Why You Should Care About Web Usability By Andre Charland, Nitobi Software, www.nitobi.com No matter what kind of business you run-building software, fixing cars or selling books-you probably have a website. If you don't already, you're going to be marketing and selling online by the end of the decade. So, it's critical that you know whether or not your website is converting visitors to customers, or just sending them packing. First, what is web usability? In short, it means ensuring that the interaction between the your website and your visitor-the so-called 'end user' experience-is smooth and easy. A simple, efficient, online experience makes for happier visitors. Marketing guru Seth Godin says that a website needs to "turn a stranger into a friend, and ten a friend into a customer." Visitors who understand how to use your site, and quickly and easily get the information they want are more likely to become customers. Here are five tips for improving your website's usability: Ensure that your website is designed to meet industry web usability standards. Ask your web designer to describe these standards. If they can't, find a new designer. Focus on your site architecture. Carefully consider the hierarchal structure of your site: which pages belong under which category? What pages belong in the main navigation menu? How many clicks are there between a new visitor and the 'Check Out' button? Do usability testing. Watch a focus group navigate your site, or use an online tool like Robot Replay (http://www.robotreplay.com) to view recorded screen movies that show how users interact with your website. Use Rich Internet Applications. They're applications that use technology like Ajax and Flash to add cool functionality to your website, like pop-up calendars for choosing dates or Excel-like spreadsheets. Adding these kinds of features to your site is cost effective and easy. If your web designer uses Adobe Dreamweaver, they can use Nitobi's Complete UI to drag and drop great UI features into your website. Just because you can add Ajax and Flash features to every page of your site, doesn't mean you should. Keep it simple, but effective. By following these tips, you'll help ensure your visitors aren't leaving your website frustrated and discouraged, but instead are becoming happy customers