We have done a number of projects lately with sites that need to look at how they greet customers when coming to their site and this got us thinking about landing pages. Very often, users are not entering your site through the home page any longer. Ads, emails and searches are often driving users to your site. With over 1 billion searches per day on Google alone, you should be giving serious thought to the way users are entering your site and whether or not you are putting your best foot forward when they do. If you don’t greet visitors in the best possible way, your goal - conversion - will not be met.

In this post, we’ll take a look at the different ways a user may be entering your site and best practices for these entry points.

The most obvious entry point is your home page. A user may be familiar with your site, may have seen your URL somewhere, or searched for your site and ended up on your home page. The best home pages:

• Make it clear that they are home pages - a user should never have to guess
• Provide access to main navigation, not only to allow for easy access to information, but also to provide an indication of what your site offers
• Indicate the site’s value proposition or benefits - identify yourself to new users
• Offer a clear path for returning visitors to access their account or personalized information
• Entice users into the site - with images, topics of interest, etc. to encourage further interaction with the site

Today, we want to focus more on the pages users reach when they enter your site via a campaign or search. This may be a page specifically designed to be a landing page or simply a page on your site that is a default landing page because of the amount of search traffic driven to it. There are a number of things that should be done whichever type of page users are landing on to greet them to your site. The tips for home pages above apply, as do the following:

• Ensure consistent branding
  • Your logo should be visible and look like your company’s logo - a user should never have to guess whether or not they are in the right place
  • The rest of the branding - look, feel and design - should be consistent with the feel of the rest of your website. This doesn’t mean a campaign or page cannot use different elements than the rest of your site, but the overall look and feel should not be so different that users are again left guessing where they are or are confused if they navigate to the rest of the site
• Provide a clear value proposition that is consistent with both how the user entered the page and the breadth of content, products or services your site offers
  • You want to be sure you are delivering on the specific promise you made in your campaign or search result; the page that users enter should match any expectations you have set for them
  • But, you also want to be sure you do not miss an opportunity for users to understand all of what you have to offer, as something else you offer may pique their interest
• Provide a clear call-to-action
  • This is true whether you are requesting interaction, such as registration from a user, or if you simply want them to explore your site further
  • You want to provide clear avenues to interaction and highlight them with clear instructions to users, so employ action-oriented terms: “Get Your Free Quote”, “Learn More”, “Contact Us”, etc.
• Keep your design clean
  • While you want to make sure you are providing options to users, you do not want to overwhelm them or distract them from your message
  • Include links to key pages or navigation (this page should not be a trap), but do not include every offer or marketing message you want a user to see on this one page
  • Focus on the expectations set and deliver on those on this page using bulleted, easy to scan benefits or value proposition information
• Be aware of the fold
  • Key content and call-to-action messaging needs to be immediately visible to users
  • If users have to scroll for a payoff, you have lost them, so consider who is coming to your site and on what devices / screen resolutions and design to make sure they do not have to scroll to see key information

Below, we will look at some of the best practices specific to different types of landing pages, as well as examples of what to do and what not to do when welcoming a visitor to your site.

CAMPAIGN-SPECIFIC LANDING PAGES

1. While I mentioned it above, I will mention it again here, because this is so important for campaign-specific landing pages: You must deliver on the expectations set by whatever it is that sent a user to the page.

• In the example below, a search for Best Buy, offers a link to what it says is Best Buy’s official site. However, the link actually takes visitors to a landing page specific to Best Buy’s deals and weekly ad. The effect is disorienting for a visitor looking to access the Best Buy site because the set-up does not meet expectations.

• On the other hand, this AT&T ad on CNN.com provides access to the content that was specifically detailed in the ad, while also providing access to a wider range of options if a user is interested in other products or services. This means the page delivers on both the specific user need and a wider range of interests they may have.

2. If you are requesting information from users – to fulfill an offer, get them started using your site, or provide them with customized information, your task with a landing page is even harder. You may lose people as soon as they see a form to be completed. To counteract this:

• Your page should load quickly so users see the whole picture very quickly
• That whole picture should include a clear statement of benefits: what is the value exchange you are offering? You are asking for their time and personal data - what are they getting from you in return?
• What type of time commitment are you asking of them? Is all the information you are seeking on one page or is this a multi-step process?
• What will the payoff be? You need to set specific and accurate expectations for what will happen at the end of the registration process or form.

3. Additionally, any forms provided on campaign-specific landing pages should adhere to form best practices (see more about best practices for forms here). Some highlights:

• Be specific about what you are asking for and WHY you are asking for it
• Ask for only the most important information, focusing on things that are least invasive, i.e., if you can use only a zip code for location, do not request exact street address. You can request that information once you have deepened the relationship with the customer
• Include logos or icons that highlight security of information. Logos like Verisign, Truste and the Better Business Bureau, as well as icons, such as a picture of a lock, reassure users that they are using a secure site and that the information provided will be safe

4. Examples in the auto quote space provide an interesting contrast in what works and what doesn’t:

• Progressive provides a focused page that directs users to a call to action, while addressing critical user information needs:

• Geico, on the other hand, overwhelms users with information. This takes focus away from the purpose of the page and does not address user information in a concise way, making it less likely for users to convert.

