Attracting Joe Surfer to stay: It's the navigation stupid

Submitted by Markus Merz on September 4, 2007 - 2:16pm in
audience

blog

internet

"How do you bring the non bloggers to your blog?"

Simple and highly interesting question by debng (What a nickname).

I have no idea how to find something on your page.

Believe it or not but this is the main difference between people used to read blogs and standard Susan Surfer. Standard websurfers have no idea how a blog works. They want to SUCK information. FAST!

Remove all the typical blog buttons
Have a standard Web 1.0 vertical left side navigation block WITHOUT whistles and bells

Chronological navigation is a very big NoNo if you want Susan Surfer to stay!

Make it top, left and main again like in the good old 'frameset' days. Susan will love you and send you cookies all the time.

User interface resources? Links welcome...

Markus Merz's blog

totally agree - a bit

Submitted by Ahmed Bilal on September 4, 2007 - 4:40pm.

totally agree - a bit simplified, but you're spot on otherwise

a bit simplified

Submitted by Markus Merz on October 12, 2007 - 2:40pm.

Simplification exactly is the key to get standard surfers to stay.

User interfaces. Lately there was a great article on smashingmagazine.com. They produce nice lists of many subjects, btw:
30 Usability Issues To Be Aware Of

Cleaning Up The House

Submitted by Markus Merz on December 8, 2007 - 5:12pm.

Follow-Up: Better Design: Cleaning Up The House

Can you imagine that a visitor feels 'at home' when the landing page follows some navigation standards and doesn't look like a free jazz ensemble of web 2.0 widgets and buttons? (More...)