It's on the wrong side!
We love the Brits--Rock & Roll, the Olympics, bully bully and all--but their steering wheel's on the "wrong" side of the car. As my twin daughters would say, "That's so annoying!"
Would you buy a new car with the steering wheel on the right? Probably not...it would be a pain to drive because you're not used to it.
But many websites consistently annoy their visitors by placing their content in the wrong places. They create friction for visitors who click away if things aren't where they're used to seeing them.
Check out these three pieces of content to be sure your steering wheel is where people expect it.
- The homepage clearly identifies your company and reflects its brand, name, logo, and tagline in the upper left corner. Notice next time you're searching for info online. Where do you glance first to find the company name? That's right, top left.
- The primary navigation runs across the top of the page or down the left-hand side--NEVER on the right. This is especially deadly on an Ecommerce site with thousands of products. Your website visitors need your product but they're in a hurry. You don't want them wondering, "Is that the product list on the right side?"
- Whether you're an architect, insurance agency, or investment adviser, place what you do in the headline or pre-headline (eyebrow) above the fold. Don't make your visitor have to figure out what you do...they most likely won't take the time. They'll just click away.
And these aren't the only content placements to consider. That's why I use a special tool, my 21-Point Usability Checklist, to analyze the "steering wheel placement" on my clients' websites. It's quick and easy to find the friction points in their sites that might be "so annoying" for their customers.
Give me a call and I'll analyze your site. It's free because I'm always happy to help web marketers with the more simple, basic changes that make a big difference.
Until next time,
Nick
