Home
>
Web Design
>
Eliciting Constructive Website Feedback

Eliciting Constructive Website Feedback

"It's good."

"You've done a nice job."

"I don't like it."

At some point, you have probably received comments like this when asking for constructive criticism of your website efforts. Unfortunately, the generic nature of these comments does not give specific information on elements that you need to improve your site.

So how do you elicit specific, constructive, targeted feedback from the public in order to improve your website? The seven techniques below, when implemented properly, will give you the constructive feedback you need to make your website the best it can be.

1. Ask both closed-ended and open-ended questions. Closed-ended questions, such as "how would you rate the site on a scale of 1 to 10?" will provide quantitative measures which, in aggregate quantities, can be very useful. Open-ended questions provide your users the opportunity to provide specific and detailed answers in their own words, thus providing a more qualitative measure of your website's appeal.

I generally find that a 60% closed-ended/40% open-ended mix of questions provides sufficient data from both a qualitative and quantitative standpoint.

2. Give your existing website customers surveys. Your website customers are the people for whom your site is ultimately constructed, and showing that you are interested in their feedback to make your site more useful to them serves as an excellent way to ensure repeat business.

3. Develop a "focus group" whom you can approach for advice on a regular basis. One of the positive aspects of soliciting opinions is that there are many people who are more than happy to provide it on a regular basis. Your group can be comprised of customers, suppliers, friends, neighbours, relatives, or just about anyone you like!

4. Critique another's website when asked to do so. By providing a thorough and constructive evaluation of another person's website, you will establish a relationship with that other person. When asked, said person will usually be quite happy to return the favour.

For those of you who may wish to participate in this sort of exchange without the risk of offending someone whom you personally know, you may wish to visit a web design discussion board that offers a Site Review section and participate. The advantage to this method is that you have the option of posting your site for review; reviewing another's site and possibly getting ideas for your own site; or, as most people tend to do, a combination of both.

The following websites, among many others, offer a site review forum:

Web Design Forums' "How's My Site?" Forum (http://www.webdesignforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=86)
WebProWorld's Submit a Site for Review Forum (http://www.webdesignforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=86)
SitePoint's Reviews and Critiques Forum (http://www.webdesignforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=86)

5. Purchase an experienced, professional website analysis. For those of you who aren't sure which questions you'd like answered about your site, or perhaps would like a more concrete plan and direction, you may wish to acquire the services of a website consulting professional. Depending on what you require in terms of feedback and your budget, website consulting professionals can analyze your website for usability; provide a detailed error and "bug" report; review your traffic statistics or raw logs; determine if your website is search-engine ready; and many other services.

One such company is My Guru Knows (http://www.webdesignforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=86). Among other business advice services, My Guru Knows can provide an analysis of your web presence in such things as Internet sales, database marketing, and interpretation of web site statistics.

6. Give away a redeemable website coupon in exchange for survey information. Coupons are a very effective way to encourage your site's users to provide you with the marketing information you require. It doesn't even have to be an expensive item either: it can be something along the lines of "free ABC Company pen in exchange for answering these five questions". Mind you, the nicer and more valuable the item is, the more survey information you will acquire.

7. Incorporate your survey elements as part of registration or other interactive elements of your site. Add a question or two at each interactive stage, such as "how did you find this ordering process on a scale of 1 to 10?" By breaking up your survey, it doesn't appear as obvious to the user that you are gathering valuable marketing information. However, the downside is that the marketing information gathered will be somewhat fragmented, as some elements of your website will be used more frequently than others.

Use of these seven elements, by themselves or in concert, should lead to a substantial increase in both the quantity and quality of your website feedback and allow you to more accurately determine how to go about building your website in the best interest of your customers.

About The Author

Adam Senour is the owner of ADAM Web Design, a leading web design and development company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Visit http://www.webdesignforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=86 for more information on ADAM Web Design products and services.

housekeepers near Lincolnshire ...

In The News:

The Pentagon data breach exposed 2.76 million Social Security numbers and military records, raising long-term identity theft concerns for veterans.

Kodiak AI plans to haul IKEA freight on Texas highways with no one in the cab, raising urgent cybersecurity and safety questions for drivers.

Apple Intelligence in iOS 27 adds Extend and Reframe tools to Photos, letting iPhones generate new background areas beyond your original borders.

Microsoft's X account was hijacked to promote a crypto pump-and-dump scheme, exposing its more than 13 million followers to a scam campaign.

Scammers can combine your name, phone number and address with data breach details to attempt SIM swaps, phishing and even identity theft schemes.

ChatGPT Work, Meta Muse and Gemini Spark can monitor flight prices, sort your email inbox and track important deadlines, but savvy users start small.

iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel each hide a built-in tool that turns a video frame into a separate photo without any screenshot needed.

Operation KillSwitch dismantled KillSec's ransomware infrastructure, but investigators say a 16-year-old allegedly ran the entire cybercrime operation.

The Fox News Artificial Intelligence newsletter covers where voters will decide on AI data center ballot measures and Jeff Bezos' tech vision.

Apple's Impersonation Risk Detection in iOS 27 can flag suspicious activity inside apps, but the setting is off by default and must be enabled.

Federal Election Commission records can expose your name, address, employer and donation history once contributions exceed the $200 threshold.

Cybersecurity expert Morgan Wright says human skepticism remains the strongest defense against AI-driven phishing scams and voice cloning fraud schemes.

iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy each handle security updates differently, and one screen saying "up to date" may not tell the whole story.

Deborah Del Mastro heard what sounded like her daughter's terrified voice on the phone, launching a five-hour virtual kidnapping scam ordeal.

Hotel TV privacy risks go beyond forgotten passwords when you sign into Netflix or other streaming apps on shared devices you don't control.

Apple's iOS 27 Visual Intelligence now lets your iPhone search objects directly on screen, but Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel have a head start.

x47.c Windows malware uses xAI's Grok to maintain persistence on infected PCs while stealing passwords, browser cookies and API keys from victims.

Frankie LaPenna fought three robots in a cage, including two modified EngineAI T800 humanoids that can kick with up to 850 pounds of force..

MacSync malware hides malicious commands inside iCloud calendar events to download additional payloads onto infected Macs without raising suspicion.

Joseph Holycross dismissed his racing heart for nearly two years until his Samsung Galaxy Watch detected atrial fibrillation and changed everything.

Home title fraud begins when criminals forge your signature on a deed. Here is how to check your own property records and set up free alerts.

Jeffrey Ladish, a former Anthropic security team member, warns AI agents are colluding and hacking with no reliable solution to keep them in check.

Instinct Concierge and Meta Muse can now place phone calls to businesses on your behalf, but the privacy and data access tradeoffs are significant.

Olivia Moore spent $100 to create a fake RushTok influencer using ChatGPT and MiniMax, and thousands of Bama Rush fans couldn't tell the difference.

RatHat Android malware uses AI to steal banking credentials, intercept two-factor authentication codes and reconstruct your PIN from touch inputs.