On the web, errors are seemingly inevitable, and there are plenty of best practices for minimizing their negative effects. But what if we treated errors as an opportunity? What if we deliberately designed our customers’ error experience—not just for basic usability and clarity, but with conversion in mind?

In this article I’ll take a look at the concept of error experience design, why it’s important from a business perspective, and a few ways to turn an error into a conversion opportunity.

Why focus on errors?

I have to admit that part of my motivation here is purely selfish, as usual. I, personally, want a better, more enjoyable web experience. And errors, as the myriad stinging gnats of the web environment, should be made better so I can be happier. Simple as that.

I’m tired of seeing ugly, unfriendly errors like this one: …

[CONTINUE READING the complete article on Search Engine Land, HERE > ]

In the field of conversion optimization, there’s an understandable focus on landing pages. But why stop there? Every single touch point is an opportunity to improve the user experience and the bottom line. In this article I look at ways to optimize one of these oft-overlooked points: the thank you page.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE on SearchEngineLand >

(In the full article, you’ll find 10 examples of 4 different conversion optimization approaches for Thank You pages. Enjoy!)

View related topics: thank you page

Using faces in photos on your website presents some unique challenges. I’ll group these challenges into two major groups for this article: “Faces draw attention” and “Faces don’t mean the same thing to everyone.”
Major Challenge #1: Faces Draw Attention

People look at faces. That’s just how we’re built, as humans. We look at eyes and mouths in particular to help us identify the person, their mood, and their intent towards us.

This can pose a problem for websites if faces are not used carefully. A face — or faces — in a prominent location on your web page can easily distract attention away from your product, message, or call to action. In other words, faces can become a true detriment to your website. For example, take a look at the Shutterfly home page…

Using faces in photos on your website presents some unique challenges. I’ll group these challenges into two major groups for this article: “Faces draw attention” and “Faces don’t mean the same thing to everyone.”

…Read the full article, with image examples, on WilsonWeb.com >

This article continues a series of guidelines to help you with website image selection. In Part 1, I covered some general principles to consider, including the image’s mood, uniqueness, content quality, and contextual cropping. In this article I’ll discuss ways to use images to support and reinforce a business brand.

Guideline #1: First, have a clear understanding of your brand

Before we look at how images can support your brand, let’s back up one step and look at your brand itself. How clearly can you describe your brand? Do you know what qualities you wish it to convey? If you were to summarize your brand with only four descriptive words, what would they be? And, even more importantly, would your target audience agree with your assessment?

…  (See the full article and examples on Web Marketing Today > )

Not all images are created equal.

The right image on a web page can capture attention, inform, and even persuade your site visitors. The right image can communicate who you and your company are more quickly and powerfully than words alone can do. The wrong image, however, can confuse, annoy, and even repel your visitors. The wrong image can give your audience a negative impression of your product, service, or company that you may never have a chance to correct.

Since the selection of images can be so crucial, I plan to cover the topic in several separate articles, each covering basic guidelines that will help you learn to evaluate and select just the right images for your site…

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This article provides foundational image selection guidelines for non-designers. Read the complete article here:
http://www.wilsonweb.com/design/niehaus-choosing-images1.htm