How Active is Inter-Active?"Interactive," like "post-modern," is an impressive word, though no one precisely knows what it means. This can be confusing--not to mention annoying-but the lack of a clear definition provides a good launching point for brainstorming. We'll leave "post-modern" to the Derrida theorists. What does interactive mean, then? Let's break it down into components: "inter," means through (a relationship is established between two objects) and "active," means it actually does something. Using this definition, a simple email form becomes "interactive." The user acts upon the form, and the form sends mail. Simply put, it's the cyber version of conversation: exchange in all its forms. You just want the user to leave feeling as if they received something, whether that is a return email, a bit of trivia, or a slideshow. Most of us (including myself) are used to thinking of "interactive" as a Rube Goldberg whiz-bang collection of interactive flash features or auto-checking radial-dot forms that are smarter than we are. Of course, this causes us to push the concept of "interactive," out of our heads, because it sounds too complicated to be bothered with. But believe me, it's worth pondering (and implementing) at least a few interactive features. Here's a short list of ways to make your site more interactive without drastically increasing download times, or giving yourself a migraine as you attempt to decipher a complicated audio/video/bell and whistle software package. *Weekly newsletters (naturally) *Discussion boards *Professional tips and advice *Printable "coupons" for goods or services (which rewards users for visiting the site) *Calendars *Events related to your website's subject (conferences, speakers, etc.) *Recipes *Free samples of your product/service *polls and surveys *Frequently updated articles (iSyndicate and FreeContent are two good sources of copy. You can find them at www.isyndicate.com and http://www.egoups.com/group/Free-Content) *Q and A columns, using reader's questions (this should also be updated as frequently as possible) *Quick, reliable customer service *Easily located contact information (name, phone, address, email) *A bio page-if people feel like they're dealing with another person (rather than a borg-bot) that's the original human version of interactivity. *Easy, clear navigation *An order form/catalog/shopping cart that is easy to find, easy to use (and hopefully secure). You've probably already implemented some of these, but if not- what are you waiting for? You've got nothing to lose--except bored, confused users. About the author: WHAT MAKES USERS CLICK? Expert Stefene Russell will do a complete analysis of your site, including personalized tips on copy and design. Whether you're an e-business or a content provider, find out how to make your site professional and effective. Get Stefene's free web site tips newsletter at http://FixMyWebsite.com Reach her at stefene@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.Read similar articles: Nine Effective Tips For Improving Your Website’s UsabilityLove at First Site: Giving Your Website Visitors the right Impression Other Ways to Look at Things Don't Make Your Website User-UNfriendly! Moving Things Around So Much About META Tags! Turn Benefits Into Sales with Streaming Media Through The Looking Glass 10 Ways Web Site Text Can Impact Your Reader's Buying Decision Graphic Design Using Color warsaw hotels hot milf sylwester w górach arcade games narty
|