17 Ways to Make Sure Your Website is Working for You

**snakeair** · Share | #1 (**permalink**) 10-17-2011, 03:03 AM

Good Monday Morning. Here is something to read while drinking some coffee.

Quote:

Is your website bringing in at least five new inquiries per day? If not, you need to look at its functionality.

Your website acts as a “storefront.” You should put as much thought and care into your website as you would to the display in your store’s window. Your website needs to attract customers and keep them coming back for more. The following should give you a place to start and a guideline of what a good website should have and what it should do:

Continued at: http://www.sitepronews.com/2011/10/1...rking-for-you/

Please share your thoughts.

Dreamrage · #2 (**permalink**) 10-17-2011, 03:42 AM

I would only like to add one thing. Don't rush to get a site built. Take your time, test, research, and test again before going live with the site. Take a step back every now and again when you're designing and look at the site from a visitor's perspective.

If anything looks out of place, get a second opinion if you must, but in the end, fix it, You won't really be happy until you do. If your design skills aren't that awesome, get someone to help you design the site. It works out a lot better in the end.

Gayana · #3 (**permalink**) 11-04-2011, 12:04 PM

Great resource for me. Right at this moment I was thinking of site usability issues.

Usability is indeed so important for improving user experience and conversions.

BTW, I was looking how to do usability tests. You know any good means, tools, services, Derek?

**snakeair** · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2011, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayana

Great resource for me. Right at this moment I was thinking of site usability issues.

Usability is indeed so important for improving user experience and conversions.

BTW, I was looking how to do usability tests. You know any good means, tools, services, Derek?

I don't know any off the top of my head but did a fast search and came up with something good.

22 Essential Tools for Testing Your Website’s Usability

Check Your Site Usability With These Fun Tools

Gayana · #5 (**permalink**) 11-04-2011, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakeair

I don't know any off the top of my head but did a fast search and came up with something good.

22 Essential Tools for Testing Your Website’s Usability

Check Your Site Usability With These Fun Tools

Merci

Checking ...

**HTMLBasicTutor** · #6 (**permalink**) 11-04-2011, 03:08 PM

Gayane,
You can also get the book Don't Make Me Think A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug. It is a short book (198 pages plus index at back). There is a Second Edition. ISBN 0-321-34475-8 $40 USD according to the cover but I don't think I paid that for it. Very popular book among the Web Design community.

upholsterycleaning2 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-04-2011, 04:27 PM

thanks to Snakeair for the useful link -- I laughed when I saw the Feng-Gui heatmap! I was just looking for something to add to my client report and I know this will make me look SO good.

Gayana · #8 (**permalink**) 11-06-2011, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HTMLBasicTutor

Gayane,
You can also get the book Don't Make Me Think A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug. It is a short book (198 pages plus index at back). There is a Second Edition. ISBN 0-321-34475-8 $40 USD according to the cover but I don't think I paid that for it. Very popular book among the Web Design community.

Thank you

I also tried usertesting.com. These are real people providing feedback. They write and record their experience! I haven't yet listened and read the feedback, but was stunning. Tomorrow I will listen and read, just taking off today Sunday

bangshws · #9 (**permalink**) 11-15-2011, 04:28 PM

"14. Is There a Visible Contact Form?"

That idea is simple enough but many people always forget it. They over look those simple things.

Even with a great website, but if your contact form is not visible, your conversion rate is very low.

Last time, I came across a site with very good content so I wanted to leave comments on that page. But then I found it very difficult to see my comment because of the color chosen for that site.

My conclusion is that never just only focus on the general appearance, you have to look for minor things like that which can make a huge difference in user experience.

o2webtech · #10 (**permalink**) 11-15-2011, 07:56 PM

Hi, Website is really important and if you are looking for good business online then site has to be developed according to SEO rules.

**HTMLBasicTutor** · #11 (**permalink**) 11-15-2011, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o2webtech

Hi, Website is really important and if you are looking for good business online then site has to be developed according to SEO rules.

Did you read the post we are discussing? This thread is in the Usability forum. The posted article is about usability, not SEO.