ARTICLE
Using Objectives to Optimize Web Pages
As we think about optimizing websites, we often focus on the words on the page. We don’t think enough about what we’re optimizing for. It’s difficult to effectively prioritize a page without first understanding what it should accomplish.
What do you hope visitors will do on that page? What are the visitors hoping to do? By balancing these factors, you can define Objectives for each page. The Objectives define what Calls to Action (CTA) should be included, and you can then review the page content and features with all of that in mind.
How might you do all that for a particular page? Let's go through it step by step.
By balancing your goals with your visitors’ goals, define Objectives for each page. You can use those Objectives to define what Calls to Action (CTA) should be included, and then review content and features with all of that in mind.
Audience Goals: Start by identifying the audience(s) for the page and their expectations. Who are they? Why did they likely come to the page? What are they looking for?
Organization Goals: What does your organization want the audience to do on the page? What actions should they take, or how do you want them to be informed or inspired?
Page Objectives: Balance the audience and organizational goals to define one to three Page Objectives. Ideally, find a sweet spot where user needs and organizational aims intersect. If that doesn’t really exist, you’ll have to decide between them. Define one or two primary objectives. Having too many objectives is counterproductive; if there are six, it's as if you have none, as you can’t optimize the page for so many.
Calls to Action (CTAs): Some objectives may directly translate into Calls to Action. Let’s take a Donation page as an example. It will almost certainly have a 'Donate Now' button. There might also be a secondary CTA to find other ways to donate. If many donors land on the page from search engines, some will want to know more about the organization. So, there could be a secondary CTA to the 'About Us' section.
Audit and Tweak: Once you identify your Objectives and CTAs, review the page with these in mind. Ensure the information, functionality, or CTAs that address the Primary Objective are high on the page and formatted prominently. Flesh out information that addresses objectives, and reduce or remove information that doesn’t. Make sure your CTAs don’t compete. If there are two CTAs on a page, they should either be presented as related choices, or one should be much more prominent than the other.
Test, if you like: A big advantage of defining Page Objectives is the ability to user test to see if you’re achieving your objectives. Can people find or do the things that are important?
Example: Donation page
Let's delve deeper into the donation page example. Most organization's goals are clear: they primarily want visitors to donate online, right now. Some organizations might have additional goals, like encouraging recurring gifts or providing information for those who wish to donate by check or in their will, among others.
Many visitors who land on the donation page are also looking to donate online immediately. This presents a great synergy between the visitors' intentions and the organization's goals. However, if visitors come from a search engine, they might first want to verify the organization's credibility or read more about it.
So, what’s a balanced set of objectives for this page?
Primary Objective: Facilitate online donations.
Secondary Objective: Establish that the organization is trustworthy
Secondary Objective: Provide information about additional ways to donate
These objectives guide the prioritization of the page. The most prominent Call to Action (CTA) at the top of the page should enable people to donate online in a way that feels credible and trustworthy. There could be a designated area on the page for content that boosts credibility, such as logos, impact information, or testimonials. Additionally, there might be a secondary CTA— less prominent, which doesn’t compete with the primary one— leading people to information about other ways to donate.
Example: “About Us” page
What about Page Objectives for a "About Us" page? This page is crucial in shaping your audience's perception of your organization. Generally, visitors to this page are looking to understand whether the organization is credible. This goal is important enough that most organizations should align with it, making gaining the visitor’s trust their own top goal for this page as well. Additionally, most organizations use this page to convey information about their mission and programs.
How might you balance these to create effective page objectives?
Primary Objective: Show the organization as trustworthy.
Secondary Objective: Provide clear information about the organization's mission and programs.
There are no critical Calls to Action (CTAs) implied for this type of page. In fact, placing a prominent CTA to donate or sign up for newsletters at the top of the page could be counterproductive. It might come across as insincere or pushy. Visitors typically come to the "About Us" page to learn and understand, not to take immediate action.
These objectives suggest a focus on the most trustworthy things about you. Do you have a long and reputable history? Stories of impactful work? A notable board of directors? Recognizable partners? High ratings from watchdog organizations? You should craft compelling text about your story and mission, interweaving elements that bolster credibility.
Links can be strategically placed to lead to more information. These might include details about your board and staff, a history timeline, success stories, or other credibility-enhancing content. These links, acting as secondary CTAs, should provide deeper insights without distracting from the primary goal of establishing trust.
Example: “Resource Library” page
Another scenario, this time for a top-level resource library page on your website. Let’s say you have a clear Primary Objective: to enable visitors to quickly find the information they're seeking in your extensive library. To facilitate this, you've placed a prominent search feature and intuitive filters at the top of the page.
Now, imagine a stakeholder suggests featuring two new important reports at the top of this page, which would push the filters down. Is this a good idea? You can judge based on your established objective.
Ask yourself: Will the majority of your users be searching for these two reports? If the answer is yes, then featuring them aligns with your objective. However, if not, this suggestion introduces a new Page Objective: to highlight new reports from the organization. Adding a new objective is perfectly fine; they can evolve over time. But make sure that they evolve purposefully and that you prioritize your objectives each time.
This suggestion implies that highlighting the new reports is a more important Objective than helping visitors with what they primarily came to find. If this isn't the case, then moving the filters down may not be the best approach. Consider showcasing the reports as “featured content” in a different manner, perhaps partway down the page or in a sidebar. This way, you can highlight the reports without compromising the page's primary Objective.