How to Learn if Your Website Works
Jill Kurtz, Owner, Kurtz Digital StrategyYou want your website to offer a good user experience. Does it? You need to get feedback and data from actual users to get the answer.To create a good experience, you need to be sure you have the basics covered:
- Fast to load
- Mobile-friendly
- Easy to read
- Visually compelling
- Working navigation
- Links that connect related information
- Clear and easy calls to action
These basic elements should result in a site that meets user expectations. But, to refine your site to one that creates a great experience, you need to get feedback from the people who use it.How do you get feedback?
- Survey visitors. Ask people to complete a short survey at the website. Many sites ask just one question to make it easy for users to give feedback. Have preset response options like “yes” and “no” and also room for comments.
- Add a feedback link to your footer. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. Having a feedback link on every page lets users know you want their comments. This can lead to a comment form or connect to an email address.
- Analyze your metrics. Be sure to monitor your web analytics. What are the most popular pages? Where do people leave the site? How much time do they spend on the site? Look for insights into what users are interacting with and what’s falling short.
- Set up a test. You can also take the step to invite users to help you test the site. You can use a testing tool or just ask people to complete a simple task and provide feedback.
No matter how you get feedback, be sure to thank the people that take time to provide their thoughts. Positive or negative, all feedback is valuable to ensure your website is working as you want it to.And, certainly, be sure you act on the input you get. You may think that people are not paying attention or are missing what is obvious, but failing to act to fix issues identified is a huge missed opportunity. Make sure you are open to all ideas that help make your website a great tool for your business.
