Internet users now more impatient and selfish than ever

A few weeks ago we blogged about what an impatient lot Internet users are, and how a slow-loading website is a sure recipe for online disaster. But there is much more to it than that!

Usability guru Jakob Nielsen has just published a new report based on research that reveals that Web users have become even more ruthless and selfish than ever. When people visit a website, they increasingly have a specific task in mind and just want to get that done and leave. This means that today’s Internet users are less likely to linger on and explore your real estate website, and will be wary of offers and other attempts to distract them and try to make them stay.

In the words of Dr Nielsen, “People want sites to get to the point. They have very little patience. I do not think sites appreciate that yet. They still feel that their site is interesting and special and people will be happy about what they are throwing at them.”

Interestingly, people are becoming frustrated at the widgets and applications that are added to websites supposedly to make them more user-friendly! And now, only 25% of your visitors will arrive on your homepage, compared to 40% in 2004.

So what does this mean for your real estate website?

In a nutshell , you have to make sure that it is as easy as possible for your visitors to find or achieve what they want. Don’t expect them to dig around – they won’t! If people just want to do something on your website and then leave, at least make sure that the few moments they spend there are pleasant and productive. Whether they are hell-bent on running a property search, reading more about the area, finding a map, or whatever, the process has to be as quick and simple as possible, so that when your visitors leave your website, they do so with a feeling of accomplishment and will be more likely to check back again.

Your site has to be well-organized so that visitors can tell at a glance where they want to go. Avoid clutter and keep the options simple and structured. Make sure that the key functions of your real estate website (such as property search and contact form) are readily visible and easy to use. And don’t clutter your contact form with too many boxes to be filled in so that people can focus on what is most important to them – their enquiry!

Similarly, consider using a simple quick search form as standard, with an optional advanced search feature for those users who are prepared to go into more detail. Or if you decide to combine the two on the same page, make sure you clearly highlight the basic input fields to distinguish them from the optional ones. Ideally, you should experiment with different alternatives and see which ones your visitors prefer.

Also, because 75% of your visitors now arrive at a random page from the search engines, it is more important than ever to make sure that the main features of your site are prominently and consistently displayed on every page.

And, while fewer people are landing on your homepage, 25% of your visitors is still too many people to annoy with a fancy Flash intro. If your website has one, get rid of it now! When people want to look at pretty pictures of the area you operate in or of the kinds of homes you offer, they will be much happier clicking through to a clearly labelled photo section than having to endure or ‘click to skip’ your slideshow each time they visit (and if they want to listen to music, chances are they already are).

The overarching message here is that now, more than ever, your real estate website has to be about your visitors and about helping them to quickly accomplish what they set out to do. Ignore that advice at your peril!

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