Posted on: December 23, 2011 by Jordan Hardy
Sometimes large businesses opt to use Flash or extensive imagery on their Website. This is usually to easily get the exact look or animation they want at correct dimensions. There are often problems I find with this strategy:
- Flash and images are not as SEO friendly as integrating more real copy. Although search engines can read alt, title, and other tags, content is key.
- It is not always possible to copy text from Flash, and impossible from images. Even though there may be print options presented to users, some browsers may not display them or have images and Flash enabled.
- Sometimes Flash can be buggy, not integrating well with other elements.
- Flash is not as crawlable by search engines as many other coding techniques.
Here are some Flash and imagery best practices from my experience:
- I find Flash best utilized for animation on individual pages or set sized locations on pages.
- I don’t find Flash useful for full Websites or extensive interactivity.
- Images are ideal to show imagery, not to replace copy.
Posted on: December 21, 2011 by Jordan Hardy
In my experience, for a business to deliver value to customers, it is necessary to provide information at a balance for best interest of all involved. This may sound obvious, but it isn’t as easy as it may sound. Here are three examples of competing Websites, each offering a different amount of unique value to customers. Each screenshot below shows information above the fold within the Firefox browser at standard monitor settings. In red I’ve outlined content which adds more value for the business, generally more advertising targeted. In green I’ve outlined blocks which are non biased, helping users find fresh information. Blocks compared are center and right hand content blocks, not left side navigation.
Below image: Yahoo displays information above the fold which is based on ads and commission. Of these three examples, Yahoo delivers the least unique value above the fold for users. Yahoo stock is at $15.47 right now, the lowest of these three examples.
Below image: Bing is a Web search engine by Microsoft, offering one block of helpful organic results above the fold. Microsoft stock is at $25.51 at the moment.
Below image: Google offers two helpful blocks, one with organic results as text and the other as a map with local results. Google stock is at $625.39 at the moment.
In this example, more helpful data that brings unique value to users coincides with higher stock price. I don’t believe just these factors affect how these companies succeed in bringing unique value, but this is an intriguing example of different approaches. Years ago I would see Google frequently dominate results in Website metrics. Today I see Google still ahead and bing quickly catching up to Yahoo. I’m sometimes noticing bing users stay on pages longer than Yahoo users.
Looking objectively at these three screenshots, I know the best unique value provided for users is from Google.
- Google is offering compatible ad information to bing and Yahoo.
- The related searches section on Google is more effective than individual computers offered on bing and Yahoo. These links on Google allow people to find more information and individual product links.
- Google offers and additional section with organic local results on a map.
Posted on: December 18, 2011 by Jordan Hardy
Looking around today to see what some companies are running on their home page for the holidays, Buy.com quickly brought to mind 7 eCommerce home page tips I’d like to share. I’ve shopped in the past at Buy.com and had a nice buying experience.
With any Website I analyze, I have different suggestions. For these 7 tips, see the screenshot below.
- It doesn’t make sense to mention recommendations based on my history (middle of screenshot) as I haven’t surfed through their Website yet to build a history. Suggestions would be to rephrase, clarify why there is a red star, and/or integrate a relevant section only once a user has built a history.
- With many products, ads, blocks, and competing self identifying sections, it is too much information to digest. My suggestion is to simplify, presenting dynamic interesting information as needed. That way, visitors can utilize the page more easily. Looking closely at metrics for the Website, it is likely it could be architected to focus more on user needs and interests.
- There are offers on this page that could be the most noticeable, but they are in a similar red and black color palette. In my browser the home page takes four and a half screens at normal browser settings. The home page could still look successful at 3-4 screens, with some blocks that stand out for obvious reason.
- People are interested in price. Some blocks at the top and bottom of the page show products or categories, but no price to hook users. I’d suggest featuring special time sensitive deals, especially if they can be updated often.
- The extensive amount of linked text at the bottom is most likely there to also help SEO. I’d suggest integrating it into sitemap and shopping category pages.
- I don’t see an obvious option to sign up for a deals email newsletter. This could keep my interest if I was to leave the site without buying.
- With so many products shown at a high level on this home page, I don’t see sample article and video titles to convince me to read more. For example, there are blocks for BuyTV as well as Buying Guides and Top Picks. Compelling sample titles could be extremely interesting, enticing visitors to click and explore.
Posted on: November 13, 2011 by Jordan Hardy
Google has launched Google+ Pages this week. Google+ pages can help organizations and individuals promote their brand and interests, strengthening connections with fans. There hasn’t been a place on Google online properties formerly where companies and groups could communicate with customers, comparable to Facebook.
Google+ pages are already found in Google Search results this week. Considering that Google is leveraging Google+ pages in search, Google+ is already influential.
I suggest not replacing a twitter or Facebook presence with Google+. Google+ pages can be utilized successfully if there is a distinct purpose, different enough from other social media properties. Google+ tools such as circles, ripples, and hangouts are best used to leverage unique offers, announcements, news, and other compelling content people will want to read.
Posted on: September 9, 2011 by Jordan Hardy
I’ve been asked how the Google Panda (rolled out globally August 2011) update has affected Websites my teams and/or I have worked on over the years. Whether it is Panda, a Yahoo/Bing (Bing powers Yahoo results) algorithm update, or another search engine making changes, I find Websites I’ve worked on stay the same or do better. The reason for this is that I find it is always in the best interest of everyone to have a high quality Website with useful content, good programming, useful UI, quality links, and other positive qualities. This is from both a search engine and user perspective.
It can be of concern if a Website has too much duplicate content, low quality information, poor coding, or any other of a number of non useful items. I find it necessary to build and grow a Website that is scalable and extremely useful to users/visitors. Of the hundreds of factors I know search engine algorithms look at, I work to ensure Websites include current and possible future algorithm items.
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