DEEP LINKED PAGES

1. For pages on your site that become landing pages because the content is often searched for and makes it a key entry page to your site, it is important to let users know where they are on your site

• Many times, breadcrumbing can be used to help orient a visitor (for some sites, like those with a lot of dynamic content, breadcrumbing may not be the best option. For more information on breadcrumbing best practices, see our blog on breadcrumbing)
• Additionally, clear highlighting within the navigation can be used to indicate position
• This example from CNET shows that a search for “best tablet computers” delivers users to the specific content requested, but also provides good insight into where a user is and what else might be available

2. Access to full site content, especially the home page, is even more important

• Even though the page delivered may match users’ expectations exactly, you want to be sure they can move up in your site’s hierarchy easily to get a wider view
• Ensure access not only to the full navigation, but also link to other information related to that specific page so users can move easily to other content they might find interesting
• Even with these additional links, remember to initiate a clear call-to-action on the page a user reaches
• In this example, searching for “hotel Rome” leads users to a specific hotel property, which offers a clear explanation of how they got to the page and how they could explore the hotel information or other destinations. It also has an immediate call to action above the fold:

Using what works and what doesn’t from these best practices and examples, you can improve your landing pages and make sure your site is a landing page best practice, putting your best foot forward when visitors arrive. For more best practice information, visit our other blog entries and our newsletter.

1. Login process is straightforward and user-friendly
2. Remembers user information between screens
3. When soliciting user information, clearly indicates what is required vs. optional
4. When completing forms, provides proper field entry instruction for characters, capitalization, etc.
5. Allows actions to be reversed and warns users before irrevocable actions
6. Errors / confusion are managed proactively with clear and informative instructions
7. ‘Customer Service’ and / or ‘Contact us’ options are clearly visible, along with extensive and instructive help features, such as glossaries, tutorials, FAQ’s, site map, contact information
8. Search input box defaults to entire site, has no character limits, and allows users to see fully inputted search string / Provides special instruction as necessary to ensure helpful search results

Help and Forgiveness

• None of us like to make mistakes, but when we do, we want to be able to correct them quickly and easily. Unfortunately, on the web this is often impossible. Too often sites force users to completely redo the steps they took prior to the mistake in order to correct the problem, often creating a frustrating experience. The best defense against this is providing clear help at the point of interaction or not letting the mistake happen at all through clear messaging.
  • This comes in 2 key forms. One is the language you are using on your site throughout a process, for example checkout. Action buttons should be clear and specific to the step the user is actually taking. For example, ‘Add to Cart’ is a much more clear button than ‘Place an Order’ when a user is simply putting an item into their cart or bag. ‘Place an Order’ implies that the order is going to happen immediately, something the user may not yet be ready for. So instead of using ‘Continue’ tell a user with the action button what they are actually doing when pressing the button.
  • The other key to this guideline is to offer an alert when a user is about to take any action that cannot be undone to allow them the chance to cancel the action. A good example is deleting an item from a shopping cart. While in many cases, a user can go back and place the item in their cart again, for the new breed of discount site, such as Gilt Groupe or RueLaLa, you may lose an item upon deletion and a user needs to confirm their action to be sure it was not a mistake or a stray click, which could lead to disappointment. Additionally, this message needs to give the user enough information to really make a decision about their action by telling them what they are about to do in detail and what the consequence may be. The message should also have clear action options such as ‘Keep this item in my cart’ or ‘Delete this item’, rather than generic buttons that could lead to further confusion.
  • Wherever possible, it is ideal to also offer users a way to redo what they have undone. In some cases this may not be possible, making the messaging on the site all the more important.

• Even with the best in-context help and site design, errors will happen. How you handle the error on the site is what determines if the error will be a fatal one for your customer’s visit to your site. The keys to managing errors are two-fold:
  • First, messaging again is vital. When displaying an error message, it needs to be clear an error has occurred, so the error message must be highlighted and very visible. This is an area where red is a strong color to use as it attracts the eye, and red is often associated with error messages. Once you have a user looking at the message, it must be specific, telling a user:
    1. What went wrong
    2. Where on the page the error is (if you do not bring the user to error itself which is ideal)
    3. How to fix the error, in specific detail
  • Once a user understands the error and corrects it, your site needs to place them in the same position they were in pre-error. Not only does this mean not taking them out of the path they were following, but also not losing any of the information they had input up to the point where the error occurred (including the information on the page where the error occurred).

• At times, a user may need more help than you can provide in-context on your site or they may simply be the type of customer who feels more comfortable alleviating their confusion via human contact. Whatever the case may be, there should be a clear area of your site dedicated to customer service or support.
  • Do not hide this area of your site. While not clearly including offline contact information may cut down on expensive calls to your call center, it could also cut down on customers’ comfort levels in transacting with your site. When testing sites that have their 1-800 numbers on their home pages, readily visible, we often hear from users that they wouldn’t be likely to call it, but having it there increases their comfort not only transacting with the site, but also their impression of the brand due to its willingness to share that information. So while the number doesn’t have to be on your home page, a clear path to finding it (no more than 1 click deep) does.
  • This area of your site should also include whatever level of help is appropriate to the type of site / business you have, and should attempt to answer all key user questions on the site without forcing them to call. Most web users prefer to be self-service, so providing FAQs (ideally based on the top questions you get at your call center) can be a great way of providing them the information they are seeking and avoiding a costly call or a jump to another site. Glossaries and more extensive help can be useful if you have a site that includes a lot of industry speak or technical jargon, but may not be necessary on all sites. Tutorials can also be helpful when introducing new or complicated functionality, but be aware of your target audience – few users are likely to turn to a tutorial for help.
  • Generally, this area of the site should give users all the help content you think could be useful to them as well as access to all of the contact avenues available to them (phone, email, chat and mailing address). With good design and usability execution on the rest of the site, you can minimize the need for users to turn to this area, but you cannot avoid offering it to users.

