Website Usability Guidelines

Website Interior Pages (1 of 4)

Follow these usability recommendations:

Website Page - The website interior pages should follow the same formatting, graphic, and color scheme as the home page. Don't confuse the user by changing any of these website elements.

Interior Page Main Purpose - The main purpose of interior pages is to have the user buy products or find information. Don't confuse the user by having a lot of information on the interior page that would take away from the users' main task.

Essential Pages - All business web sites need to provide a clear way to find information about the company and policies. Your visitors want to know with whom they are doing business.

Important Guidelines - By following these guidelines you will increase your users' shopping experience, create creditability for your online business, and increase conversion rate.

• Product Page - Have a product page for each product or category.
• About Us Page - You can group company information, such as About Us, Investor Relations, Press Room, Employment and other company information in one distinct area.
• Contact Us Page - Contact information give your website's creditability. Contact information should include company address, phone number, and email address. Failure to include this basic information will decrease your conversion rate.
• Privacy Policy Page - If you gather any customer information, include a Privacy Policy page. This page will help promote your website's credibility.
• Customer Help Page - Customers want to know what your company policies are in regard to their transaction. Here are the main policies that should be included: Shipping, Defective Product, Service, Refund, Exchange, Cancellation, Backorders, and Credit Card Safety.
• Shipping Policy Page - Customers want to know what is the shipping cost before they go to the shopping cart to checkout.
• Feedback Page - If you provide a Feedback mechanism, specify the purpose of the link and whether it will be read by customer service or some other department.
• Sitemap Page - Always have a sitemap page not only for search engine optimization but to help your website visitors navigate your website.

General User's Expectations to Find Specific Items - Users have grown accustomed to looking in certain areas on a screen to find specific items. Here are the Usability Standards:

• Internal web links were expected to be located on the upper left side of the browser window.
• External web links were expected to be located on the right side or lower left side of the browser window.
• The back-to-home link was expected to be located at the top left corner. Usually the company logo is hyperlinked to home page.
• The internal search engine was expected to be located at the upper part of page in left or right corner.
• Advertisement banners were expected to be located at the top of the browser window.

In a follow-up study that analyzed participants who bought at least one item online revealed that:

• The login/register button was expected to be located at the upper-left corner of a web page.
• The shopping cart (basket) was expected to be located at the top right corner of a web page.
• The customer help button was expected to be located at the upper-right side.
• Links to specific merchandise items were expected to be located at the left upper-center of a web page.
• The account/order button was expected to be located at the upper-right of a web page.