Usability Testing to Increase Web Traffic Sales
Posted on 15. Oct, 2009 by Lyz in blog, web usability
One of the most affordable optimisation tools to improve search engine rankings is to carry out a usability study, ideally with people unfamiliar with your website or product.
Unless your product is highly specialised, it’s a mistake to source only those who fit a particular profile. Web usability means accessibility to all, so think of profiling as a broad group exercise, rather than specialists from within that group.
On-line usability testing studies are easy to set up, and accurate in that the volunteers are sited where your clients will be – at a computer.
Click2Customer are all for industry forums – they make excellent networking tools. You could, for example, make a public request followed by PM’s and emails. Make sure you post an accessible URL, give clear instructions about the task and a time frame within which to complete it.
Usability testing is all about recording feedback – both positive and negative – and acting upon it. The questionnaire you provide should be easy to fill in, and easily returnable. Don’t ask for personal details – keep that for the real clients!
The most positive Click2Customer reports are those where the site is memorable. So send a follow-up questionnaire a few weeks later, asking what elements of your site stuck in the volunteers’ minds.
Another affordable optimisation tool is to insert a quick survey on your site at point of sale. You could offer an incentive, such as 10% off their next purchase. This will also help improve search engine rankings for your site.
2 Responses to “Usability Testing to Increase Web Traffic Sales”
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Hi Lyz. I am a PR agency guy in the US. Liked the tips here. I liked “On-line usability testing studies are easy to set up, and accurate in that the volunteers are sited where your clients will be – at a computer”
I have a client in this space (with a panel of folks in US and in UK). Does Cick2Customer offer this sort of online usability testing? If not, happy to share a link to Website Magazine article that reviews some of the various tools out there.
Hi Bret great to hear from you – click2customer doesn’t offer usability testing as a service so would be great to link to a review of some tools people could use to get started!