• These 2 guidelines both address search so I wanted to look at them together. Search can be either an incredibly useful tool or a very bad experience for users. So how do you ensure that it gives users what they are looking for?
  • Place search in a visible and conventional location (preferably the upper right of the home page and potentially throughout the site)
  • Default to searching the whole site, not a specific section. However, if there is an option to search only a section of the site make that clear as well
  • If the search box contains instructional text (which we will talk about below), when a user clicks into it, the text must automatically disappear. No erasing text required!
  • Users should be able to type their entire search query without limits and they should be able to see the full search string (within reason). The fully inputted search string should definitely be shown on the results page
  • Instructions should be given as to how to best use your specific search, i.e., is it only a keyword search, can users also input catalog codes, can they type a natural text question, etc.?
  • These instructions should appear in or near the search box itself in a concise manner
  • For more information on how to maximize search results, see our blog Retail E-Commerce Usability Part 2: Search!

The mobile web is unique; users do not exhibit the same behavior on their mobile phone as they do on their desktop computer. This blog series will point out some of the best practices of mobile website usability by looking at various mobile websites.

Why Your Mobile Strategy Should Include a Mobile Website

Fairly recently, Nielson Norman Group’s usability guru, Jakob Nielson, came out with research findings that tout mobile apps as having better usability than mobile websites, urging companies to go the app route. Nielson pads these findings with a prediction that mobile websites are not too far behind, but his closing advice reads, “Today, if you are serious about creating the best possible mobile user experience, my advice is to develop apps.”

I disagree and here’s why (the abbreviated version).

First step in a positive user experience is providing an experience.

Out of 1.2 billion mobile users, there is a 2:1 ratio for feature phones to smart phones. If you are trying to reach a global audience, this means you are leaving out a huge group of prospective customers. In the US, the majority of web traffic is already dominated by smartphones, but 2.4% of non-computer traffic still comes from feature phones. If you can narrow your users down to smartphones then the second issue you have with mobile apps is optimizing for various devices, your app needs to be optimized for Androids (35.6% non-computer traffic), iPhones (23.5% non-computer traffic), and other smartphones (6.7% non-computer traffic) according to comScore.

Fact: Facebook sees more people accessing their mobile site than from their top native apps combined.

What if users don’t want to download your app?

I know Nielson tested the usability of the apps, but did they do any open-mobile web research? Meaning, did they research how users arrive to mobile sites and applications and test how users react when they hit a page that prompts them to download an app? No, and the way I see it is that any extra step, click, hop, or jump you make the user go through increases the likelihood for drop-off. From personal experience, I have searched and navigated my way to websites that prompt me to download their mobile app, and what do I do? I pass. If there is no direct link to their website, I will hit the back button on my browser and choose another site from my Google search results or I will just take a look at the site later on my computer…that is if I remember.

While there is no research that delves specifically into site abandonment when prompted with an app download, MobiThinking reported that “In all countries surveyed more consumers used their browser than apps and only a minority will use web or apps exclusively. US consumers prefer mobile browsers for banking, travel, shopping, local info, news, video, sports and blogs and prefer apps for games, social media, maps and music.” I am not surprised by this and by no means would I advise a gaming company to dive straight into a mobile website at this stage, considering HTML5 performance (arguably) still lags behind native apps.

Lastly, who says mobile sites can’t offer a great customer experience?

This blog series is going to showcase mobile sites and point out some of the do’s and don’ts as we see them; however, I’d like to start with three do’s that apply to all mobile sites.

1. Recognition - Your site needs to recognize mobile devices
2. Speed - Site should load and navigate through pages/searches quickly
3. Opt-Out Option - Users should be able to easily find a link to full site
4. Limit the Work - Site should be organized and easy to use as to prevent users from having to search, scroll, click or type too much
5. Size it Up - Font sizes and buttons should be legible and sized to appropriate tap zones according to type of mobile browser

Now, let’s take a look at our first example of a mobile site and point out the Do’s and Don’ts!

Example 1: AirBnB - Finding a Room Nearby

QUICK COMPARE / CONTRAST

AirBnB’s initial page wastes no time in presenting users with lodging options by showing nearby locations right from the get-go. Whereas Expedia offers users to ‘Search Nearby Tonight’ or geo-locate via compass icon next to the destination field, both of which require the user to tap another button and load a new screen. Not to mention, when I tapped the ‘Search Nearby Tonight’ I got the error message seen in the pic below which was not informative or helpful at all. Don’t waste users’ time with such messages, make the operation work or come up with better error messaging.

Expedia does, however, offer sorting features not available on the AirBnB site which are extremely helpful when searching for a place to stay. Users can search by price, popularity, or neighborhood, among other options.

To sum it up, the site has minor usability flaws, but overall is an easy to use mobile site that allows users to quickly search and find a room. All of the call-to-action buttons are clearly labeled and appear above the fold. During my site experience there were no loading issues or major roadblocks. When I checked out a few competitor sites, I was surprised to see that few had mobile websites (Roomarama, Wimdu) or if they did, the websites had inferior user experience right off the bat (VRBO, Couchsurfing). Ultimately, AirBnB gets 4/5 stars for overall satisfaction and ease of use in my book.
Stay tuned as I review more mobile websites across industries. If you have any suggestions for sites we should look at, catch us on twitter @evocinsights.

There is no doubt we all want our websites to be attractive - captivating users and providing visual interest. However, it is important that the visual interest created on a site work with and enhance the usability of the site, rather than detract from it. Often we think of the aesthetics of a site as separate from the usability elements, but they have to work together to create a site that both captures and enhances your brand, attracts and interests users and allows them to easily complete the task at hand on the site. In order to identify the best practices for developing a look and feel that enhances the user experience, we will take a look at the guidelines which make up aesthetic integrity:

1. Uses a clear visual hierarchy with graphic elements and visual cues to help users
   • This guideline should influence all aspects of the design of your site, beginning with the home page. Icons, images, color and text (font, size, etc.) should all come together, not only to present a visually appealing home page, but one that is easily scanned and understood. Users should be able to comprehend who you are as a company and what is most important to you from how you use the visual elements on the home page to introduce yourself and your value proposition.
   • These elements should also be used throughout the site for the same purposes - highlighting key content, making pages easy to scan and understand and demonstrating to users the key navigational features and their position within the site.



