I talk to people all the time, and the topic that seems to be brought up the most is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The problem is, that approach is all wrong. Anyone who is alive, breathing, and paying attention to what Google is doing can see that Google is going beyond “elements” on a page and shifting their entire focus to the holistic organic experience that each user enjoys. A “good” user experience is rewarded by many things, one of them including better search engine rankings.
Going after search engine rankings for the sake of search engine rankings is an approach that is becoming less and less effective. That’s why at UEO.US, we are focused on the entire user experience. We know what huge companies like Adobe, Apple, Microsoft and others know … the better experience that an end user has, the more likely they are to stay on your site, and the more likely they are to engage you for your products or services.
Website Design
Website design is a critical component of a good user experience. As this study notes, poorly designed website can lead to user frustration and abandonment for greener pastures. Design elements from things as basic as navigation and depth levels to subtleties such as hues, backgrounds and font choice can make the difference between retaining and losing users.
We work with you to help determine which elements of your site are working, which are not, and how best to change them. We can provide a detailed roadmap of the changes that need to be made (scope document) and can either provide you with a quote to perform the work, or work with your preferred provider.
Our analysis includes all elements of the site, both those visible to the user, as well as (typically) invisible elements that can affect specific users of the site such as search engines, the visually impaired and others.
Mobile Experience Optimization
Mobile web use is growing year over year. According to the latest findings from comSearch, we have passed the mobile “tipping point” with more mobile users globally than desktop users as shown in this report. Many web developers are pushing “responsive design” as a design strategy that allows you to have a “one size fits all” website, with the content “scaling down” for mobile users depending on their screen size.
As this article points out, just because a site is designed responsively doesn’t necessarily mean that it is going to be a good experience for a mobile user. If desktop users were finicky already, mobile users are even more so because they frequently are dealing with slower connections, bandwidth cost, and more limited CPU power. On top of that there’s “fat thumb” syndrome.
What is “fat thumb” syndrome? If you’ve ever used a mobile device and got unintended consequences from your typing then you know what it is. When navigation is not thumb friendly and buttons are too small to be easily clicked on a small mobile platform such as a smart phone, users may either select the wrong thing or leave in frustration.
Additionally, Google, in calculating page rank, considers mobile-usability factors in its ranking algorithms. If you ignore the needs of mobile users and fail to provide a good user experience for mobile users, you may find that your search engine rankings are less than you had hoped for.
We work with you on a full analysis of your website using various mobile form-factors that are representative of the markets you are targeting to make sure that your website is “mobile friendly” and your users will have a good experience on your website.
Legal Requirements
Public businesses also have legal and regulatory obligations. One of the frequently-overlooked aspects of legal obligations when it comes to business websites is the requirement to provide accessible accommodations as outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While the applicability of ADA to company websites is still being hotly debated, with some circuits deeming websites to be “public accommodations” and others not so much, doesn’t it make sense that if you could take a few steps to make your site more accessible that it would be the best thing to do?
We can help you identify any areas where your website may be out of compliance with W3C disability standards, and help you put a plan into place to fix any deficiencies found to make your site as compliant as possible.
You can schedule your own appointment with us for a free 15 minute consultation. Or if you’d prefer, feel free to call us at 714.273.3100 to set up a no-obligation appointment.