User-proof website
Sounds strange, isn't it? Be honest - user is our best friend. User is reason why we are building web sites and putting informations into it. But user has strange ideas too!
- Is trying use links which aren't exists on your site,
- is trying use keywords instead links,
- is not using www prefix,
- and is trying use internal links without login.
Website, which is not robust enough, will answer with "Error 403 - access denied" or "Error 404 - page not found" info (do you know what the error numbers actually means?) or (without prefix) will work as usually, BUT like another site, that means, your Google (Yahoo etc.) ranking will lower because is the same content on two different (with and without www) websites! It is not very user-friendly, is it? And you can be sure you lost yours user. He means you haven't content he demands and does no matter if he is wrong (user has everytime right...).
What we can do to solve it?
1. User is trying use link which are not exists on website (mispelling problem)
On website of company Noble drinks, centre of Aberdeens Whisky and Wine Clubs, which we made, is link:
but not:
- http://www.noble-drinks.co.uk/content/tastings/private-tastign (last two letters are switched).
What will happens, when we will use the broken (mispelled one) website link? Try click on it (click will open new tab in your browser). None error but page exactly the user looking for! With informations for user:
User got exactly for which he came - even with a broken link!
2. User is trying use keyword instead link (speculative user)
On the same website of Noble drinks is not exists link:
but this website is mainly about whisky (and wine). What happens if speculative user will try it? User will find content for which he came and will got human-readable information for future:
User got exactly for which he came - even with a non-existing link!
3. User will not use website www prefix (lazy user)
Try click on http://noble-drinks.co.uk. What happens? Look at address bar of your browser - even you use website address without prefix, address of webpage of Noble Drinks is have prefix now! Kind of web development magic is working for you.
4. Forgetful authentificated user (can be you)
If you will have website from us (and you can easily keep yours present graphics so users will not notice any change), you will have powerfull administration engine deep inside website (you can try some possibilities of it here for free) and you can simply forget that you are not logged in and without login you are only user like any other. So what will happens? Error message? Forget it... This webpage exists on Noble drinks, but can be reached only by administrator of website:
Try what happens if it will used by you... That is we calling user-proof website. It means user friendly.