2. Site is scalable for multiple resolutions
   • It is vital to understand how a user is going to view your site - will they be able to see and experience all of the work you put into creating a visually interesting design based on the first guideline? Or will they have to scroll both up and down and sideways to view the whole page?
     • In order to address this most effectively, you need to understand the screen resolutions of those coming to your site. Many of us who are online all day looking at a wide screen monitor built in the past few years sometimes forget that there are people who still have their screen resolution set to 600×800 or 1024×768. This may or may not be a factor for you and your target audience, but it could be which is why you need to understand how your targets are accessing your site.
     • Based on what you know about your target base you can decide which screen resolutions you need to accommodate, but blindly assuming you only need to design for higher resolutions without knowing who is coming to your site can be a costly mistake.
   • Understanding these traffic patterns is even more important with the increase in mobile and tablet traffic. Understanding what portion of your traffic is currently coming from these devices as well as what the growth pattern for your target might be over the next few years can inform your strategy for mobile site / app development and the need for site compatibility with devices like the iPad or Kindle Fire.



3. Photos are relevant to the value proposition and content and are accompanied by text that is readable and relevant
   • Incorporating images into your site is important, but doing it correctly can be difficult. Images should draw a user in and help set the tone of the site, but they should not impede a user’s ability to access information or complete a task. Often in testing, we see that by not selecting the right image or placing it poorly within the page design, photographs and images can sidetrack a user or have unintended consequences. So a few things to consider when selecting and adding images to your site design:
     • The image should be clear and easy to understand. You do not want users staring at an image trying to interpret what is going on in the image or what it has to do with your company or its value proposition. These should be immediately clear. Where necessary, images should be labeled or include explanatory text in an easy to see and read font.
     • Images, especially photographs, when they include people should be diverse in terms of age, gender, race, etc. and show a wide cross-section of your target. We have seen far too often users react to a home page image, saying “Oh, this site doesn’t look like it’s meant for me. All I see are older women.”
     • Images should not overwhelm a page. The sizing and placement of images is key to either inviting users to explore a page or creating a roadblock to access. Images should not push key content below the fold of the page, making it unclear if there is information below the image that is worth scrolling for. Indeed, images can be used to help users know there is more on the page, but showing some, but not all of the image above the fold, you can invite users to scroll to see more.
     • Images can also be used to break up and provide interest to text heavy pages. Users tend to scan rather than read most web pages. Images can help guide them to content of interest and provide visual breaks that allow the eye to more readily move through a page.
   • Again, it is also important to make the images relevant and not just a visual element on the page - make them have meaning to a consumer. Following are 2 examples one site that does not do this and another that uses images in an innovative way:




4. Limits animation; if offered, allow the option to control it
   • I’m sure most of us can remember a time when Flash splash pages were all the rage on the web. While designers got to show off on these pages, for the most part, they were a usability mistake. Users were forced to watch an animation that might not be of interest to them, some with sound (and no sound controls) and then had to click just to begin the exploration of a site they had already requested. It’s easy to see why this is not the web standard today. Still, while animation can be an effective tool to help a site come to life, demonstrate a complicated concept or simply put more information in front of a user, too often it remains a misused tool with the most common issue being lack of user control of the element. So how do you implement animated elements correctly on your site?
     • Use animation with a purpose, not for the sake of doing something cool.
     • Allow the user to control the animation, with stopping or pausing capabilities and sound controls, including a very clear and easy to access “Mute” option
     • If you are providing different content, say in a Flash animation on your home page, provide users a way to navigate back to a story or element of interest to them without them having to either wait for it to come around again or to guess which of the 4 stories it is.
     • Make it clear how long an animation or video element will run. This will allow users to decide how they want to interact with it.



5. Content and promotions are not mistaken for ads; are relevant and compelling
   • When testing websites, we often see site designers place attractive images highlighting important content or promotions on the right side of a page. Then, when users do not find the content, many site owners are surprised as it is often exactly what they are looking for and it is presented in an attractive and visually appealing manner. So what went wrong? Users often mistake images on the right of a web page for advertising or promotional content and have trained themselves not to pay much attention to any item in that area that appears to be an ad. So what can you do to overcome this bias?
     • First, if your site does include advertising, clearly label it as such. Make sure users know when they are seeing ads.
     • Secondly, make the content look like content, not like a tile ad. Do not have the promotion or content take the same shape as the advertising you see elsewhere.
     • Next, ensure that the content or promotion is visually integrated into the page using colors, fonts, and imagery that is consistent with the look and feel of your page so it appears to be a continuation rather than a standalone component, separate from the site itself.
     • Finally, do not place unimportant content in the same area as key promotions or content. You do not want to clutter areas users may naturally overlook or train them that this area of your site will not contain content of interest to them and have them overlook important features.


Thanks for reading our guidelines on Aesthetic Integrity. For more information on improving your site, please see our previous stories on best practices according to usability guidelines: Communications and Relevance, User Control, Simplicity and Scannability and Navigation and Feedback. Also, stay tuned to our blog for more information on web best practices.

