It doesn’t matter how compelling your copy is, if the usability of your website is poor you will lose potential clients along the way.
Imagine for a moment you visit a website which enables you to order a settee that is custom made to meet all your requirements – size, shape, colour, material, everything. After browsing the site and seeing page after page of gorgeous images and powerful copy, you excitedly click on the order page only to find a page which asks you to describe exactly what you want in detail.
So what happens? Your mind goes blank. And it is not surprising. Here is a page asking you to say precisely what you want.
Now ask any consumer and not one of them will be able to tell you what they want. Isn’t that why after all they have come to your website? To get their creative juices flowing and more importantly be persuaded into buying your product? Thrown in the deep, they will more than likely click away and lose you a conversion.
It is important when creating a website that you don’t rely solely on your copy and imagery to sell. Of course they are important, but you need to take your audience’s needs into consideration – where have they linked to your site from? What do they want to know? Essentially how will they use your website?
How can I test the usability of my website?
One of the best ways to improve the usability of your website is to ask outsiders to take a tour.
Get them to start off at different beginning points i.e. your home page, another website, from Google search and get them to treat your website as if they are a customer. Get them to write notes about your website: what they don’t understand, what they would change, which pages they visited, where the copy needs improving.
Alternatively you can give them a list of specific tasks you want them to perform. For instance, how easy is it for them to register into the members only area or how straight forward is it to order.
Once you have done that make a flowchart of your website and review how the copy on each of your pages might affect the others surrounding them. You’ll soon be able to spot your weak copy spots and make amends.
Does it work?
It is incredible what a difference a little testing and research can make to the usability of your website. So don’t let your site suffer. Get outsiders to test your website today to ensure you are getting maximum conversions.
Soula Ltd is a digital marketing agency based in Nottingham. They not specialise in making great looking websites; but also focus on all aspects of online marketing and conversion rate optimisation.
