How to assess your small business website.
Today we’ll examine how to test and assess your website’s presentation from the front end.
A website is made up from code, text, images, and other media. Visitors view the website through a browser, and the code tells the browser how to display the site’s content.
The code says, “Put the logo up at the top. Below that, place a navigation menu. Let’s display some links on one side of the page and a big block of text on the other side.” The back end of your website is all that raw stuff from which your site is made — the stuff that your website designer built.
The front end is the side of your site that is publicly accessible. When you open a browser (such as Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.) and visit a website, what you’re seeing is the front end.
Website Performance from a User’s Perspective
Front-end website assessment looks at a website from a user’s perspective. Also known as quality-assurance (QA) testing, these types of assessments provide insight that will help you keep your site friendly and functional so visitors will be more likely to stick around and soak up your content, products, and services.
Here are a few questions that are answered by looking at a website from a user’s perspective:
- How does the site look across different platforms and browsers?
- Are any links or images broken?
- Is the site user friendly and easy to navigate?
- Does the site clearly communicate its purpose?
- Is the content presentable and relevant?
QA Testing
Cross-platform and cross-browser testing involves viewing the site from different operating systems, devices, and browsers. Your site should be thoroughly checked through each browser and platform combination as well as from tablets and smart phones to ensure your mobile customers can access your content and view it comfortably.
Broken Links and Images
For your website to be fully functional, you have to identify broken links and images, and then fix them. Your website should be running on software that can suss out broken links. Users have a better experience with your website when all links and images are fully functional, and search engines will be kinder to your site, too.
Functionality and Navigation
User friendliness and a navigable structure are essential. If you site is difficult to use, visitors will quickly click away in search of friendlier pastures. Make sure it’s easy for users to get around the site with a clearly labeled navigation menu. Also, ensure that the site displays properly and that everything works as it should — for example, make sure that all videos play and contact forms work and issue confirmations.
Clarity
It’s tempting to use clever language on a website, but this can confuse visitors. Nothing scares off a potential customer faster than cryptic sales messages they can’t decipher or vague offerings they don’t understand. Be especially conscious of using internal or industry-specific jargon. If you’re a web designer, you probably want to talk freely about FTP, HTML, and CSS stylesheets, but if your visitors already know all that stuff, do you really think they need your services?
Content
Your site’s content should be easy to access and relevant to the site’s overall purpose. Every word, image, video, and link should be working toward a common goal. That goal might be to get more subscribers to your blog or newsletter. Perhaps you’re trying to draw customers to your brick-and-mortar location. Maybe you want visitors to pick up the phone and give you a call. Whatever your goals are, the content should be directly related to achieving them.
When to Assess Your Site
Your first quality-assurance review should take place after the design is done but before the site launches. You should also conduct an assessment after any major redesign. Whenever you update, add, or change the content, a quick check is in order to make sure it looks good and works properly.
You should also think about doing an annual assessment of both front-end and back-end website performance. It’s too easy to notice a broken link and think, “I’ll take care of that later,” only to completely forget about it. After all, you’re a busy entrepreneur. If you schedule regular reviews, you’ll be more likely to catch problems and get them fixed. And if you’re too busy, you can always hire a professional to do it for you.
Buzz Pro Studio provides website services to small businesses and independent professionals, specializing in website design and maintenance. For more information or to get a no-obligation quote, contact me.
Melissa Donovan is the founder of Buzz Pro Studio, providing website services to small businesses and independent professionals.
