The Delta Media P.R. Clinic
Weaving a Web that Works
By Bernard Gauthier, MA
Managing Partner
Don’t take it from me. Take it from the hundreds of Canadians I
have spoken to in every corner of the country, young and old, urban and
rural, from every walk of life you can imagine. In more than eight years
of moderating Web usability testing (a hybrid form of focus group study),
I have gotten an earful from Canadians on what they want to see in a Web
site. I’ve heard even more about what they don’t want to see.
Here then are the top three “dos” and “don’ts” distilled
from all those focus groups. There are valuable lessons here for your organization’s
Web site.
Top Three Things Your Members Want to See:
1. Themselves
The ideal Web site is a mirror on its intended
audience. When your members arrive at the site, they want to see themselves,
their colleagues, their issues and their benefits. Look at your main page
critically and assess to what extent it reflects your members as opposed
to your organization. The photos, the headlines, the links – all
need to send an immediate message to your members: You’ve come to
the right place.
2. Reassurance
Surfing the Web always involves an element
of gambling. You see a link. It looks promising. You click on it and hope
for the best. The clarity and depth of information on each link helps to
reassure your members that they are, in fact, going to arrive at the information
or tool they need. Ideally, the links on your site should be supported
by a few meaningful words of descriptive text. A link to “Publications,” for
example, is not nearly as effective as one that reads “Publications:
annual reports, studies and newsletter archives.” My experience with
Web users has been remarkably consistent on this point: if they aren’t
sure, they’re not likely to click on a link.
3. Diversity
In its infancy, the Web was a world of text. Today, however, users expect
more. Much more. Pictures, animation, video and sound are increasingly
the norm. These are the items that draw users in and keep them there. More
importantly, the sound and moving pictures can clarify and amplify the
information you have to deliver to your overloaded members. Your message
breaks through and is far more memorable.
Make sure the information within is valuable in all cases, but do look
for ways to deliver your messages with more than words.
Top Three Things Your Members Don’t Want to See:
1. Outdated Material
The bar keeps rising on this point.
I can remember six or seven years ago, when information a month old
was considered current. Today, that best before date has shrunk to a matter
of days or, in some instances, hours. Blame CNN but our expectations
of the sites we visit have risen and the currency of a site is now among
the chief qualities people use when evaluating the site. Any organization
that is not in a position to update its site at least on a weekly basis
risks losing the confidence of its members.
2. On-line Brochures
Here again, the bar is constantly
being raised by commercial sites (think Amazon or Expedia) and government
sites (i.e. Canada Revenue Agency or Ontario Parks). Users expect
to do much more than read on your site. They want to download, shop, reserve,
register, pay, update, connect, contribute and provide feedback – the
list goes on. Does your site do enough to make interaction and transaction
fast, easy and evident?
3. Clutter
It’s hard to wade through the thousands
of messages and pieces of information we come across each day. Our
eyes and our brains get tired and we all develop ways to eliminate clutter
and seek out clarity. The impact of this reality on your Web site’s
traffic could be devastating. Users are always drawn to sites that are visually
organized in a clear and consistent way. Loud colours, tiny fonts,
inconsistent use of columns and long stretches of text are a perfect invitation
to click on the “back” button
and seek out more pleasant surroundings.
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