Usability
Usability, that is, how easy a website is for a person to use, is crucial for increasing the conversion rate. The user is willing to take a specific action on a web page – for example, to register for a newsletter or to shop – only when he finds good content, can navigate quickly and easily, is led to a destination over the shortest possible path and is not confronted with technical problems. People don’t like to spend a long time searching. Ideally, the item they are looking for should be within a few clicks. Simply put, your website should quickly and easily present information to your users so they can find what they want and be on their way. It sounds simple, however, making it happen is quite complex.
What is a good usability?
What does a user expect when visiting a website? What annoys or frustrates him? Of course, such questions must be answered individually for each web page, but in reference to usability there are some typical things to keep in mind that many people find annoying:
- Poor search function
The internal search should be easy to find. If the user has to look for the search field, you can be sure the user already thinks less of your site. Also, the internal site search should provide accurate results.
- Hidden ordering button
Imagine this: A user likes your online shop, has decided on a specific product and has his credit card in his hand, but he can’t find the “add to cart” button. This may sound absurd, but in fact, this problem is a daily business for usability experts. Hidden or poorly labeled shopping cart buttons hinder the ordering process.
- Complicated query
You should solely request data that is really necessary for processing a request or an order. Making the fax number a mandatory data element may be good for your customer database, but not for the usability. Many customers are often just not willing to give information that is not necessary for a specific purpose. In addition, ensure that your system does not accept only standardized inputs. An error message for a phone number that caters to both US and Europeans that demands a phone number be put into the United States XXX-XXX-XXXX format is more than annoying for people from different countries.
Good usability brings good money
If you want to improve the usability of your website, first you have to find the weak spots. This can be done by conducting user trials or expert analyses. The documentation of such usability tests is the basis for the subsequent optimization. With the help of a tracking tool the success of the optimization can be controlled. “Success” could for example mean: an increasing conversion rate, more sales or a higher customer loyalty.
