The Effective Website: The Seven-Minute Checkup Jun 1, 2007 12:00 PM
, By Larry Becker
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Site
search can give you insight into how visitors think. You should be
mining your site search logs on a regular basis, but for now, type in
the terms that the site itself flags as important: the products
featured on the home page and the category pages.
Search for these featured products at least three ways:
as they are named by the site (for instance, “6-pocket tan cargo shorts”).
as a user might describe them, using obvious synonyms and misspellings (“cargo shorts,” “kaki cargoes”).
by looking for the category each product belongs to (“men's shorts”).
Does
each of your searches produce accurate and useful results? Does the
site avoid serving dead-end pages, always suggesting an alternative?
Does the site offer help in context — say, spelling out how to contact
a live human if the results presented don't satisfy? (For a quick look
at any site's null-results page, try searching on “true love” or “world
peace.” These problems tend to stump even the most solutions-oriented
online retailers.)
Tip:
Whether browsing or searching, users expect the same item assortment
and shopping tools. Look back at this checkup's category-page section
and evaluate the site search-result pages as manageable lists. And do
they work as entry pages that provide a strong reason to shop here
instead of somewhere else?
MINUTE 5: product-detail page
Clicking
into the search-results page on your screen, take a quick sample of the
site's product-detail pages. On each page, how quickly can you find the
add-to-cart button? Is this button the most prominent element on the
page? Is it scannable, above the fold, and free of competition from
other page elements?
Use the squint test. Stand several feet away from your monitor: Is the add-to-cart button still the page's unmistakable focus?
If not, check for two likely culprits:
Ambiguity
— are other buttons on the page mistakenly given equal weight and
placement? Look for prime offenders like add-to-wishlist.
Clutter
— check for competing offers. Are the promotions on the current page
relevant to the product being sold, or are they cut-and-paste offers
more applicable to other categories that are nonetheless shouting down
your buy button?
Look
at the product copy: Is it formatted for the Web, with subheads, short
paragraphs, and bullets? Is it layered, with the most important
information first and esoteric details a click away? Or is lengthy,
repurposed print copy — unlikely to be read online — pushing your
add-to-cart button below the fold?
Tip:
An effective add-to-cart button can't be patchworked into a design. It
relies on a page with a clear visual hierarchy and a design vocabulary
that achieves prominence and focus without simply falling back on
“bigger” and “more red.”
Before clicking and moving on to the cart, take a final look at the product-detail page.
Does it supply headlines, breadcrumb trails, and cross-sell items to help place it in context?
What guardrails does it provide to refocus a user tempted to leave your site?
How well does it function as an entry page to your site? Does it make the site's unique selling proposition scannable?
TIME OUT
What
does your clock say? If slow-loading pages are bogging down your
checkup, remember to optimize your site for speed. Start here: Use the
“view source” command on your pages and look for red flags such as
nested table markup and inline scripts.
MINUTE 6: shopping cart
When
your user arrives at the cart, the page focus should shift to the
continue-to-checkout button. Now this button must be the one page
element that's impossible to miss.
Try
the squint test again. Make sure your checkout button isn't forced to
compete with elements such as “update cart” or “change quantity.”
“Continue shopping” buttons and cross-sell presentations should be the
cart's secondary focus, not the primary call to action.
Try to gauge the persuasiveness of the shopping cart currently on your screen.
Does
the cart tempt you? Does it highlight your relevant savings and offers?
Does it show you that your item is in stock and let you know how soon
you can get your hands on it?
Does the cart reassure you? Does it highlight guarantees, security certifications, and shipping and return info?
MINUTE 7: checkout
Our seven minutes are just about up. Taking a careful look at the first checkout page you see, answer these three questions:
Does
the process look trustworthy and friendly? Are the reassurances
highlighted by the shopping cart still visible, and is contextual help
available if you need it?
Is it clear exactly what you need to do next to move forward in the order process?
Is
the end in sight? Does this first page show you that the order process
can be completed in a reasonable number of steps — ideally no more than
five?
TIME'S UP
Congratulations!
Chances are this quick exam turned up several changes you can make to
improve usability and conversion on your site. Use your notes to focus
your team as you choose the next round of site improvements. Successful
redesign is rarely accomplished in one fell swoop; it requires an
iterative, project-based approach. So keep this seven-minute exercise
handy, and try it anytime you think your site could use a checkup.
Larry Becker is vice president at the Rimm-Kaufman Group, a paid-search services and Website effectiveness consulting firm.
