Newsletter issue #44 - 1st November 2007
This issue
Hello and welcome to the November edition of the Webcredible newsletter!
In this issue:
- Feature article: Ecommerce imagery - Persuading with pictures
- Top tip: Use styles for all link states
- Useful program: SMOG Calculator
- Top link: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design
- New articles in October
- Webcredible news in October
Enjoy!
Feature article: Ecommerce imagery - Persuading with pictures
Maximising the effectiveness of images when selling online is crucial, as users obviously can't pick up or touch products. This month, we provide you with some essential guidelines for using images to optimise online conversion rates.
Read this article in full at www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/images-ecommerce.shtml.
Top tip: Use styles for all link states
Depending on various user actions, a link can be in a number of different states. All too many website designers seem to forget this, only styling links for their default view. Ideally the default link colour should be in a high contrast colour that stands out from non-link text so users can easily spot links on the page. Declaring alternate colours and/or background colours for their other states is also very beneficial:
- Visited state When links become visited their colour should ideally change to a more saturated colour. This way users know exactly where they have and haven't been. As such, they won't inadvertently go back to where they've already been and can easily return to pages of interest they previously visited.
- Hover state Users often screen-mine with the mouse when browsing through a web page, that is, point the mouse at where they're looking on the screen. Changing the appearance of links when the mouse hovers over links provides users with immediate feedback as to what is and what isn't a link when they do this.
- Active state An active state for links is also useful as it provides users with feedback that a link has indeed been clicked. This is particularly true when users have to wait a while for a new page to load (e.g. if they're on a dial-up connection or it's a very heavy page). Active states are particularly effective when the background colour is changed.
- Focus state Most websites fail to provide a focus state for links yet doing so is so important for keyboard-only users. By changing the background colour on focused links users tabbing through web pages can easily see where they are on the page.
Useful program: SMOG Calculator
The SMOG Calculator is a nifty program that can quickly tell you how well written any content is, in terms of its simplicity. SMOG, or Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, is a formula for estimating the years of education needed to understand a piece of writing.
Use this useful program at www.harrymclaughlin.com/SMOG.htm
Top link: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design
Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design is an online book (a print copy is also available for purchase) that explains how to involve accessibility throughout the user-centered design process.
Read this useful book at www.uiaccess.com/accessucd.
New articles in October
Read this and many other articles at www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources.
Webcredible news in October
- 2007 ecommerce usability report now available
- Webcredible to exhibit and present at Ecommerce Expo
- Webcredible presenting at ECMOD
Read these news stories in full at www.webcredible.co.uk/about-us/latest-news.shtml.
Training courses
Courses continue to sell out well in advance! Our next training courses will take place in our training centre in Aldgate, London in November, November and December:
- Usability testing training - Monday 5th November & Monday 21st January. For more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our usability testing training page.
- Writing for the web training - Tuesday 6th November, Monday 3rd December & Tuesday 22nd January. For more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our writing for the web training page.
- Web usability training - Wednesday 7th November, Tuesday 4th December & Wednesday 23rd January. For more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our web usability training page.
- Web accessibility training - Thursday 8th November, Wednesday 5th December & Thursday 24th January. For more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our web accessibility training page.
- Intermediate CSS training - Thursday 6th December. For more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our intermediate CSS training page.
- Advanced CSS training - Friday 9th November, Friday 7th December & Friday 25th January. For more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our advanced CSS training page.
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.