Navigation
If a user can’t get around a site easily, that user has absolutely no reason to stay. Poor navigation will reduce the number of visitors pretty severely and frustrate the users who do stay. Navigation is the system that the visitor uses to get from one place to the next on a website. Some examples of navigation structures are in-text links, left or right column navigation, top navigation, tabbed navigation, and even Flash navigation.
Since there are so many ways to get around on a website, there are plenty of opportunities for bad navigation. Mystery meat navigation, a coin termed by the creators of WepPagesThatSuck.com, describes one type of navigation problem. Ideally, whenever a visitor clicks on a link, they should know exactly where that link will take them. The problem is that some people create links that aren’t entirely clear as to their destination.
Problem navigation is navigation that is hard to get around. If a user clicks on a series of pages and ends up on some strange page with no way of getting back to the main menu, the sub menu, or another page, the site in question does not have enough navigation tools. A link should appear to a site’s home page on every page in the site. Ideally, each sub page—for example, “products,” “services,” “contact,” etc.—should be listed on each and every page. Every user should know exactly where they are going and exactly how to get back to where they need to be.
Initial Impression
Many years ago, a dandruff shampoo commercial used the slogan, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” While is advice is true for those meeting someone face to face, this advice also rings true for anyone “meeting” a site for the first time. Websites have a very short window of time in order to impress their visitors. Website owners must think carefully about how to impress visitors, bring them back, and how to encourage the visitors to tell all their friends about the page.
The most important thing any webmaster must remember is to make sure the purpose of the website is apparent. Visitors to a site should know, right away, what the site is about, what they can do at the site, and what sort of information they can find on the site. If a visitor shows up and sees a lot of flashing colors and interesting pictures, but still doesn’t know what the site is for, there is a problem.
Web visitors don’t stick around for long. There are millions, if not billions of sites on the Web that any typical user could surf. Visitors can almost always find another site that will provide what they’re looking for, so webmasters must remember that when building any page, and lay out a plan immediately. A visible logo and text that explains the purpose of the site is essential. Navigation tools should be clearly labeled so that visitors know what else they can find on the page. Websites only have a minute or two to impress their visitors. Start early and impress often.
Pesky Elements
There are some design elements that just don’t belong on a web page. More often than not, these elements annoy rather than help. Annoying a visitor is not a good way to make a first impression and is not the way to get a repeat visitor, either.
Sound can be especially annoying to visitors. If a sound starts automatically, visitors are left with the option of either hearing this endlessly looped and annoying sound file, or trying to turn the music off. Some pages don’t even give users the option to turn the sound off, which can make a visitor really frustrated. No business needs automatically loaded sound files, generally, so avoid them at all costs.
Flash and JavaScript files can also be annoying to visitors. Some Flash pages can be awkward and hard to use, especially for older or inexperienced web browsers. Some Flash sites rely heavily on mystery meat navigation, leaving visitors frustrated because they’re never sure where they’re going when they click on a link. Similarly, JavaScript can make web browsers vulnerable to viruses and spam, so many users turn all JavaScript content off for this reason. If a site is based in Flash and JavaScript, without alternative options, that site is almost certainly alienating potential customers.
Some of these elements, especially the multimedia elements, take a long time to load. While those users with high speed Internet connections may not mind, there are still millions of people who rely on dial-up service who do mind. JavaScript, Flash, sound files, and large images dramatically increase the sizes of these pages, increasing the load times dramatically. The best solution is the make sure pages load quickly for everyone. This ensures that visitors with lower-speed connections will feel welcomed.
Clearpath Technology is a SEO Firm providing Link Building, Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing services. For more details, visit http://www.clearpathtechnology.com or visit physically at Clearpath Technology, 2nd & 3rd Floor, Anshul Plaza, Sector-10, Plot-8, Dwarka, New Delhi-110075, India. You can also call +91-9958844066 or toll free 1-877- 453- 8080.
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