The Need For Improving Standards In Website Usability

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The Need For Improving Standards In Website Usability

Posted On : Sep-07-2009 | seen (468) times | Article Word Count : 574 |

Website usability is an often overlooked factor amongst webmasters and business owners. If a website makes money, what's the point in looking into usability and improving visitor experience?

Website usability is an often overlooked factor amongst webmasters and business owners. If a website makes money, what's the point in looking into usability and improving visitor experience? In actuality, the usability of your website is not only vital from the point of view of converting and retaining customers, but actually much more fundamental to your online business than you may previously have thought.

The way visitors use the web is changing. At the moment, it's a gradual change, but early indicators suggest the sincerity and integrity of search results is being called into question by an increasing body of Internet users. People aren't stupid – as more people are exposed to unreliable, irrelevant results, their attitudes towards search results will change, and a growing number will switch to other means of verifying search quality.

We can already see this happening in the social web. It's not uncommon for browsers to search for external verifying information on a website as an add-on to search engine results, because browsers have independently arrived at the conclusion that a top Google listing does not guarantee integrity. As a result, independent forums and website ratings sites are providing the cross-check that some commentators suggest might one day play a much more significant role.

The changing landscape of web browsing means those that want to succeed are going to have to justify that success, rather than rely on a high ranking in search results that are of increasingly dubious reliability. The days of resting on laurels and investing solely in search engine optimization are over – as human website ratings become more prominent online (with sites like Hiztoria.com), webmasters are going to have to ensure usability and a good visitor experience, to avoid public criticism which will negatively impact on online success.

At the same time, widespread human website ratings provide users with a cross-reference against which search results can be benchmarked. If a website is associated with bad press and is spoken of negatively by customers, chances are people won't be too hasty to make these same mistakes. With website ratings sites forecast to leap to the fore over the coming year, the concern this poses is extensive and imminent – thus for website owners, improving the quality of your service needs to be of central concern going forward.

With the dawn of a new era of public accountability in search, the time to improve website usability and service is emphatically now, and there is hardly a moment to spare as the website ratings market looks set to explode. As the figurative floor opens up to public discussion and recommendation, those that don't satisfy the human side of their business will experience the brunt of this ground shift in browsing behaviour.

Trust is a fragile thing, and one which the search engines absolutely need to protect. But putting your fate in the hands of Google and co., and taking the chance that your business will be OK without fortifying your position is bordering on negligent. Reputation management is becoming increasingly important as more and more, the customer is given a platform. One negative experience can be more vocal than 10 positive experiences, so keeping that reputation in check is not only an important challenge for webmasters, but also a critical one in ensuring the enduring success of their business.

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<h1>The Need For Improving Standards In Website Usability</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_David Fraser.aspx'>David Fraser</a> Website usability is an often overlooked factor amongst webmasters and business owners. If a website makes money, what's the point in looking into usability and improving visitor experience? In actuality, the usability of your website is not only vital from the point of view of converting and retaining customers, but actually much more fundamental to your online business than you may previously have thought.

The way visitors use the web is changing.  At the moment, it's a gradual change, but early indicators suggest the sincerity and integrity of search results is being called into question by an increasing body of Internet users.  People aren't stupid – as more people are exposed to unreliable, irrelevant results, their attitudes towards search results will change, and a growing number will switch to other means of verifying search quality.

We can already see this happening in the social web.  It's not uncommon for browsers to search for external verifying information on a website as an add-on to search engine results, because browsers have independently arrived at the conclusion that a top Google listing does not guarantee integrity.  As a result, independent forums and website ratings sites are providing the cross-check that some commentators suggest might one day play a much more significant role.

The changing landscape of web browsing means those that want to succeed are going to have to justify that success, rather than rely on a high ranking in search results that are of increasingly dubious reliability. The days of resting on laurels and investing solely in search engine optimization are over – as human website ratings become more prominent online (with sites like Hiztoria.com), webmasters are going to have to ensure usability and a good visitor experience, to avoid public criticism which will negatively impact on online success.

At the same time, widespread human website ratings provide users with a cross-reference against which search results can be benchmarked.  If a website is associated with bad press and is spoken of negatively by customers, chances are people won't be too hasty to make these same mistakes.  With website ratings sites forecast to leap to the fore over the coming year, the concern this poses is extensive and imminent – thus for website owners, improving the quality of your service needs to be of central concern going forward.

With the dawn of a new era of public accountability in search, the time to improve website usability and service is emphatically now, and there is hardly a moment to spare as the website ratings market looks set to explode.  As the figurative floor opens up to public discussion and recommendation, those that don't satisfy the human side of their business will experience the brunt of this ground shift in browsing behaviour.

Trust is a fragile thing, and one which the search engines absolutely need to protect. But putting your fate in the hands of Google and co., and taking the chance that your business will be OK without fortifying your position is bordering on negligent. Reputation management is becoming increasingly important as more and more, the customer is given a platform. One negative experience can be more vocal than 10 positive experiences, so keeping that reputation in check is not only an important challenge for webmasters, but also a critical one in ensuring the enduring success of their business.About the Author: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.hiztoria.com">Hiztoria</a> is an online <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.hiztoria.com/index.php?p=allreviews">website review</a> community, allowing users to share comments, and review and rate the web. Submit your site to Hiztoria today to take advantage of the web's best <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.hiztoria.com">website ratings</a> network Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_The-Need-For-Improving-Standards-In-Website-Usability_3034.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_The Need For Improving Standards In Website Usability_3034.aspx</a>

Article Source : http://www.articleseen.com/Article_The Need For Improving Standards In Website Usability_3034.aspx

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Hiztoria is an online website review community, allowing users to share comments, and review and rate the web. Submit your site to Hiztoria today to take advantage of the web's best website ratings network

Keywords : Website Reviews, Website ratings, Website rankings, Social networking, Website reviews,

Category : Internet Business : Internet Business

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