TOP 5 DO’s

1. Do keep breadcrumbs simple; extreme design or visual interest should not be the goal
2. Do keep balance in mind when designing breadcrumbs: they must be evident enough to be useful, but not take away from the content of the page
3. Do keep the breadcrumbs close to the page content, preferably near the title of the page
4. Do make each level of the breadcrumbs a clickable link (clearly indicated using whatever color, underline, etc. link convention you are employing in your site), except for the final level, i.e., the current page
5. Do be consistent in your use of breadcrumbs – you cannot do this only for a section of your site; it must be done throughout

TOP 5 DON’TS

1. Don’t utilize breadcrumbs as a primary navigational element
2. Don’t rely on breadcrumbs to make up for poor main navigation options or navigation placement
3. Don’t dynamically change breadcrumbs to match a user’s path except when displaying customized information such as applied filters; base breadcrumbs on the site’s hierarchy
4. Don’t allow breadcrumbs to be a source of confusion; if your site has many cross-links and pages fit into a variety of categories, breadcrumbing may not be a good option for you as it might create confusion rather than eliminate it
5. Do not substitute breadcrumbs for the page heading / title; breadcrumbs should be secondary to the content of the page and the page should be able to function even if the breadcrumbs are taken away

One of the most important aspects of any site is how the user can get to the information of interest. Once information architecture is considered and clearly defined, the next step is the mechanics of navigation. Users should be able to easily identify links and clickable content, use those and the feedback given by the site to move through your site with ease. To make this process as easy as possible, consider the following basic usability guidelines for navigation and feedback on your site:

Navigation & Feedback

1. Items that are clickable appear that way (navigation should have highlighting, links should be underlined, and visited links (v-links) should be in a different color
   • Links must look like links and be highly visible
     1. The main navigation, wherever it is on the page, should be immediately visible to the user by being prominent and clearly highlighted
     2. The online convention is that links are underlined, either all of the time or on roll-over or another state change, such as color change occurs on roll-over, to indicate clickability. This is important to allow users an immediate understanding of how to use your site
     3. Additionally, headlines and photos or images accompanying them are often expected to be clickable
     4. This is one area in which bucking convention for the sake of creativity can often backfire
     5. The way users surf other sites impacts how they expect to use yours, and if your navigation is unconventional and links are not clearly marked, users may abandon the site without finding what they need
   • Additionally, using color to indicate which links have been visited and which have not can help a user as they explore the site
     1. Most users do not explore a site in the specific order you have laid information out; they move immediately to the information of greatest interest to them and work from there
     2. By changing the color of visited links, you give users a map to the site, minimizing mistaken clicks and repeated content exploration



2. Provides clear feedback immediately, and near user actions
   • Too often on sites, users take an action - click on a button, click a link or complete a search or request only to sit looking at the screen being unsure what, if anything, happened. If they are not given any feedback this can be, not only frustrating, but also cause them to take action multiple times resulting in bad outcomes such as too many items added to their cart or, worst case scenario, multiple charges or bookings
   • If a user interacts with your site, your site needs to respond clearly to their action. This can be handled in a wide variety of ways, with a change of pages, a confirmation message, changes in colors or font, etc. Whichever method you choose a few rules apply:
     1. The feedback must be close to where the user took action. If you provide a confirmation message, but it is below the fold and the user is scrolled to the top of the page, the message is not doing its job
     2. The reaction must be obvious to the user. This is not the time for subtlety – it must be clear that the site is reacting. The user should not have to guess
     3. If the action taken is part of a process, do not allow the confirmation or reaction to take the user away from the intended path or limit their navigation in a way that could mean a smaller purchase or usage of the site. For example, when a user adds an item to his/her shopping cart, many sites take the user to the cart, but do not offer any avenue to continue shopping, potentially decreasing the size of purchase



3. Keeps users informed; Indicates task progression
   • Letting users know not only where they are, but how far they have to go can keep them moving through a task
   • Before beginning the process, inform users of the steps that the process includes
   • As they move through the steps, clearly indicate which step they are on, so they can track their progress
   • Keeps steps simple and only include those necessary to the process to improve completion rates



4. Upon completing a process, provides a confirmation screen with useful information
   • Just because a user completes an online process does not mean the overall process is complete; the confirmation page should be used to provide all necessary information for the user to understand the remainder of the process
   • This information includes:
     1. Confirmation of what has been done already and how the confirmation is being communicated in addition to the confirmation page (i.e., email)
     2. What will happen next in the process, when will it happen and who is responsible for it happening? For example, if a user has requested a quote, who will make contact – does the user need to call? If a user should expect contact, when and by whom? The user should never have to guess at how the rest of the process will play out – it should be explicitly stated for them
     3. What other options do users have from this page, can they view their order, track status, print the page or receipt, etc.? What about any offers or cross-sells? How can you keep the user engaged with your site? This is a great place to offer these items after you have made the confirmation and next steps clear



5. Tracks the state of the user (cookies, saved shopping carts, entered data) and acknowledges returning customers
   • It is important to users that sites recognize them so that they can complete tasks with the greatest ease
   • If you offer to remember a user, you MUST remember them; too many sites offer this option, but when users return they are not signed in. If you cannot automatically sign a user in, do not offer the option
   • Make it clear that the user has been remembered by using their name and offering a clear option for changing users if the logged in individual is not the user
   • When possible, allow the user to confirm their password to have their data pre-filled for them. Minimizing typing and streamlining processes can enhance conversion
   • If users leave items in a shopping cart, retain them there when possible
     1. If they will only be available for a specified period of time, message this to users
     2. Indicate any changes in availability or pricing when a user returns to their cart. Do not simply remove an item from the cart without letting a user know what changes have been made

Thanks for reading our guidelines on Navigation and Feedback. For more information on improving your site, please see our previous stories on best practices according to usability guidelines: Communications and Relevance, User Control and Simplicity and Scannability. Also, stay tuned to our blog and newsletter for more information on web best practices.

