Cliff Blake describes the following styles: “Good human interface design should embrace all of these styles and should be redundant enough to allow people a choice of how they will interact with the system depending on circumstances. Most people use all these different browsing styles at one time or another, but one generally predominates over others, and people approach new and unfamiliar sites using that style.
Design your site so that there is something for everyone. Don’t limit it to how YOU like to take in information. It’s all about your prospective customer.
Here’s a great guide from Super Copywriting Guru Bob Bly that will help you cover most, if not all, styles of web browsing and how you can appeal to the person stopping at your site.
ARTISTS
Artists are graphical users. It’s easier for them to find what they’re looking for from a picture than from a list of words.
Lay out text in digestible chunks to please these users, giving them space between text blocks for visual relief.
WRITERS
It’s easier for writers to find what they’re looking for from a list of words than from a picture.
Be sure graphics don’t delay your load times. Don’t make these users derive meaning from graphics; tell them in words.
EXPLORERS
Explorers like to take time to investigate their surroundings. MOST PEOPLE ARE EXPLORERS THE FIRST TIME they enter a site.
Give explorers plenty of content. They like many different areas to visit.
SEEKERS
Seekers want to go in, get what they want, and get out again in the shortest time. PEOPLE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR SITE tend to become seekers.
Give seekers one-click access to what they want whenever possible. Your most valuable repeat visitors are very likely to behave as seekers.
RECOGNIZERS
Recognizers like to pick from a list rather than coming up with tactics on their own.
Be sure to include pull-down menus of choices and charts for product comparisons for recognizers.
REQUESTERS
Requesters like to be in control. They prefer to type in their request.
Include fields in which these users can type in requests.
VERIFIERS
Verifiers are analysts. They will test each feature on your site, and will e-mail you with suggestions and changes.
Keep your content current, accurate, and synchronized. Check the quality of your site thoroughly.