How Sticky is your Website Design?
Finding that “sweet” spot for the website viewer’s eyes!
As a business owner, you most like have your webpage up and your website design looks pretty good and you say “now I am in business”, and you wait for your customers to find you. Have you made a website that will KEEP your viewers to continue to check you out and find your memorable? You want your viewers to “stick” with you to the “call to action”!
Take Control Be the Magnet!
First, let’s be sure your website is attractive – and “sticky” or holds the viewers attention – to all of the important things you want to say on your website. There have been studies done to analyze where people track with their eyes when viewing a website. It shows that they reside the longest and most focused, at the top left of any webpage. They rarely get to the portion below the “fold” (hidden below the bottom of the monitor) or the next page.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/eye-tracking-studies-more-than-meets.html
Here are a few more great tips:
1. What draws more attention? Text more than pictures! This seems contrary to what we’ve been told! But the studies are showing that the headlines of texts are far more attractive to the eye than the pictures, especially if in the upper left hand corner.
2. People start viewing your website from the top left corner.
3. Again, people ignore banners.
4. Avoid fancy fonts – harder to read!
5. Lower parts of website are only scanned, not read!
6. Short paragraphs are comprehended better/faster than longer ones.
7. The best place for ads is at the top left or below your one of your awesome content sections, you will get more views.
When reading the heat map studies, it is seen that your viewers eyes start from the top left website design. If you have a great ad to promote, this is where it is most visibly effective. However, ad blindness can occur as people will get used to this placement and will ignore it. Switch it up with a great ad below great content!
8. Use texts ads rather than graphic ads.
Another concept that usually meets debate. A picture won’t convey information as readily as text will. Ads need to have information. But if you have an idea a graphic would work best, not text. But this leads to the next point….
9. If you use media, use video instead of graphics.
If you are needing to give more explanatory details, use a video more than pictorial graphics or text! Far more easier for people to understand.
10. If you use pictures – make them big! Better than small.
11. Use headlines, it will draw their attention.
People scan the first few words of headlines. They decide from there whether to continue to read that section. This is a good place for interesting wording and great keyword use! Get to the point quickly, your readers won’t tarry there long if dull.
12. Visitors will view your menus and buttons far more than other parts of your website, make them easy to understand and visible.
13. Navigation at the top of the page works best .
This can be a matter of debate. Top menus need to be short and concise thus they are simply to read and will be viewed quickly, bringing the reader to various parts of your website. However, side menus have been used well too, if on the left side.
14. Content using lists is easier to read and understand.
15. Write your content with the best interest grabbing info at the top, and keep paragraphs short.
16. Large chunks of texts tend to get ignored.
In online writing as in most ad writing, you have to forget normal paragraph development. Breaks should be logical, but they’re organized into a flow of ideas rather than distinct paragraphs.
17. White space is good.
Armed with this information you can now evaluate whether your website design is going to attract and hold your viewers. Connect with web tools like Google Analytics to help you see if the viewing time is better than just 1 minute. 2-3 minutes on a page is good, more BETTER! Be sticky!
Sources:
Direct Creative Blog
Google-Official Blog
Cheryl Gnad, social media manager/marketing specialist with Social Focus by CG. Serving small businesses and home-based businesses with their social media marketing. How can we serve you? Follow Social Focus by CG at: Facebook – Social Focus by CG, and Twitter – SocialFocusby
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