Sometimes it’s a basket. Sometimes it’s a bag. Whatever you decide to call it, the online shopping cart is one component you do not want to underestimate! A great shopping cart can make or break a sale in the virtual world. On the web, there is no salesperson ushering the customer towards the register or post-dressing room with chatter, “Can I hold these at the front for you?”

Instead, there is usually a small icon or text link at the top right of the page that keeps track of the products that the customer is interested in purchasing. These virtual shopping carts (unfortunately) are easier to abandon than one a customer might fill up in person, after all it just takes one click to leave the site.

It’s easy to want to get creative when putting together your website, but there are some aspects that work best when kept simple. The shopping cart is one of them. Use industry standards to your advantage so users do not have to think twice when they are shopping on your site. The golden rule is that the shopping cart should always be intuitive, easy to access, easy to update, and drive customers to checkout. Here we will go over the basics of an ideal shopping cart.

The #1 DON’T OF THE E-COMMERCE SHOPPING CART:

DO NOT take the user to the shopping cart page each time they add an item. It is best to let the user control their shopping experience and provide assistance and ease of use throughout that process. Pushing users to the shopping cart page is kind of like a waiter giving you your bill while you are still eating your entrée.

Now let’s continue with 5 basic best practices of the retail e-commerce shopping cart!

1. Cart, Basket, or Bag?

• Make life easier for your customers by providing an easy to read icon and text link in the top right section of your site for the shopping cart. If you are using just a text link, don’t be surprised if some users can’t find it. Don’t forget that not all customers are computer savvy and not all customers have 20/20 vision.

Here are some examples of shopping cart images out there on the web today along with some do’s and don’ts!

2. Link Your Cart!

• Make the shopping cart a clickable link that leads the user to a place where they can view, edit and update their cart. Avoid using a logo of a cart that isn’t linked to the product information as this can easily frustrate the user. If you are using both text and images to signify the shopping cart, it is ideal to have both linked to the shopping cart page.

3. Add + It + Up

• Each time a user adds an item to the shopping cart, confirm that the item has been added. The confirmation can be anything from a number signifier or something more elaborate like a dropdown that shows the product with the dollar amount, size, color, etc. The best e-commerce websites will allow users to preview the shopping cart without navigating away from the page they are currently on, as WalMart.com and Jcrew.com let you. After all, if you were shopping in a real store you would be able to peek into you cart at any time, not just at checkout! If you are going to enable a dropdown preview of the shopping cart for users here are a few tips on maximizing its usability.

4. The Next Steps

• Close by the shopping cart link, it is ideal to include other information related to the shopping cart/checkout process to help the user find the next piece of information they are looking for.
• Provide information about shipping and handling - If your site offers free shipping, it is a good idea to include it in this area because you know customers will already be attracted to this section of your website as they shop. Free shipping can encourage users to go through with the checkout process, as it leaves no questions about how much will be added to their total.
• Checkout - Give the user a link to the checkout flow within the shopping cart dropdown menu and in the general area of the cart. After all, the point of your site is to get the user to purchase, meaning there should ALWAYS be a clear path to the checkout!

5. Shopping Cart Overview - One step away from Checkout!

• The shopping cart overview should be similar to the layout of the dropdown menu for consistency sake. The item images and information should have the same or similar layout and the colors should also be consistent.
• Make sizes, colors, quantities and stock availability easy to digest so the user can confirm that their order is correct and that they have chosen their items accordingly
• Removing items from the shopping cart should require one click! Do not make users edit quantities down to zero in order for them to be removed from the cart.

While the majority of sites we looked at today are apparel websites, many of the same guidelines can be applied for all e-commerce websites. If you are in interested in learning more about how to improve other areas of your retail e-commerce site, please check out our other blog posts on retail e-commerce usability! Also, feel free to contact us if you are interested in finding out even more about how to improve your site.

One of the challenges most sites face is that there is an excess of information they need to convey – value proposition, marketing messaging, product information, social media and more. When trying to fit this all into a single site – and, often, on a single page – sites can become cluttered and difficult to read, frustrating customers and prospects visiting your site. So how do you balance the needs of the company to convey a wide variety of information, but still provide your customers a good experience on the site where they are able to easily accomplish what they have come to do?

Walking the line between these competing needs will be easier of you keep the following usability guidelines on simplicity and scannability in mind.

Simplicity & Scannability

1. Writing / verbiage is understandable, succinct, easy to scan, appropriate to users, and not redundant
   • While keeping the writing and verbiage used understandable may seem very basic, too often we as companies and experts in our area of focus forget that a prospect or customer may not have any base of knowledge in our space with which to place our products and services in context
     1. So, while the use of acronyms or industry-specific terms may convey exactly what we are attempting to communicate, the end user may not understand – the site needs to address all potential audiences with the language used – both someone who is new to a specific industry or product set as well as those who may need more detailed and technical information
     2. Providing overviews at a basic level with clear links to definitions of any industry-specific verbiage used will help newcomers; clear links to more technical information will satisfy the needs of those with more knowledge and experience
   • Additionally, the tone and level of the writing should be appropriate to your target audience
     1. For this, it is key to understand who is coming to your site and what they are seeking. This information can help you determine whether you should be writing at a 6th grade level or a high school level
     2. You want to make sure all users can understand your site, but that users do not feel as though they are being talked down to
     3. This balance can be particularly difficult for sites like corporate pharmaceutical websites where the needs of both a consumer and a healthcare professional must be addressed. Thinking ahead of time about the level of the writing can make the site more applicable to both audiences
   • Keeping the writing on your site succinct and easy to scan is imperative
     1. We see over and over again in testing that most users do not read sites, but rather scan for what they are looking for
     2. Most writing on a site should be in short sentences or bulleted lists – this allows users to scan the page to find the information of interest and focus only on what they are seeking, while also putting other messages that might be important to you as a company in front of them /li>
     3. As a user navigates the site, they will tell you by their actions when they are seeking more detailed information (by navigating more deeply, clicking on the links designed to provide details, etc.) which is when longer paragraphs may be appropriate to provide the depth and breadth of information the user is expecting to find
   • Finally, the writing on the site should not be redundant
     1. For most companies the issue is not having enough content, it is having too much content; Given this, you do not want to clutter your site with redundant information
     2. Utilize cross-linking and contextual linking to help users discover other site sections, products or pages, rather than talking about them in multiple places on your site



