The Importance and Benefits of web site Usability Testing

The Importance and Benefits of Website Usability Testing Want a great website? I bet you do! But do you know the most important aspect of a website? That is its usability and functionality. Thus, testing usability of website is a must.

If no one has ever complained about your site, that doesn’t mean that all the visitors of your website are using it efficiently, effectively and to their full satisfaction.

Website visitors would never make an effort to complain, except that you have annoyed them in some manner, or you have provided them an easy way to get in touch with you from every page on which they are facing problems.

Improve retention rate of your visitor: On an average, one out of five visitors to a home page of website will leave it, without exploring further!

Precise monitoring and usability testing can actually show you why new visitors are abandoning your site.

Some of the most common reasons that why new visitors to a webpage or website leave it without exploring further: a) They don’t understand the subject of website, or they simply decide that it doesn't include the exact info they are looking for, b) Website takes too much time to load and eventually they give up waiting, c) Your website requires a plug-in, for instance ‘flash’ to use, and users don’t have that plugin installed or they simply dislike that plugin, Here are some common methods to increase visitor retention: a) Keeping the front page updated, so that users keep coming back, even if they do not explore the website any further, b) Appling exit pop up ads to attract visitors, c) Offering something free or at incentivized price, Identifying slow or non-responsive parts of your website: Usability testing can disclose all types of errors and bugs in your website.

Let’s take an instance of online shopping cars: Many studies have revealed that as many as two out of three shopping carts are discarded, before the checkout.

However, by testing the usability of shopping cart and checkout system, one can easily figure out the reasons behind shopping cart drop-out and steps that can be implemented to reduce it.

Make the process as simple as possible for users!

Enhancing the brand experience of your visitors: If you are delivering a good user experience to your website visitors, then this will surely add up positivity to your brand image.

Improving the usability of your website is the primary step towards enhancing your users' site experience.

Some usability glitches that can give users a negative impression of your brand involve: a) b) c) d) e)

Website errors, Broken links.

Clumsy layout, Poor grammar, Spelling mistake,

The information architecture discipline is primarily focused on developing systems and websites, which result in two things: a) Firstly, the visitor getting the required info, b) Secondly, the visitor having a positive experience, If your website delivers users with the information they require, and they have a good user-experience, then undoubtedly they will come back for more!

Understand your audience: Testing usability of your website will also provide you more insights on how your users think and how they use your website.

Obviously, if you don't understand your audience, how can you provide exactly what they need?

What one individual says can be understood differently by the individual listening. In online era, it can be even worse, tone of voice.

In the same manner, your opinion on how your audience uses your website and what they want from it could be entirely different from what they actually require.

Increase brand experience, sales and profits: If usability testing can enhance your user-retention rate, reduce your site-abandonment rate and improve your customers' brand experience, then it is certain that your brand experience, sales and profits will improve.

You definitely need to adopt the perspective and mindset of a potential buyer, in order to boost up your sales.

To simplify this you can ask a few questions to yourself quickly: a) Would you want to purchase the products on your website? b) Are the audiences you are targeting the ideal customers for your product?

If yes, then you have reached half the path.

Next step would be to figure out: a) Is the process of finding information on your products easy? b) Do customers need additional information than you currently provide?

The concluding aspect of the process is to see whether it's easy to buy your products after the customer has elected to purchase. Is it clear where users should click to start a purchase?

Website usability testing is a crucial aspect of success of any website and cannot be neglected. However, the best option is to involve this phase of testing at early stage of website development, so that necessary changes can be implemented beforehand.