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Website Usability - Is Your Website Usable?

Usability plays a very important role on the web. A website with poor usability will more often than not encounter a high bounce rate. A bounce rate is a common term for the amount of people who reach a site, but leave shortly after their arrival. A high bounce rate is just one of the many problems associated with poor usability. Remember that a website doesn't include an instruction manual, thus the user interface must be intuitive and highly usable in order to be successful.

What is Usability?

There are various definitions for usability from a plethora of experts, but most definitions generally state that a usable website will feature the following characteristics:

• Efficient and effective operation
• Quick and easy to learn
• Free of errors
• Memorable Interface

Benefits of a Highly Usable Website

There are numerous benefits of a highly usable website for both the prospective patron (user) and you as the website provider. With an increase in usability, users will achieve their goals more quickly and efficiently, which improves the likelihood of them utilizing your service or product. A highly usable website will also develop user confidence in a particular product, website, and/or company.

The most obvious benefit for the user is simply an overall increase in satisfaction. With an increase in user satisfaction, patrons will become more brand loyal and possibly recommend your website to their friends and colleagues. There are also advantages for the website operator/provider when it comes to increased usability. A highly usable site will reduce that amount of technical support needed, because of an overall reduction in user errors.

Common Usability Issues: What to Improve On

There are several places were users typically encounter usability issues on the web. Some key areas to look out for in regards to usability issues are page headings, primary navigation, and page structure.

Page Headings

All pages on your website should include a brief yet descriptive heading. Adequate page headings orientate users and inform them on what they can expect to find on each page.

Primary Navigation

Proper implementation of a primary navigation scheme is also important, because this is the principal means of navigation for your users. A poorly designed or over complicated navigation scheme may deter even the most savvy computer users.

Page Structure

Effective page structure may be one of the most important elements of usability in regards to web design. Remember, it's important to avoid cluttered or disorderly page content. Your content should always be presented in a clear, concise, and hierarchical manner. It's also of the up most importance to maintain proper page consistency through-out the entire website.

Landon Wisser is a content developer and web specialist at NLI Media Group.

NLI Media Group is an Austin based web development and media firm that uses cutting edge online marketing and traditional advertising and promotion to create premium brand experiences for clients.