Proof in Usability ROI is Knowing What to Measure

There are two common reasons why many small business owners or site owners do not conduct usability tests on their websites. The first is the simple fact that they cost money. The second reason is that even if they are willing to spend the money, they are afraid it may not even be worth the money. Where is the proof that I will get a return on my investment (ROI)?

The Proof is Knowing What to Measure

Yes, you can measure usability, and it may be a lot more identifiable than you would expect. The most important ones are effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. Measuring the time and success rates are the obvious tools in judging a site, but you can also use the test subject’s feedback. A users satisfaction in the form of feedback may seem a bit vague in measuring, but after getting just a few a real interpretation of a site, it starts revealing itself on how most people see it. Having pre-designed questions with multiple choice type feedback can additionally give you real identifiable numbers as well.

Setting a Benchmark

After conducting a usability test, you now have a benchmark. You know what to expect when a visitor shows up to your site, you know the probability of success, and you know what the pitfalls are. When making changes to your site in the future you will now have an identifiable measuring stick to see whether those changes were good or bad. Having a personal benchmark for your site can also be beneficial, because you can compare those numbers with industry standards.

Making It Pay

So you have conducted the analysis, you have some numbers, how does it pay? It pays off in a number of ways:

• Changes in effectiveness can be compared to the current version – Will the change be more profitable?
• Stopping/bouncing effects to users are identified – Prevent visitors from leaving your site and reduce marketing costs
• Priority in future changes are identified – Don’t waste time and money working on fixes that users think are fine the way they are. Fix the obviously bad stuff first.
• Reduce time spent on customer service – They won’t email you as much if they understand right away.
• Reduce maintenance costs – A less confusing site to the users is typically easier to manage on the back end.

Assuming your site works, and depending on the budget, two big items on that list can really pay off for you. If you can identify some of the negative items that are bouncing your visitors this can drastically reduce your marketing costs, or at least make that marketing money a great deal more beneficial. Would you like 1 out of 100 making a sale or 4 our of 100? The second one is actually knowing what needs fixing first. Every aspect of a site could use some improvement, but knowing what is hurting the most can save you big money on site development fees. It’s the quickest way to decrease the bounce rate, and to improve user satisfaction.