TOP 10 killer usability shoals
Printed 2014-11-20
It's probably worth writing the article “100 most fatal mistakes in site design " - so much nonsense is done by site developers - but let's narrow our focus to the 10 most- the most. Avoid these mistakes and your site will be much better than most others.
1.. The lack of a back button
Bad developers have long figured out how to break the back button in a browser so that when a user clicks on it, there will be no transition to the previous page. In the “lighter” version, the menu and other elements of the site's interface are simply hidden on a page (most likely, the user is invited to buy something or leave a request on it). Our tip: never do this. All that you will achieve is that visitors will swear and do not return to your site.
2. Opening in a new window < / h2>
Once upon a time it was cool to use several new tabs to display pages of a site as the user clicked on internal links - this was then an innovation in web design. Now it's only annoying because it consumes system resources , slows down the computer and, as a rule, complicates the life of the visitor. Of course, opening a page in a new window when you click on a link is very simple. And, it would s eem, this will delay the visitor on the site (after all, there will be more tabs with the site). But not worth it. Now people are used to the right mouse button and will open the page on their own in a new tab if they really want to (for example, to return to this page later).
3. Hidden contacts
If you are selling something, you need to give several ways to contact you. The most reasonable method is to create a “Contact Us” page, which will open full information - address, phone number and email address. This link should be on every page of your site. Even if no one calls, the very presence of this information adds “reality” and trust to your site and reassures some visitors who are afraid that you are a virtual scammer.
4. Broken links.
Broken links - those that do not work when clicked or lead to pages with the "404" error - are a curse on any large site. Test your site - and do it regularly - to make sure all links are working as expected. To automate this work, you can use one of the special programs (for example, there is a free Xenu). Or simply entrust it to your seochnik :)
5. Slow download speed
Slow download time is unforgivable for a decent site - a "dull" site annoys the visitor and makes him want to close it without waiting for the download. What is considered “slow” and what is not? A recent Akamai Technologies study commissioned by Jupiter Research found that people on average were only ready to wait four seconds for a site to load before closing a tab. If your site loads slower, optimize - for example, images may be too heavy. It is also worth checking all kinds of JavaScript codes and server response time (back-end site). In general, kick the SEO, layout and programmer :)
6. Outdated information.
Again, there is no excuse for this, but a huge number of sites contain old, irrelevant content. Make sure your site is updated, preferably daily. This is useful for both conversion and SEO. You most likely underestimate the loss of confidence that may arise due to the fact that the latest news on the site was published 2 years ago. In addition, make sure that the information on the site does not contain factual errors, and if you find it, immediately correct them.
7. Bad navigation.
Internet is speed. If a site visitor cannot understand where to click next and how to get to the necessary information, he will simply switch to another site - to your competitor! It is very unpleasant when you are forced to return to two or three pages to go to another section of the site. This is a waste of time. Each page should have a navigation bar that directs visitors to important pages of the site. Place this menu along the header of the site or on the left so that it is always visible (regardless of screen resolution). Add a convenient footer (basement of the site) so that you can take a look at the overall structure of the site and go where you need to.
8. Too many styles.
The pages on your site should look consistent. Unfortunately, novice designers, fascinated by the presence of hundreds of fonts and colors, often turn their pages into a lurid disgrace. Use two or three fonts and colors on the page, this is the maximum. Reasonable restraint is needed to assure viewers of your solidity and seriousness. Why try to convince them that you are wildly artistic? Also do not forget to check that your font and colors look good on all possible devices - from desktop computers (with different browsers) to tablets, iPhone and so on.
9. Isolated pages.
Remember: each page on your site needs a clearly visible link to the main page. What for? Sometimes people forward the URL to friends who may go to the site and want more information. But if the page they open is a dead end, then nothing will come of it. Always place a link to the "main" on each page. In particular, it must necessarily open when you click on the logo.
10. Lack of social networks.
Most companies have their own Vkontakte, Instagram and Facebook pages, some have a YouTube channel, and some even have Twitter. Forgetting links to your social networks (and even more so putting them down or just a link like www.instagram.com) is a big mistake. Social networks can significantly increase confidence in the company, because in them people feel much closer to your business (and in addition, they can write or read more honest reviews than those that you yourself posted on the site). And if there are no social networks, then trust will fall on the contrary. Maybe you're just hiding something?)
Perhaps these are the main mistakes in the design and usability of sites, examples of which are found every day. If you found any of this on your site, correct it first!