Web Wise: Web Users Are Selfish

In June, we talked about the 51 critical seconds you have to engage the recipient of your e-mail newsletter before you could end up in the trash. A recent BBC interview with Dr. Jakob Nielsen of the Nielsen Norman Group hammered home the same message for Web site owners: Ensure your sites are functional and easy to use because people have "become more ruthless."

Nielsen says consumers have become much more Web-savvy, ignoring most efforts to keep them on a site and hold their attention. Instead, he points out, visitors "want simply to reach a site quickly, complete a task and leave."

Today's Web users won't tolerate slow, inefficient and confusing Web sites: "People want sites to get to the point. They have very little patience," he adds.

So, what can you do to ensure your site is providing visitors with the best possible experience? Here are a few pointers:

• Focus on your audience, not yourself. Ask friends and business associates from outside the automotive industry to visit and use your Web site. Take their feedback to heart; hearing how the average consumer views and navigates your site could pinpoint some areas that need fine-tuning.

• Don't confuse your Web site with advertising. The phrase "soft sell" applies when it comes to your Web site. Your site is just one piece to your marketing plan and should be the place people visit immediately after they see your advertisement. Use your site as a place where they can learn more about your business, your services and what sets you apart from your competition.

• A picture really is worth a thousand words. Studies show that both long- and short-term memory functions are enhanced with the use of appropriate "visual cues." Look at your site and determine if there is any content that could not only be enhanced, but replaced by pictures, drawings, charts, maps or other visual elements. Remember, sometimes the picture is the message.

• Include a site map or footer navigation on each page. Make it easy for your visitors to find what they are looking for on your site. If you don't have a site map and your site is only a few pages, consider adding a simple linked text navigation at the bottom of every page on your site.

None of these items are a guarantee that you will see a sudden surge in visitors to your Web site. But a regular review of your online efforts and appropriate adjustments and updates as needed can surely earn you regular visitors who appreciate how easy it is to do business with you.

Do you have a question about ASA’s online features? Send it to me at angiek@ASAshop.org. Perhaps your question will appear in a future column!

ASA Web Ways: President's Blog

Ron Pyle

Written by Ron Pyle, ASA's president and chief staff executive, the ASA President's Blog provides commentary about the automotive repair industry and association news. Readers are encouraged to post comments on blog entries to foster a civil, focused discussion on the issue or topic. Visit the ASA President's Blog today at http://blog.asashop.org.