You need to keep the web user on your site if you are hoping to become a resource, sell a product or sell a service. When you are designing your site, or a client’s site, you must keep in mind what will make things easier for those visiting the site.I believe every web site should be structured to be so easy to navigate that anyone can move around the site without confusion. If you are reading this blog you are probably like me; I never really have to look for anything. Searching the web is second nature, but to many it is not. So, keep this in mind, PLEASE.Lingo, Vocabulary, Business ConceptsI am designing a massive site for a business right now and they do not know why I am making it so simple for their potential visitors. We all have knowledge, but we do not all have extensive knowledge on every subject. You may be a wiz at blogging, but not know about red tide (or even what it is). Business owners cannot assume that potential customers are going to understand the lingo they use. No one can assume that people are going to go to your site and understand everything unless you structure it that way.I am finishing a site for a company that revamps hospital ER systems. As I was creating the site and writing the site I didn’t understand what everything was, but I know the people visiting the site for services most likely will get it. BUT, what if you were to wonder in and nothing made sense? They site may be interesting, but you don’t understand the vocabulary so you move on. Web owners cannot allow this.
Why? Well, any visitor to any web site could pass on information to someone that needs the services IF they have a basic understanding of the site’s services. So, if you do not want to explain the lingo in basic terms you can do what I did for this site (although it was time consuming). I created a definitions page, so all over the web site there are words that are links and when people click on the link they are taken to the exact definition for more understanding of the word/concept. This way people can learn and retain the knowledge. Who knows? Maybe they will go to a dinner party and the subject would come up and they could tell someone about the services. Word of mouth, we all know how important it is.
Navigation
I know I have said it several times before, but I will say it again. Navigation should be easy. If you are a printing company and you have tabs/buttons with “2 color”, “3 color” or “bleeds” you cannot assume people will know what these terms mean. You could label buttons as “Business Cards”, “Flyers”, “Brochures” and then on those pages explain what 2 color and 3 color mean. That would be easy for anyone to understand.
Make it Simple
A web site’s navigation needs to be simple. The copy needs to sound professional, yet be simple to understand or you must find away for readers to learn from the copy.
Optimize and Simplize
Optimize to gain traffic; simplize to keep traffic. That is Melissa’s Law 🙂
© Melissa Fach- SEO Copywriter – SRQWebDesign.com