Newsletter issue #11 - 1st February 2005
This issue
Hello and welcome to the February 2005 edition of the Webcredible newsletter!
In this issue:
- Feature article: Ten ways to improve your ecommerce site
- Top tip: Place content at the top
- Useful program: EyeDropper
- Top link: DevGuru CSS index
- New articles in January
- Webcredible news in January
- We are recruiting!
Enjoy!
Feature article: Ten ways to improve the usability of your ecommerce site
More and more money is being spent online as consumers switch to shopping on the web. Yet so many websites don't seem to have set aside a budget for usability, resulting in users prematurely leaving their sites before placing their order. Find out what you can do to stop your customers abandoning their shopping carts in this month's feature article...
Read this article in full at http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/ecommerce-usability.shtml.
Top tip: Place page content at the top
Placing page content at the top of each page is really important. The top we refer to here is the top of the HTML source document, not the top of the visual web page. Traditionally, table layouts have dictated the order in which HTML documents have to be written. Nowadays, with the advent of CSS we can now place content at the top of the HTML document, followed by navigation and any other on-page elements, without affecting the visual layout. This is useful for three reasons:
- Web usability By placing page content at the top of the HTML source document it will be the first thing that displays on screen, regardless of its on-page position. When users arrive at a web page the first thing they usually want to see is the page content, so by allowing it to display first your users will undoubtedly thank you.
- Web accessibility Visually impaired web users utilising screen readers hear web pages in the order that they're written within the code. By placing the page content first screen reader users can instantly access the most important part of the page: the content.
- Search engine optimisation Search engines place more importance on text placed towards the top of the HTML document. If this area is filled with useful content you'll score more points with the search engines than if it containers navigation and header information.
Useful program: EyeDropper
The EyeDropper is an extremely useful, lightweight program, which can tell you the colour value for any item on your computer screen. Just place the cursor over an image or a piece of text and the EyeDropper will instantly inform you of the colour value for that item.
You can download this handy program from www.inetia.com/en/eyedropper/download.
Top link: DevGuru CSS index
Not sure how to write a CSS rule? Then visit the DecGuru CSS index, containing a comprehensive list of CSS commands. Divided up alphabetically, just click on the command you're after and DevGuru will inform you of all the available rules for that command with examples.
Check it out at www.devguru.com/Technologies/css/quickref/css_index.html.
New articles in January
Read these and many other articles at www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources.
Webcredible news in January
- Webcredible is recruiting!
- March training course dates announced
Read these news stories in full at www.webcredible.co.uk/about-us/latest-news.shtml.
We are recruiting!
Webcredible currently has a vacancy for a Usability Consultant, which we're looking to fill very soon. If you have exceptional communication skills and a strong desire to develop yourself we want to hear from you now! Please consult http://www.webcredible.co.uk/jobs for further information and details on how to apply.
Training courses
Our February courses have sold out now so the next courses with available places will take place in our training centre in Aldgate, London in March:
- Web accessibility training - Thursday 10th March. To receive a £60 discount on the course, for more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our web accessibility training page.
- Advanced CSS training - Friday 11th March. To receive a £60 discount on the course, for more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our advanced CSS training page.
Web accessibility & CSS support packages
We now offer a range of accessibility and CSS support packages, offering you access to one of our accessibility consultants anytime you like. Please read more about this innovative service in our web accessibility and CSS help section.
About Webcredible
Based in London, UK, Webcredible is a user experience consultancy. Tailor-made usability, accessibility & design solutions include:
- User-centered design
- Accessible web design
- CMS services
- Usability
- Accessibility
- Training
- Website review lite
Please contact us on 0870 242 6095 or info at webcredible.co.uk, or consult www.webcredible.co.uk for further information.