Effective user testing for corporate websites

A corporate websites differs from an e-commerce website, that is a fact of life. In this article Jungle Rating provides tips and tricks for an effective user test, specifically for your corporate website.

A corporate websites differs from an e-commerce website, that is a fact of life. The first aims to communicate effectively with its stakeholders, whereas the latter will tempt visitors to buy a product or service. You should take into account these differences when testing the user experience of your website. In this article Jungle Rating provides tips and tricks for an effective user test for your corporate website.

Performing a usability test is a good method to analyse user behaviour and identify bottlenecks of the website, either in navigation, content, functionalities or design. A usability test is qualitative by nature, so keep in mind that is not possible to draw any quantitative conclusions based on six to ten interviews.

Getting the right respondents

• Contact known stakeholders: your company’s financial analysts frequently visit your corporate website. In our daily practice we notice that they often are willing to participate in a user test, as it is in their own interest to improve the website. This goes for the majority of all known stakeholders.
• Always offer an incentive: Not all users are able to accept a financial compensation for their participation, but a voucher or a donation to charity might be a good alternative.

Real-life test scenarios

• Ask financial analysts whether the available financial key figures suit their needs. We notice that they often have remarks, and even some suggestions for improvement.
• Ask a job seeker to find, read and evaluate the employee testimonials in the ‘Careers’ section of your website. Do they appeal?

Setting up the test

• Hairdressers use mirrors, usability testers do not: using a one-way mirror does not contribute to a real-life surfing experience. Instead you should inconspicuously locate a camera in the room, which films the users. Always inform them beforehand on the presence of the camera. (We notice that after an introductory talk users tend to forget the presence of the camera.)
• Put some effort in getting to know the user: It is important to know with whom you perform a test. We always start the test with a little conversation about the user’s daily occupation, information needs and internet usage. In the remainder of the test this enables you to adapt scenarios to the user’s personal situation, which makes the test as real-life as possible. Another advantage is that users tend to be more relaxed after a little introductory conversation.
• The website can be wrong, users not: It is important to inform your test persons on the fact that they can never be wrong. Any problem should always be attributed to the website. By telling this, you will reassure the test persons.

Your visitors determine the success of your website

Despite all your good intentions, it is up to the visitor whether your corporate website is successful or not. Keeping in touch with your (potential) visitors on a regular basis provides you with excellent insight in the way they experience your website. It can be very clarifying to see how visitors perceive and use your corporate website. It will most certainly reveal issues you could never have thought of yourself.

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