Evaluating websites, while certainly a practice we all engage in just by browsing the Internet, is also a specialty of DexterityMedia. Professional website analysis (not to be confused with Web Analytics) is the system by which a website is evaluated for usability and search engine friendliness.

A number of factors should be taken into consideration when conducting a proper and thorough Website Analysis. Information design, navigational hierarchy, URL names and keyword density are just a few of the categories that should be included in any thoughtful Website Analyst’s final report. Naturally, the basic design, color scheme, fonts and images used in your website should come under scrutiny as well.

What “looked good” three years ago in terms of design and the technologies used to present information may be outdated, even laughable today. It is both exciting and sad, honestly, that our collective Internet savvy evolves so quickly. The hardware continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and so too does the means by which we reach prospective customers and existing clients. What was “cutting edge” and “must-have” a few years ago is now gimmicky and annoying. It is imperative that businesses stay abreast of emerging technologies and the associated trends in information presentation.

But that’s Just Your Opinion

If the word of a professional Website Analyst seems to some to be on a par with that of the film or food critic’s, that of a matter of opinion, then the Website Analysts owe it to their clients to offer substantiated proof that their “opinions” are supportable.

Usability Studies

A usability study, while taking a variety of forms, can involve test subjects, made up of Internet users of varying levels of skill, who are assigned tasks to perform on the website being evaluated. They may be asked to find a particular product, download a sample, fill out a form, or proceed to checkout. Their times to complete these tasks are tracked and their personal evaluations of the ease of these tasks are rated. With this “hands on” involvement by Internet users, useful information otherwise unknown by those too close to the project can come to the surface.

Eye Tracking

Eye tracking, while a more costly means to gauge audience interaction with your website, will provide you with definitive, hard data to support suggested changes to a website’s usability. Eye tracking involves the use of a special camera focused on one or both eyes, which records their movement as the viewer looks at the website.

Helping The Spiders Find Food

Did you know that many practices common to web development actually DISABLE a search engine from seeing website content? One of the most important goals of a usability study or website analysis is to ascertain how well the search engine spiders and crawlers are finding your information, the better to be reached by your potential customers. From URL naming to linking, there are certain guidelines that must be followed if the search engines are to find your information. Moreover, these guidelines will ensure that pages of information (and perhaps your entire site) are not penalized or even banned by the search engines.

Information design and site development as practiced by DexterityMedia, a leading Dallas Search Engine Optimization Company & New York Interactive Media Agency, will ensure that your website is working optimally for your customers and visitors.

To put the DexterityMedia team to work on your site development and online presence management campaign, contact us today.