• Got Navigation?
• Do-It-Yourself Analysis
• Five Quick Tips for Increasing Conversion Rates

Archived Issues

Got Navigation?

If you’re like most people, you typically need some sort of guidance or instruction before you can be successful in performing a task. The same is true for visitors looking for information on your web site – you must provide them with appropriate directions and navigation in order for them to use your web site effectively.

Jakob Nielson, an authority on web site usability, design strategy, and user-centered methodology, has said that "Most sites have miserable information architectures that mirror the way the company internally thinks about the content and not the way users think about the content. Predictably, users ignore such unhelpful structure."

Most of the time, users not only ignore bad navigation, they click off the site and move on to the next one, in hopes of finding whatever it is they are looking for.

Follow the Leader

It’s up to you to make sure that your web site leads visitors down the right path. Whether the goal is to make a sale, subscribe to something, fill out an inquiry form, or simply provide information, you need to guide your visitors by giving them intuitive, clear, and consistent navigation.

Good navigation should make it impossible for visitors to get lost. To help orient users, always provide them with a point of reference, and make it clear where they are in the site and how to get back. Avoid putting information more than 2 or 3 levels deep – you don’t want users to get buried 4 or 5 levels down in your site, since they may become frustrated or disoriented and just move on.

Consistency is also key in good navigation; don’t confuse your users by changing the navigation links on every page. Instead, consider using an overall menu structure, then adding sub-categories and links on individual web pages as necessary.

Think Like A User

The best way to design an effective navigation system is to think the way your users think, and anticipate the ways that they want to go. Users are typically very goal-driven; they are pretty focused on finding what they’re interested in, and tend to ignore the things that don’t apply to them. Give them a clear navigation system that lets them find what they’re looking for first – once they know they’re in the right place, they can look at the rest of the information on your site in more detail.

Designing a navigation system that looks really cool to you but ultimately sends your visitors clicking away in frustration is not good navigation. Good navigation accommodates the searching patterns and behaviors of your visitors, making it more likely that they will find what they want, and more likely that they will make a purchase.

Do-It-Yourself Analysis

How effective is your web site? Does it really help bring in business? How can you tell if it’s time for a web site clean-up, tune-up, or makeover?

Well, you can start by doing a little do-it-yourself web site analysis. First, take an honest look at your web site. Is the information outdated? Have you added anything new to give visitors a reason to come back? Are all the links still working?

Your web site is the face of your business, and the impression it gives to your visitors matters very much. You may have already lost customers due to poor usability, awkward design, unclear navigaiton, or outdated information.

When analyzing your web site, consider questions such as:

• Is your web site purpose-built? At Five Sparrows, we talk a lot about purpose-built sites, and that’s where we start when developing new web projects for our clients. You really must know and understand the purpose of your web site before you create it. Make sure you are clear about your ultimate goals.

• Is the information useful to a visitor? One of the mistakes small businesses often make is to put every piece of company information they have up on their web site. Do your visitors really need to know your staff vacation schedule? If it doesn’t contribute to the site’s purpose, don’t publish it.

• What is the message you're communicating? Broken links, old information, non-functioning web forms, or missing images communicate the wrong message to your visitors. Make sure your site is a positive reflection on your business, and that it communicates competence and professionalism.

• Does your web site look good? Studies show that visitors take less than seven seconds to decide if they are interested in your site, and much of that decision is based on the site’s visual appeal. Of course your site should provide functional page layout and navigation, but the design elements should also be appealing and purposeful. The site design should match your existing corporate branding, yet enhance your distinctive “look” and business personality.

If you have been honest with yourself in analyzing your web site, you should have a pretty good idea about whether you have a successful web site, or one that isn’t performing as well as it should. An effective web site is an invaluable business tool, so make sure your site is ready to work for you.

Getting traffic to your site can be a complicated endeavor, so why not make the most of the traffic that’s already coming your way? Here are some tips you can use to capture visitors’ attention and help turn browsers into buyers!

1. Write great headlines. Changes to a headline can produce huge increases in conversion rates, since it is the single most-read element of your page. If you don’t capture a visitor’s attention with the headline, they probably won’t keep reading the content, and may never make it to the order button.

2. Use color effectively. Some experts suggest that color may be responsible for up to 60% of a person’s acceptance or rejection of a product or service. Color communicates messages to your users, and sets the overall tone of your web site. For instance, dark blue typically conveys stability, trust, and strength. Reds and oranges are exciting and attract attention. The better you know your audience, the better you’ll be able to choose colors that will appeal to them and motivate them to take action.

3. Use bulleted lists. Studies have shown that web users like to scan the page for headlines and other easy-to-digest information, like bulleted lists. Keep them short and simple, and leave enough white space between the bullets to make reading easier. Numbered lists also work well for the same reason.

4. Include photos of your products. Buyers like to see what they are buying, and it can be difficult to adequately describe your products using only words. If you don’t have professional photographs of your products, consider hiring a pro. Amateur snapshots can make even the best products look second-rate and risky.

5. P.S. - use a P.S. Yes, it’s true, the second most-read part of a sales letter is a P.S.! Using this on your web site can have a similar effect, since readers can’t help but be drawn to it. Use a P.S. to ask users to take action now, remind them of a promotion’s ending date, or to re-state your product guarantee.

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3889 Hartland Hills, Hartland, MI 48353
www.fivesparrows.com