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The concept of Information Scent refers to how strong a link is when you compare the user’s expectation to the reality of what it links to. Strong links are clear and obvious; when you see them, you know exactly what you’ll get. However, weaker links are more vague; they don’t provide clues as to what you’ll find or what you can do.
Things to Consider
- Do you provide links to your primary products and services? If so, do you use links that are easy to understand by the public?
- Are any of the links in your navigation menu named after a product name or term used by your company? If so, would a newcomer to the site understand what it means?
- Are any of the links on your site labeled "Click Here"?
- If you provide links to file downloads, do you note what kind of file the user will see? (e.g. "Printable Catalog (pdf)")
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If you were presented with a link that looked like this,
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what do you think you would find when you clicked on it?
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It seems pretty clear, right?
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Well, how about this one?
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Not as obvious.
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Finally, what about this one?
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Not too good.
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In each case, it's clear you have a link,
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but what you'll find behind each one is a mystery...
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unless the link contains a strong scent of information.
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The concept of Information Scent refers to how strong a link is
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when you compare the user's expectation to the reality of what it links to.
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Strong links are clear and obvious.
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When you see them, you know exactly what you'll get.
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However, weaker links are more vague.
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They don't provide clues as to what you'll find or what you can do.
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But, what does it all mean?
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Why is Information Scent important?
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When it comes to your business,
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it can mean the difference between revenue and a missed sale.
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If users are unsure about the purpose of a link,
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they'll be hesitant to click on it.
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The more doubt a user has about the navigation or content of a website,
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the less trust they'll have in its ability to meet their needs--
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and the less likely they are to continue.
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If your links or calls to action are weak or misleading,
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users may never see what you have to offer.
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Information Scent can be illustrated quite well on your favorite search engine.
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Try out a search for a term that's important to you.
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If you've been using search engines for a while,
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you'll know by now that if you want a better--more relevant--set of search results,
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you need to use more descriptive and specific terms.
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Those results will look accurate because they match your expectations,
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illustrated by the information you entered in the search box.
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So, it's no coincidence that one of the main strategies of SEO
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involves the naming of links.
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Links have SEO value because they're expected
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to link to pages with information about that term.
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This is the essence of Information Scent.
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The label of each link should represent the content you find.
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Now, looking back at our first group of links,
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it's logical that people trying to book a flight to Chicago will search for exactly that.
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But, as the links become more vague, the chances that users will search for that term
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and find what they're looking for becomes less likely.
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And you can guarantee that users looking to buy airline tickets--
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or anything else for that matter--are not going to search for "click here."
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So, don't use that when naming your links.
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But, don't forget, images are also used as links,
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and Information Scent can be affected by the use of confusing pictures,
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symbols, and other overly stylish alternatives to plain text.
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Some icons have a universal meaning,
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so it's important to provide content or features that match expectations.
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Other symbols are not quite as universal.
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So, if necessary, provide some context or clues to keep users from straying from the path.
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Don't let there be any question about what your site provides on every page.
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Be descriptive.
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Each link should reflect the needs and expectations of your users--
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just as they should reflect the purpose and scope of your company.
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Links should be labeled to provide clear signs,
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especially if they lead to spots where conversions will happen,
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such as purchases, sign-ups, and downloads.
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Provide clear paths for your users,
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and the chances are much better they'll become customers.
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