Website User Behavior

It’s a human trait to think that everyone else thinks and acts like oneself. But in the world of business, and more specifically website user behavior, this assumption can cost you much traffic and conversions. Clear your mind and mull on these facts of user behavior.

Sea of Text

Avoid large blocks of text. Paragraphs and paragraphs of text are very intimidating for the user. They are searching for one specific thing and most do not want to wade through a sea of text in order to find it. A good rule of thumb is to give every paragraph a header.

Your text should be formatted to SELL. Whether that’s ideas or products, the format is the same. Easy digestible text.  Liberal use of bullets is also recommended.

Avoids Ads

Over the years, website users have adapted themselves to block out ads which appear on the right side column of a website. The right column in general is now ignored, regardless of its content. Therefore, put your call to actions and items of importance in the center column, where it will be seen.

Slide Shows

Users don’t sit and patiently wait to click through all slides of a slide show. Whether they are large slide shows at the top header area of a site, or smaller slide shows in the content area. Unless the slide contains crucial information users will typically view one and then move on, continuing their search. Slide shows should be fast and have less than 6 slides.

Photo Galleries

Users don’t view hundreds of photos in a photo gallery. For photo galleries of completed projects, or portfolios less is more. Users respond the same way to a sea of text as they do to a sea of photos. Save the best of the best for your photos and have them in categories. Avoid photos of the same scene/thing from different angles. For example, if you have a photo of a pool, don’t put five pictures of the same pool from different vantage points. Of course if you’re selling a car then obviously you’ll want photos of the front, back and sides. But for portfolios, keep the photos varied and high quality. If the photos are not awesome then they should not be there.

Direction

Users don’t do anything unless you tell them to. When they reach bottom of page they must be directed to do something next. Many will just leave. Keep the user engaged and keep him taking his next step. You should consider your website as part of your sales funnel.