Search Engine Optimization and Web Site Usability

Build a Web site and the people will come. Ha! If it were only
that easy! The Web is the one sales environment where the
customer has total empowerment. They have all the resources
(i.e., your competitors) just a mouse-click away.

Not only are you in competition with the millions of other Web
sites owners who sell the same product/service as you, but you
are also competing for users' time and attention. While search
engine optimization and submission can bring you the traffic you
need, only you can ensure that visitors will stay on your site
by giving them a reason to want to stay. That is where Web site
usability comes in.

What is Web site usability? The International Standards
Organization (ISO) defines Web site usability as the
"effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction with which a
specified set of users can achieve a specified set of tasks in a
particular environment." In simpler terms, usability is how
efficiently and effectively users can accomplish what they are
trying to do when they visit your Web site.

Now that you have an understanding of usability, we'll explain
the basics of what a Web site should include to make the most of
the user experience:

Content is king

Let's face it, people visit Web sites for content -- they want
information. Sure, it helps if your site is visibly appealing as
well. But, without the right content, the results of the user
experience can be fatal to your business. They simply won't come
back.

Here are a few tips to remember in regards to content:

1. Be concise. Research shows that reading from a computer
screen is about 25% slower than reading from paper or other
print medium. To that end, you will want to edit your writing to
say the exact same thing in half the words it would take if you
were writing on paper. Also, think back to the last time you
came to one of those really long-winded Web sites where the
content may have been great, but you still had to scroll and
scroll and scroll to get to the end. It can be a nuisance. So,
keep your pages short.

2. Make your content scannable. When people use the Internet,
they are looking at mass amounts of information. Help them get
to the core of what they want by using bulleted items, short
paragraphs, and subheadings to make it easier for them to find
what they are looking for.

3. Write without error. There is no excuse -- absolutely none --
for poor grammar, typographical errors, and misspellings. If you
own a computer, you have access to spell-checking and
grammar-checking technologies. Use them. These small details
will reflect upon your site. If you don't convey professionalism
on your own business, how will you be conveyed to potential
clients? Can they trust you with theirs? Before uploading any
new content, proofread it. Then, turn it over to someone else
for their input.

4. Write as if you were a Public Relations pro. Granted, many of
us aren't PR exec's, but you should know how to market your
business. Use the lingo that is most appropriate for your
business. While you want to provide information, your main goal
is still one thing: to sell. So, write to sell.

5. Maximize your keywords. As part of the search engine
optimization process, you went to great lengths to select
keywords and phrases that are most appropriate for your
business. Be sure to use them whenever possible (without being
overtly redundant) in your content.

6. Refresh, refresh, refresh. Web sites should be updated on a
regular basis -- don't let them go stale. Add new
products/services, update users with new information and tools,
do what you can to change your content and keep users coming
back for more.

7. Know your audience. Since most audiences vary in terms of
experience level with both your product/service and their
experience level with the internet, you will want to simplify
things more than ever. You don't want to talk to yourself - make
sure potential clients understand your product/service. The best
way to do this is to create content that is informative, yet
easy to understand for even the newest of the newbies. Web site
design

Secondary to content is the actual design of your Web site.
While the user comes to your site specifically for information,
they also will want to enter an area that is easy to use and
visually appealing. Here are some usability tips regarding Web
site design:

1. Avoid long load times. While the latest technology for Web
sites is incredibly interesting and fun, lots of graphics, Flash
images, and audio can create long load times that make the user
wait. And, if customers have to wait too long, they may leave --
and never come back. As a guide, users will generally wait for a
site to load for ten seconds before vacating.

2. Make your pages easy to read. A common error in Web usability
is the incessant need to create the prettiest Web site that ever
existed. We've all seen them - every color from the Crayola box
of 64 has made its mark on these pages. And, with a little bit
of color usually comes a lot of cute little images that dance
across your screen. In all seriousness, resist the urge to do
this. Not only will it hoard a lot of memory, but it will drive
your users crazy. Black text on a white background is the
easiest to read. If you really want a colored background, stick
with a lighter shade, but remember to use black text.

3. Create a well-organized site. Maintaining a consistent look
and feel throughout your site is critical. The navigation you
use on the home page should be carried out throughout your Web
site. Clear navigation can either make or break your site. You
are basically providing your users with a road map to your
products and services. Don't let them get lost along the way.

4. Consider your space. Content should amount to 50-80% of your
page design, with navigation taking up approximately 20% of the
space.

5. Stay consistent with design elements. Select one or two
(maximum) fonts and stick with them throughout your site.

6. Have a secure and automated server. Amazingly only 20% of
current Web sites are secure.

7. What can you do different? This is probably the most
important thing to remember when designing your site. Think
about your business and your competition. What are you doing
differently that will make users visit your site? Once you find
out what that is -- whether you offer the lowest prices, have a
special widget that no one else sells, or have reputable
customer service -- capitalize on that one thing by
incorporating it in your design elements.

Conclusion

There are good sites on the Internet and there are an equal
number of bad sites (if not more!) out there. The good sites
provide for a smooth user experience - easy navigation and
easy-to-find information. The bad sites are slow to load,
difficult to navigate and leave the users frustrated before they
can even get to the information they initially needed. If you've
already invested the time and effort into developing a Web site,
you should take a serious look at the usability of your site.
Here's an easy homework assignment: Some day, when you've got a
few hours to spare, surf the Internet and make note of sites you
think are good and which ones drove you absolutely crazy.
Investigate the qualities of those sites and what made them good
or bad. Pretty soon, you'll start to see some patterns that you
can learn from and implement into your own usability strategy.
Remember, usability is all about creating a unique and
enlightening user experience. Usability is the name of the game
-- isn't it time you started playing?

About the author:
As Submit Today’s copywriter and editor, Kristy Meghreblian has
written online content for many successful companies, including
Monster.com. She has successfully combined her excellence in
journalism with the delicate art of keyword density as it
relates to search engine optimization. As a result, she has
helped many Submit Today clients achieve top ranking. Submit
Today is a leading search engine optimization, submission and
ranking company located in Naples, Florida.