Usability: Making Better Websites with Dead Simple User Experience
Let’s get something straight: We’re all marketing to humans.
Yes, customers’ perspectives, experiences and industries may differ — even within the life sciences industry. But at their core, all current and future customers are humans who don’t want to think too hard when they’re on our websites.
Don’t just take my word for it. Consider these three pieces of sage advice from renowned user-experience consultant Steve Krug. Krug, who wrote “Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability,” is a big fan of simplicity. He advocates common-sense approaches to create exceptional, user-friendly websites.
1. “Get rid of half the words on each [web] page, then get rid of half of what’s left.”
When it comes to developing a powerful digital presence, Krug reminds us that our customers don’t have the time or attention span to dig through a lot of content. Heavy text or overly cluttered pages will require people to think, and you’ll lose your audience’s precious attention. To be effective, serve up what they need and get out of the way.
2. “Your primary role should be to share what you know, not to tell people how things should be done.”
Your users will be looking for a specific element about your company. They don’t want to dig through your site to find the information they need. So, while you may assume customers will want a complete background of your company’s history, they may just want a few technical specs and an easy way to contact you.
3. “Testing one user is 100 percent better than testing none.”
There’s no longer an excuse not to test your websites and apps. User testing can be simple and painless, especially if it’s phased in early. It’ll help keep you honest and make solid arguments that less is more before sites go live.
Remember, your human customers don’t want to think. They, like you, simply want the information they need to make better decisions. So when you’re planning your digital presence, new apps or even simple copy changes, channel your inner Krug and put usability first.