This is the fourth post in the series on website content mistakes you can avoid so that you don’t end up annoyed with your website like our friend here.  Use this link to see all the posts in this series:  Real Estate Website Content Mistakes.

The first three posts in this series covered issues related to how your website is set up, some related to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and another related to how your content is written.

9.  Worrying More About Page Length and Not Enough About Your Message

One day I was talking on the telephone to an agent interested in our assistance in customizing her Point 2 Agent website.  I directed her one of my client’s website.  The home page required one use of the “page down” key to see the entire message on a 1024×768 monitor.  She was horrified.  She said she’d never read all that and quickly hung up.

I knew the kind of website she wanted.  You’ve seen them.  They have lots of pretty graphics and each page is exactly one screen long or less.  That type of site is nice to look at.  It’s neat.  It’s contained.  It doesn’t require scrolling.  And, I know of very few businesses that can present an effective message in one paragraph.

On the other end of the spectrum are those websites that put 10 screens of information on one page.  I’ve never understood the psychology behind those types of sites.  If I run across one, I immediately assume I’m about to be fleeced.  I usually either leave, or use the slider on the right hand side of my screen to zoom down to the bottom of the page.  That’s usually where the real information is.

Somewhere in between those two extremes is the right length for your web pages.  Keep in mind that how we think people use the Internet and how they actually use the Internet are often very different.

If you’re interested in more detailed information about website usability, check out a book called Don’t Make Me Think written by Steve Krug, who is a website usability consultant.  Here’s what Mr. Krug says after years of watching people use the Web:

“When we’re creating sites, we act as though people are going to pour over each page…  weighing their options before deciding which link to click.

The Reality [is that you] look around feverishly for anything that

     a) is interesting, or vaguely resembles what your’e looking for and
     b) is clickable

As soon as you find a halfway-decent match, click.  If it doesn’t pan out, click the Back button and try again.”

In reality, Internet users are more opposed to reading content than they are to scrolling down the page a bit to find that halfway-decent match.  Make sure you achieve your objective for each page of your website, but don’t establish a pre-defined page length goal.

There are two more parts to this series.  Tune in next Monday!