2. Categories are organized intuitively and are mutually exclusive
   • Categorization of the information on your site is vital – if users do not understand the categories you are using they will not find what they are looking for and they will go elsewhere – even if your content, products or services are better than the competitions’, users will never know if they do not understand how to access it
   • This is another area where it is important to think about how a prospect or customer is thinking about your company, rather than how your company is organized
   • While it may make sense to organize your site according to the divisions of your company, it may not match the mental model a user has when shopping for your product or service, so it is more important to match that model rather than your company organization
   • Avoid the type of terminology we talked about above, such as industry-specific acronyms or technical terminology that may not be understood
   • Utilize a categorization in which it is clear where all the content will fall; do not have any overlap in categories
   • If an overlap is unavoidable, provide easy cross-links to drive users from the each of the categories that could contain the information of interest to its location; do not make users move from their first choice to their second, etc. seeking the information



3. Appropriate amount of pagination at product list level; limits number of clicks to view products
   • While this guideline calls out product lists specifically, this applies to any key content sought from your site, be it products, articles, quotes, etc.
   • If you have long lists on your site, be sure to offer an easy way to sort, filter or move through the list to the specific item of interest; however, using multiple pages without a navigational method that allows pinpointing of the item is not a solution
   • Users need to be able to access items quickly with as few clicks and as limited scrolling as possible; this can mean utilizing tab structures or strong filtering or sorting tools that provide easy access without traversing pages of options



4. All navigation shall appear above the fold; pages limit scrolling and contain anchors if lengthy
   • All of the primary navigation you expect a user to discover and use as they move throughout the site should be visible without any scrolling
     1. This is especially important on the first page a user encounters on your site, which increasingly, is not necessarily the home page if entering from Google
     2. This does not mean you should not include any navigational elements lower on the page. For example, if users are reading content of interest which forces them to scroll, navigation to the next step in the process or to a call to action, such as “Book Now” should be offered at the bottom of the page; however, this is in addition to the navigation offered at the top of the page, i.e., “Book Now” should be offered for those who do and do not scroll
     3. This also may not be true for steps in a process which require scrolling, however all of the main navigation should still be above the fold
   • Lengthy pages requiring users to scroll extensively should be avoided whenever possible
     1. In situations where long pages are necessary, users must be given an alternative to scrolling
     2. Ideally, this would be tabs or some other structure that does not require a full page load, but in other cases anchor links can be used
     3. If anchor links are utilized, it must be clear to a user what is happening, i.e., they are being moved down the same page, and they must be given a clear path back to the area on the page where they made the selection. If this is not clear many users turn to the “Back” button and get lost in the site or have to make more clicks than necessary to navigate



5. Product details / descriptions are easily understandable
   • Not only does writing about products need to be crisp and easy to read, it must be organized in an easy to understand manner
     1. Again, limited scrolling is key and tabs can be a very clean way to organize all of the information a user has come to expect from the product details
     2. The top of the page should contain a photo and a brief overview of the information available
     3. Additional information should be clearly accessible and all of the information should be easy to scan
     4. For more detailed information on product page do’s and don’ts, See Sabrina’s blog on product detail pages in retail



Thanks for reading our guidelines on Simplicity & Scannability. For more information on improving your site, please see our previous stories on best practices according to usability guidelines: Communications and Relevance and User Control. Also, stay tuned for our next installment of the series: Navigation Feedback.

For this next installment on retail e-commerce usability, we will focus on the product page. Product pages are virtual descriptions designed to sell an item to a consumer. Since the potential buyer is unable to get their hands on the actual product, it is extremely important to relay as much accurate information as possible on the product page. What colors are available? What are the dimensions? What does the back look like? What are the shipping costs? These types of descriptive questions should be answered on the product page.

But that’s not all. Virtual shopping also entails virtual, “Do you think this will look good on me?,” “What about this one?,” and “Should we get this for Mom’s birthday?” types of questions. These questions are solved through various social tools on the product page that are becoming a standard for retail e-commerce.

This overview on e-commerce usability for the product page will cover the basics and then some. Keep in mind that your target audience and the type of product you are selling effects what the ideal set-up of the product page looks like. For example, luxury websites should not highlight the price in orange or boldly advertise savings deals, but discount sites should. For more information about product page usability specific to your company, feel free to contact us.

Product Page Information and Organization

1. What’s for sale?
To make your product pages easy to digest, it is important to organize the page so that the most important information is easy to find and logically laid out alongside the image of the product for sale. What information do your customers want to see? This partially depends on the type of product for sale, however, there are a few basic details that should also be included on the product page.

