Andy Hayes - Why Your Website Sucks - as presented at Blogworld New Media Expo 2010 To learn more, visit www.andyhayes.com or www.travelonlinepartners.com

1. Exhibits: October 15-16 | Conference: October 14-16 | Mandalay Bay Convention Center | Las Vegas Nevada
Making a GreatMaking a Great
“Blog Experience”“Blog Experience”
Andy Hayes
@andrewghayes
www.andyhayes.com

2. In the next hour…
Two goals:
• appreciate what a “blog experience” is
• how to improve the experience your Ideal Readers have.

3. Usability – “Blog
Experience”
• Making it effortless for an Ideal Reader to do
whatever it is they came to your site to do.
• We’ve moved from information, to
entertainment, to instant gratification, in a
matter of decades.
• Are you just more noise?

4. Attention Span
• Convince me in 3 seconds or less.
• What would someone say about your site after…
• 3 seconds
• 15 seconds

5. Most Companies’ Ideal
Customer
• Body Text here
• Body Text here
• This is a test
• 123
Photo by PatrickQ

6. Who’s Your Ideal Reader?
• Body Text here
• Body Text here
• This is a test
• 123
Photo by PatrickQ
“persona”

7. Personas
• Include attributes, not just demographics!

8. Feedback
• 80% of your website’s problems can solved by
asking for feedback.

9. Getting Feedback
Specificity
Cost

10. Surveys
• Do NOT Overengineer
• The best survey is a text email: What works?
What doesn’t?
• Google Forms, 4qsurvey.com,
kissinsights.com

11. Focus Groups
• Get a few of your readers together and chat.
• Could be virtual, or what about real life if you
can?
• Do what works for you – there is no formula!

12. Testing
• You don’t need expensive labs or equipment.
• Test Internet novices vs experts, new readers
vs regular readers.
• Do It Yourself, or: whatuserdo.com,
feedbackarmy.com, fiverr.com, userfly.com,
fivesecondtest.com

13. Measuring
• If you aren’t measuring it, you can’t improve it.
• Pick one thing and work on it for a month.
• Use a simple tracking document OUTSIDE
analytics.

14. Tweaks
• How to improve? Again, one thing at a time…

15. Piss Off Your Designer
• Users like comfortable.
• When breaking the visual design is ok…

16. Headers and Homepages
• Used to be the homepage was important, but
now every page is an entry point.
• Every page should be clear on:
• What is this place?
• Can you solve my problem?
• Can I trust you?
• What is the next step?

17. Get an Edge
• It’s not about what’s above-the-fold, but what
is on the fold…

18. Make it Stand Out
• Emphasize what you want them to click on

19. Affiliations & Testimonials
• Why should I trust you?
• Great Ideas:
• Rotate testimonials (WP Quote Plugin)
• Contextually-Appropriate Testimonials
• Logos/Images of Affiliations (“as seen in”)

20. About & Pictures of People
• People like to do business with people.
Speaking of which, how’s your about page?

21. Different Strokes, Different
Folks
• Scavengers read every word
.
• Follow-Your-Nose’ers just click without
asking for directions
• Shiny,Happy People like pictures & images

22. The Pause Point
• Always close with a call to action
• EVERY page. Yes, even the About or FAQ!

23. Other Common Mistakes
× Fonts Too Small
(14 pt is minimum)
× Distracting Widgets in sidebar
(tag cloud, archives, blogroll)
× Poorly designed / unorganised menus
× Not catering for both new & regular readers
× Going too fast or too slow (products/services)

24. Recommended Reading
• Why Your Website Sucks –
http://www.travelonlinepartners.com/resources
/by-product-line/mastery-guides/why-your-
website-sucks
• http://www.socialtriggers.com/ - free report
• http://www.sensible.com (Don’t Make Me
Think by Steve Krug - pick it up on Amazon)
• http://www.whatmakesthemclick.net (Neuro
Web Design - pick it up on Amazon)

25. Closing Thought
Great businesses are obsessed about their
customers.
Are you obsessed?

26. Q & A Time!Q & A Time!
• Got a question?
• Got an action item to take home &
work on?
@andrewghayes
www.andyhayes.com