join your organization. Take a few minutes to answer the following questions to determine how sticky your Web site is.
Do people know the purpose of your Web site?People take as little as ten seconds to look over a site. Three things immediately should be clear to anyone landing on your Web site:
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The name of your business or organization.
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The benefits for the user.
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That your business or organization is trustworthy.
Your business or organization name easily should be found (usually in the upper left corner of every page). Use a tag line that clearly states what the page is about. A good example of a tagline is refdesk.com's "The single best source for facts."
Write copy that clearly spells out the benefits for someone using your Web site. Avoid using "I". Instead of the sentence "I offer workshops on a multiple of subjects" use "People who attend my workshops attain information that is useful to them while they are entertained as well."
A good designed, well-written, and free of mistake Web site signals trustworthiness. In addition, list your credentials, clients you have done business with and how people can contact you. Give as much information about you and your business or organization as possible.
Is your Web site simple to use?
Do not make people think. If they find it too difficult to use they will leave for another site. To make your site easy to use, it should work like the majority of other Web sites. Use the same terminology as much as possible. Use "shopping cart" not "items ready to purchase." Also place items on the page where people expect to see them. A search box should be at the top, not the bottom, of a page.
Is the design inviting?
Good design communicates ideas clearly and effectively without getting in the way. It directs people's attention to certain areas of the page. Avoid unnecessary animation, flash introductions, and pictures. People want information and they want to get to it quickly.
Is the text well written?
People scan Web pages. Put the most important idea first – in the first sentence of the first paragraph. Include one idea per paragraph. Use bulleted lists. Be concise; throw out extra words or ideas.
After answering the above questions and making needed changes to your Web site, the next step is to test how user-friendly your Web site is. Ask someone to perform a specific task at your Web site, such as "find client testimonials." Ask the person to describe the thinking process used while performing the task. Repeat this process with two more people. After these three tests you will know what works and what does not work.
Fix the problems and, in no time at all, you
will have a sticky Web site. One that works for you, not against
you.
Net Results, LLC
Rochester, New York
585.748.1850
bmoore@NetResultsUSA.com
www.linkedin.com/in/barbaramooreny