• Name of Product – The name of the product should be the title of the page, this not only allows the customer to confirm what they are looking at, but it also allows for easy bookmarking. *It is also extremely helpful to include breadcrumbs at the top of the product page so customers know how they navigated to the specific item they are looking at.
• Price – Customers should never have to search for the price of a product, nor should they ever have a doubt as to which price they will be paying for the product. The most common place for the price is directly beneath the name of the product.
• Product Images – High quality, hi-resolution (300dpi+) images of the product from various angles (front, back, top, bottom, inside, etc.)help the customers feel confident about what the product will look like once they’ve received it. If there are any small details on the product, there should be close-up images or zoom-in capabilities, so the customer is not surprised later.



• Product Description – Descriptions will vary depending on the type of goods, but they should always be thorough and include the basic information about contents, size, weight, place of manufacture, etc. Depending on the type of item there is bound to be more specifications about what’s included in the purchase, available sizes, optional colors, etc.



• Stock Availability – Be up front about available stock to ensure customer satisfaction with the website. Waiting until checkout to tell customers that their desired product won’t be shipping for a few more months usually results in an upset customer who now knows that your site is not frequently updated.

2. Building Trust
Shopping online can be risky, and customers know that things are not always as they appear. How can your website build trust? Online customer reviews can do wonders for online sales, in an earlier report, we teamed up with Relevant View to discover that “in general, 63% of users indicate they are more likely to purchase from a site if it has ratings and reviews. If executed properly, ratings and reviews can boost the confidence in making purchases as well as foster a trusted relationship with site visitors” (Source)

• Customer Reviews = Social Proof - Customers tend to trust other customers and the online shopping world proves that customers are at least interested in what others have to say about a product. Star ratings speak volumes to consumers with just one look, often answering their thoughts, “Is this product really as great as it seems?” “Is this product worth buying?”
• Seeing Stars – Whether you use stars or some other rating system, it should be easy to understand and clearly displayed somewhere within the product description. By providing a place for customer feedback, there is a sense of transparency and openness to the customers that can make the shopping experience more comforting. Not only will the ratings help other customers, but they will provide insights as to what products the customers enjoy or prefer over others.

3. Spread the Word!
Share Options – Give customers the opportunity to share product directly from your e-commerce site with an email share option (at the very least). Depending on what merchandise you are selling and who your audience is, additional sharing options may also be beneficial, such as Facebook, Twitter, Digg, etc.

Required Information – Don’t make the customers jump through hoops to share a product, this feature should be simple and quick! The best “Tell a Friend” email feature will include : sender’s name and email, recipient name and email, optional personalized subject line, optional personalized message, ability to email multiple recipients, ability to share multiple products in one email.

A few more examples…

4. Before the Checkout…
What if the customer needs help? – Customer service numbers and emails, live chats, etc. should be readily available for the shopper in case they have any questions about purchasing a product online. Instead of putting these on a separate “Contact Us” page it is a best practice to keep them on the main frame of the website or include them within the product description area to make it easy for the shopper.

Don’t leave S&H to the end – Advertise special offers on shipping & handling on the main frame of the website or the product page. If there are no special offers, provide a link on the product page that will at least estimate shipping costs for the customers when they enter in their zip code.

If you are interested in finding out more about how to improve retail e-commerce usability for your company, please contact us. In this blog series we are only covering the basics of retail e-commerce, shall we say, the tip of the iceberg.

How can you get your customers to the shopping cart faster?

In an attempt to get users to shop faster, many online retailers have added a “Quick Look” feature that allows customers to remain on the multi-product page while adding an item to their virtual shopping cart. In my opinion, this feature is extremely useful when shopping online and has the potential to increase sales.

Think about it. If users can find out the information they need about a product and add it to their shopping cart whilst remaining on the same page, they:

• can make a quicker decision about whether the product is right for them or not (meaning they can move onto another product faster)
• do not need to wait for the page to load
• do not need to click back in their browser to get back to the multi-product page
• do not lose their place on the multi-product page

However, there a few key rules that need to be followed to ensure that your Quick Look feature is effective.

1. Show it off - Make sure users know that the Quick Look feature is available on your site by simply putting the text at the bottom of each product image or by having the text appear when the customer hovers over the product.
2. Make it More than a Look - To make your Quick Look feature as effective as possible, it should have the following:
   • Item description
   • Item details (e.g., content, place of manufacturer, care instructions , specifications, special features, weight, parts included, etc.)
   • Alternate views of the product including a zoom feature
   • Alternate colors/styles available (Name and image or swatch)
   • Available sizes and inventory status
   • Add to shopping cart option
   • Add to wish list option (if applicable)
   • User rating (if applicable)
   • Sharing options (e.g., Email a friend, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

Let’s take a look at the online retailer ModCloth.com for an example of best practices when it comes to the Quick Look feature.



The only thing missing from ModCloth.com’s Quick Look feature is an option to go straight to the shopping cart (See Anthropologie.com example).



3. Keep it Quick! - One of the most obvious mistakes that retail e-commerce websites make is bringing users to their shopping cart immediately after they have added an item. Would you want to take the items you shop for to the register one by one? Show customers that their shopping cart has been updated, but don’t force them to go there until they are ready .Don’t waste their precious time!

A different way to quick look…

Now that we have looked at what makes an effective quick look tool, let’s take a quick look at a less conventional quick look feature, that is still effective.

Neiman Marcus has created an elegant quick look tool in their Beta website redesign. Instead of a pop-up that opens on top of products, the quick look information unrolls itself within the browser, revealing additional views, product name, available sizes and colors, and the option to place the item in the customer’s shopping bag.

While there are a few things missing from this quick look feature, it is still a great example of how the quick look pop-up can be aesthetically changed to match the users’ taste (Can you see what’s missing?).

Remember, usability and design go hand in hand! Added features that don’t work only clutter a website and confuse users. Make sure your site is usable. Contact us for more information about our research and testing services.