Category Archives: Usability

A quick guide to SEO for web developers

Posted on by Ben Potter

We work with a number of local web design companies and have recently been asked to put together a checklist for them to work to when creating a search engine ‘friendly’ website.

We’ve gone a little further than that and actually created a downloadable pdf from our website that not only contains the checklist but expands upon each of the points made. We in no way claim that this is an exhaustive list; occassionally issues will arise with specific projects that fall outside of this checklist; however, we feel the main points are detailed here.

For those who just want the basic checklist, here goes…(and for anybody reading the downloadable pdf and noticing that the Leapfrogg website does not adhere to one or two of the points made, we are well aware and in discussion with our web guys to address!)…

Planning
- Have I considered search behaviour at the site architecture planning stage?

Internal linking and URL’s
- Have I used text based links between pages or CSS to aid ‘spiderabilty’?
- Have I included a site map?
- Have I included a breadcrumb trail?
- Do I really need to create a framed site?
- Have I thought carefully about the URL structure?
- Are the search engines going to choke on my urls – am I using session ID’s or Cookies?
- Can I create urls that are relevant to the page content?
- Are the page names changing as a result of redeveloping the site?

Content
- Is there an area for textual content on the page?
- If using flash, is this limited to a small area and not the entire site?
- How clean is my code? How much can I place in external files?
- Have I included a bookmark function?
- Is there a useful resources page?
- Is there a news/PR page?
- Has a blog been considered?

Tags
- Can I add a unique set of Meta tags and Title Tags on each page across the site?
- Can page headings be styled using H1, H2 and so on?
- Have images been tagged appropriately with Alt Attributes?

Domains and Hosting?
- Who hosts the domain and how long is it registered for?
- Where is the site hosted?

Usability
- Am I sticking to conventional navigation and layout?
- Are there prominent ‘calls to action’ across the site?
- Has the site been optimised for minimum download times?
- How much information am I requesting on enquiry forms?
- Has the shopping cart been tested?

Please note, that there is a stark difference between search engine ‘friendly’ and search engine ‘optimised’. It is one thing to design or program a site which is compatible with search engines. It is quite another to actually optimise the website through the use of correct keywords, good quality copy, properly written Meta tags, etc. This is why it is often the best case scenario for a developer to be working in partnership with an SEO company to achieve the best results for the client.

Until next time…

Does the hype to brace web 2.0 neglect the basics of good web design?

Posted on by Suzanne Taylor
There have been many articles of late discussing Jacob Neilson’s thoughts on Web 2.0. Neilson has stated that the hype of Web 2.0 is making web firms neglect the basics of good design believing Web 2.0 is in danger of becoming “glossy, but useless”. The good practices Neilson advocates so highly include making a site “easy to use, having good search tools, the use of text free of jargon, usability testing and the consideration of design even before the first line of code is written.”

Neilson is a well known name in web design and is often referred to as a usability ‘guru’ making his commentary on any web issue quite highly considered. Neilson’s statement is an interesting one which has naturally attracted many comments of support as well as argument.

On one hand, making your site usable, intuitive and user friendly is essential to website success. Usability goes hand in hand with search engine optimisation. There is no point in your website gaining exposure on the search engines if the traffic it brings cannot easily navigate around the site and complete the desired action. Website visitors live very much by the ‘time is precious’ rule so if information is not easily accessible, they will not convert for you and are unlikely to return.

On the other hand, Web 2.0 has been a huge movement in websites design and many think that Web 2.0 goes above and beyond many design methods when it comes to interactivity. Web 2.0 is expanding the way people participate and interact online making it impossible to ignore Web 2.0 and concentrate purely on design basics.

So, where are we left now then?

I think it all depends on the site.

If your site depends on social participation from users, like digg.com, flickr.com and Youtube, then a Web 2.0 site is essential as the structure of the site relies on collaborative participation to be successful. However I think that Neilson is also right – for websites other than social networking sites. You absolutely need to ensure your website is usable, focussed and well written in order for your visitors have a good user experience as well as guiding them to carry out the desired action on your site.

What I do find interesting is that Neilson’s basics of good design are based fundamentally on human behaviour. Web 2.0 sites, without question, generate different user behaviour than more ‘conventionally designed’ sites. Does this mean that there may be scope for definitive usability guidelines for Web 2.0 websites? (I feel Neilson may not get involved.)

Articles:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6653119.stm
http://www.usabilitynews.com/news/article3903.asp