Usability feedback wanted for ppcsoft.com

site needs a lot of modifications:

• the top band should cover the right main column too, top band ends abruptly.

• your logo needs to be highlighted more- black on black with blue glow does not work. also, please redesign your logo if possible.

• the layout and alignment issue is there overall.. please align the content properly- ex- look at the footer, it starts somewhere in the middle column and ends in the middle of right column.

  • and then you have major issues with the content- highlight the product 'iknow' as a header- add more headings/subheadings if required..

Hi,

Good overall design - the only feeling I have is that there is too much text going on

Hey Atle, Usually I like to give in depth reviews as much as possible, however you have a lot of content here to discuss, so I'm gonna do what I can to help you out without going overboard. Overall though, you seem to have the correct content, it just doesn't have the best graphics and organization that I'd prefer. Hopefully though I can give some pointers to help you.

As for your header, instead of having a generic list of sections of your website. Think about the actions that the viewers are most likely going need. For example, they've viewed your site and have made a decision to buy so they look up in the navigation...but there is no purchase/buy button. where do they go? Download? Products? Take a look at Free Agent's menu http://www.freeagentcentral.com/buzz They have a typical menu but they also have a "Try FreeAgent" bit green button that really grabs the user's attention. This serves two purposes. First off, it's great usability, second, repetition on a site is great! So the more often they see the action you want them to do, the more likely they are to do it :-)

FRONT PAGE

(1) Let's start with something simple :-) I think someone had already mentioned this, but it'd make things look a lot better to have the header span across the top of all the content.

(2) Your logo: It's really hard to see. You could, however, make a few simple changes to resolve this issue. Something you might try is making "Ppc" white and then "Soft" that blue color, do a gradient overlay (and/or whatever you want to do to give it cool effects) and then give it a 2-5px drop shadow at 90deg. It also doesn't look like you're stuck on a specific font, so if you were up for it, maybe try a sans-serif font like Helvetica, Myriad Pro, or Trebuchet MS. Bottom line though, make it more easily visibile :-)

(3) As for a layout, instead of dividing sections horizontally, try doing it vertically. Take a look at: http://www.freeagentcentral.com/ for some inspiration as an example of what I'm talking about. Why am I suggesting this? Good question, here's the answer.Your product is being crowded by much much less important information. You want your product to totally captivate the viewer and it can't do that as well as (or at all) in the current layout :-) Think of it this way, some people don't care about the content on the left or the right, so why force them to read it. Move it under what EVERYONE wants to see so then the content becomes optional as it should be :-) That way the viewers that are searching for more information still can just as easily access it (people can scan vertically faster than horizontally), but it's not in the way for the people that could care less.

(4) What is it you want the user to do? Are you just as happy with the user learning more about your product and buying it? (The answer is probably not). I'd determine what it is you'd want the users to do and then provide content to support that front and center. My suggestion: focus on getting them to download the trial or just buy the product. To do that, I'd provide more information about your product (freeagent has a video which is amazing because it gives a lot of information without all the space) and then make the Buy and Download buttons bigger and the learn more just like a text link or something underneath buy or download.

(5) Also, I'd consider looking at your copy (text/words). Marketing is usually more effective if it's user-focused (what YOU can do with the product) instead of product-focused (what the product does).

DOWNLOAD PAGE

(6) I'd consider changing the download buttons to green. It'll catch the user's eye better.

(7) I'd also do something to make the prices bigger and much easier to see/read.

(8) Also, where is the free trial download link? You probably need to create a separate download link for it, or remove the prices on the download page and note that they are downloading the free trial.

(9) Fix your graphic so that the X-axis text is all on the same level. Basically, give your graph more space! People like pictures (more than text or so I've heard).

*PURCHASE *

(9) Again, change buttons to green :-)

(10) To simplify things, maybe combine support and upgrades to: "Support and Upgrades"

(11) Again, bigger prices.

(12) Look at your copy here as well...this is a VERY important page, you want the user really excited to buy your product. So don't through facts, especially general ones, at the viewer. Throw awesome success stories and features that they'll want buy!

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

(13) I'd keep your downloads consistent across the pages. One is on the side and the other is in the middle of the page. Keep it consistent for the user's sake :-)

CONCLUSION

Okay, and I've run out of steam for now. But before I finish, lemme comment on the overall graphics. They just kind of seem old. I'm not sure when you designed this site, but if you really want a kickin' site, the first thing I'd do is heavily redo the graphics. What specifically? Really look at the colors you use. Black and pale-yellow don't really scream professional. The pale yellow is usually used to accent more dominate colors. Also, see what you can do to change some of your text into infographics, or add some icons. You'd be surprised at how much a good graph(ic) really does to a site. Google: "professional web design inspiration", or something like that and just view a bunch of the awesome sites out there to get ideas. You have the content, it's just about presenting it :-) Good luck!

Hello Atle,

first I would like to mention that you should hire a professional to do the design with the content you have on there. I know you're requesting information about usability, so I won't critique the design.

I would also consider redesigning the logo - it doesn't look like a professional tool right now since the owners took only enough time to bold Times New Roman and use the outer glow filter in photoshop.

Let's continue to the message and general layout.

• Latest news/ articles is practically invisible and just clutters the page. Do you really perceive this information to be important to place it on the homepage? If it is - why put it in the least focus receiving area (the right side of the screen). If this is a blog type / news section - why not just put it in a larger font below the three columns with buttons?
• Your proposition of value is the main screenshot... but most of the time the app itself is covered with text. I would kill the left column, expand the main area. Your main statement is good, not sure if you need to specify it's for Windows.
• I would create a short blurb under the main headline, move the screenshot to the right, make the screenshot a flash video that can be clicked on to view how the app works.
• Why is Buy Iknow the third button? Isn't this the most important? Is learn more / download / buy iknow all of the same weight in importance? Why is the text not vertically centered in buttons? Why are they all of different colors?
• I would suggest sticking to one "Action" color on the website and making links and buttons of that one color. Simplifies the life of someone who's trying to figure out what does what on the site.
• There are drop shadow effects on headlines, headers, a myriad of styles that clash with each other. I would suggest to simplify, remove effects that aren't adding anything (but this is really more under the design part, so I guess I'll quit)

I hope this helps.