[Guest post] How to repel users (Part 2)
In Part 1 of How to repel users, we highlighted the first rule of repelling users–Stop (or at least delay) users from getting into your site. In this post, we’ll examine how to repel those users that manage to make it past your site’s defences.
The second rule of user repulsion is Overwhelm them with info. When applying this rule, start with the home page and leave no stone unturned in cramming the page with all the bits and pieces that are important to you; your users will be lost in the blink of an eye, with no clue where to start.
Display lots of unrelated banner ads, for instance, travel ads on a financial website are a great idea–after all, that’s why someone comes to a investment portal, to book a flight ticket. This is a particularly useful tip, especially when combined with the information overload mentioned above.
Making sure critical parts of the site, like user login or registration, are incompatible with some browsers and, therefore, don’t always display properly.
Finally, make sure your error messages are completely unintelligible to users–this is also a highly effective way of intimidating them into never coming back.
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed above are those of the author alone and not of Cleartrip or any of Cleartrip’s employees.
