A well-designed web site should be intuitive and easy to use. Some people may think that having a flashy looking site is best; however, it's what you do with your content and how you structure it that makes a difference. Designing a site for web usability may take a little more work, but it's worth your time to look into following the rules for good design; the subtle mistakes throw visitors off more than most people are aware.
Usually, people using the Internet are in a hurry to find the information they're looking for; therefore, one of the most important things to do is to make your pages easy to scan. People don't tend to read online; they tend to skim over the material. What's more, they don't usually skim through the entire page before deciding whether it's worthy of a more thorough read. Studies have shown that people scan pages in an F shape, so the most important information should be placed at the top of the page - particularly in the first two paragraphs. You should also chunk your material into logical sections, using lists, headings and subheadings, and strong or emphasized text for important keywords. Making your content easy to follow will benefit both you and your visitors.
Many of us know the frustration of looking for a specific topic or page and being unable to find it from the main menu. Sometimes it takes a lot of digging to get to the right page. Because of this, designers have started to include sitemaps. Sitemaps are hierarchical representations of the site structure; they help visitors see what pages are available and where they can go. They are especially helpful for large websites with many pages and subpages. Not only do they make the site more friendly to users who are browsing, but they also improve your site's search engine optimization. Web crawlers can use the sitemap instead of the main navigation to index pages of your site, thus giving you more links in search results and more exposure.
Another thing that will make your site easier to use is to keep your design and structure consistent. This can be achieved by using CSS and external style sheets, so that the whole site's design is derived from the same file. Navigation should be in the same place throughout your site - and it should be simple as well. Though more complex or representative designs can be aesthetically appealing, it's best to stick to a simple, straightforward design, something that people are expecting and used to.
Finally, you should do your best to structure your forms so users will know what sort of information to enter. Similar terms should be properly labeled and chunked into groups. People need to know what's expected of them to enter, so it's good to have an example of the information you want. If not all the information is correctly entered, the site should offer feedback telling the user what section was wrong and what needs to be done to correct it. You should do everything you can to make it easy for the user.
These tips just scratch the surface of web usability. For the best results, you should consult with an experienced web design company, like Codank Web Design, and find out what you can do to give your site the extra boost it needs.
About CODANK Web Design
CODANK is a top rated Web Design and Internet Marketing firm located in Charlotte, NC. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality, cost effective custom software development services, delivering a broad range of business consulting and outsourcing services.
For more information, visit us at www.codank.com
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