| When it comes to my fields of specialization, real | | | | test innovations. Eric Schmidt favors data openness |
| estate website design and marketing, many of my | | | | "because we think that works best for the users." Udi |
| clients seem to be in a hurry to market their website | | | | Manber has a special litmus test for his team when he |
| and get leads before making an honest evaluation of | | | | says the "main measure is whether we help people |
| their site's content strength and how it will resonate | | | | and give them what they need." |
| with their end users. | | | | "We try to measure every possible which way we |
| The idea that "the user should come first" when | | | | can think of how good is Google, how good are our |
| making decisions about site layout and content is so | | | | search results, how well are they serving our users." |
| often stated that it can sound like an empty platitude. | | | | That is from the mouth of Scott Huffman. |
| However, the message needs to ring true and really hit | | | | And then there is Matt Cutts who defended Google's |
| home. If you want your website to last, if you really | | | | methodology in his interview "because I feel like we |
| want your website business to grow, then build that | | | | wake up every day and work really, really hard to |
| website for people and do your best to make their | | | | return the best-quality search results, and we're fighting |
| user experience a happy one. | | | | every day to do the best thing for our users." |
| Of course, we have heard this mantra countless times | | | | Now many webmasters are constantly spinning their |
| and I can already see readers nodding more out of | | | | wheels to rank for this and rank for that. They are |
| fatigue than approval. However, the sentiment really | | | | watching the metrics, tracking the numbers, counting |
| does need to be taken seriously. Why? The answer is | | | | the leads they receive one by one. This is all well and |
| because the future of the web is constantly evolving | | | | good. Honestly, it is. But this pursuit should never lose |
| around the user experience. Attend to that experience | | | | sight of what is really important, the end user |
| and you will establish an edge that will keep your | | | | experience. |
| website on the forefront of your market. | | | | Yes, the statement "build websites for people, not |
| What prompted me to write this article were some | | | | search engines" does sound like an empty platitude |
| interviews I read on the Business Week website. | | | | these days. But in my opinion, it is a proverb that should |
| Business Week did a short series of interviews with 5 | | | | not be taken lightly. If the seriousness with which |
| of the major players at Google; Amit Singhal, Eric | | | | Google takes the user experience is any indication, the |
| Schmidt, Udi Manber, Scott Huffman and Matt Cutts. | | | | future of the Internet is not simply in the next big app, |
| Each of these individuals play pivotal roles in | | | | marketing buzz trip, or other short-lived fad. Rather, the |
| development and innovation with the company. | | | | future is in the user and how they interact with the |
| While each individual has a different role in the | | | | information and tools available to them. |
| company, the primary purpose was the same for all. | | | | Do you know your users as well as you should? Does |
| All were working to better understand the psychology | | | | your website give them what they need? Those two |
| of the web user and to create the best possible | | | | questions are a good starting point for delving into the |
| experience for them. | | | | psychology of your website visitors. Keep producing |
| Amit Singhal's efforts are directed at improving the | | | | that website content for people, not search engines. |
| user interface and constantly running experiments to | | | | And always keep in mind that the user comes first. |