Usability tips to boost web traffic

Simplicity is a virtue for text on web sites, says the Nielsen Norman Usability Group

Net guru Jakob Nielsen is advising firms to give more thought to the words they use on their web sites, and use simple terms where possible, to maximise traffic.

Nielsen, who heads the Nielsen Norman Usability Group, said that if language on a site is easier to understand it typically improves search rankings and usability.

In his Alertbox column last week, the usability expert noted that users are increasingly driven to web sites by search engines and search results – and unless sites appear in the top search results they are unlikely to be discovered.

To achieve a high ranking in search results, Nielsen said that developers needed to “write to be found… and use keywords that match users’ search queries”. Using his own site as an example, Nielsen said that users were more likely to search for ‘usability’ than for ‘easy’ – particularly if they were knowledgeable about this area.

Nielsen also suggested that firms should avoid new buzzwords, and avoid coining their own terms. Nielsen said that though such words might catch on, it is more likely that users will “continue to use their old terminology”. For similar reasons, Nielsen said firms should use generic terms for their products and services, as opposed to brand names.

Nielsen will present guidance on writing for the web at the User Experience 2006 event.