While doing website usability assessments, we see a lot of the same issues popping up. Here are some easy fixes that you can apply today:

Put your phone number on every page, especially the home page.

Sometimes a visitor hits your website just because they want to call you immediately. Don’t make them dig for your contact info!

Use descriptive hyperlink text, not "click here".

A link that says "click here" is redundant—we already know we can click there but have to read to understand where it would take us. A simple "Edit your account", for example, is much easier to use than "Click here to edit your account".

Label external links and non-HTML links (PDF, etc.)

It’s jarring to be whisked away to another site or detoured into another program when a simple web page was expected. Labeling your external links and download links empowers your users to click confidently without fear of undesirable surprises.

Don’t play sound without the user’s permission.

I’m talking to you, video people. Instead of being instantly engaging, imagine a more likely scenario when a video is set to auto-play: a hapless visitor lunging for her mute button while curious coworkers prairie-dog over nearby cubical walls.

Scrap that Flash intro.

"Duh" you say? True, the Flash intro has been naturally dying off for years due to an abysmally low purpose/cost ratio. But until declared extinct, it’s worth repeating this admonition: spend your web budget on things that will be of value to your users.

Setup an analytics package

Part of creating a usable website is seeing how visitors are or aren’t using it. This also provides an excellent foundation for more qualitative user research and testing. Google Analytics is great for most websites and the price is right (free!).