Should I have a Home button?
Right now I am occupied with beta testing my web clinic service, and one of the questions that is coming up is whether (in these modern, artistic, web-savvy times) the little button that says ‘Home’ is really needed. Yes. Yes it is. 1. People know less than you think While it’s true that people are more web-savvy these days, this is not universal. I have sat through many, many website testing sessions where people laboriously find their favourite websites through the search engine every single time. More people than you would believe just don’t know that the company...
Read MoreAnd this is where my brain exploded
Half-way through a serious-minded survey on Internet use by a terribly reputable research provider, I reach this question. Reproduced here in its entirety. Which one of the following statements best describes how you use the internet to express opinions or share information with other people? Please select one only. Quick, at the back, HOW MANY problems can you spot with this question? … 1. Asking two questions in one 2. Giving twenty-five options 3. Many of the options don’t relate to the questions (how can ‘listening to a podcast’ be classified as...
Read MoreValentine selection: five from the archives
I’m cheating today. On the assumption that you’ll be swamped by Valentine-themed content of all types, I am going to dig through my archives and blow the dust off some older posts that deserve more love. Hopefully something for everyone. Fair warning: some of these are from 2007, which is like 1850 in internet terms. 1. Practical usability How to Evaluate Your Website What it says on the tin. 2. Going beyond the polite and acceptable when talking about internet use Are We allowed To Talk About Downloading Why research may barely scratch the surface: things that people will...
Read MoreIs listening actually profitable?
(Note: if you commented yesterday and your comments appear to have gone, don’t worry – I changed to the Disqus system and they’re chugging through the system. They’ll all be back shortly. Fingers crossed) A lot of our sales systems are pretty broken. The retailer produces a Thing, and sells it desperately to the consumer. The consumer wants a Thing, and fights her way through the jungle to find something she likes at the right price. Much of the time our wants and needs are in opposition. The case of the hard-sell sofa shop I’ve been watching Mary...
Read More10 things I hate about your business blog
Usability – the fine art of designing a site so that readers can use it easily to achieve their ends – is usually considered something more relevant to big businesses. Unfortunately, no matter what size of operation you run, your web presence can delight or utterly frustrate the people who stop by. Here are my Top Ten peeves. I believe that every one of these nasties make your site less easy to use, or less professional in image. Your mileage may vary. 1. Messy, cluttered, confusing layout. As I land on your site, what do I see? Multiple menus, strange badges from...
Read MoreManifesto
Some of us find it quite simple to put our real organisations and authentic selves online.
Others - well, let's just say that some of us can't bear to look at our own websites.
My mission is to help you transform your online presence so that other people understand and appreciate what you really have to offer. So that you can achieve what you want - whether that's better engagement, more readers, or more sales.