New Browser-Size Analysis Tool Improving Web Design for the Masses

NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA, June 27, 2012 (Press-News.org) One of the problems with web design that has never been solved in a completely satisfactory way is that of browser size. Even the best graphic designer can design a breathtaking site, but the customer or visitor may not have the same experience. This problem has led to all sorts of workarounds, and generally requires coding for at least a few of the most popular browser sizes. That is probably the best way to insure robust compatability. Unfortunately, obtaining the visitor metrics relating to browser size has often required third-party tools that may not integrate well if one is using web Analytics. With its latest update, this feature fits into the industry-standard statistical tool.

The simple feature can make the life of a webmaster much simpler, especially in regards to design work. Browser size is now listed under in-page analytics as an metric that can reveal very important information regarding visitor demographic. It really is a pretty cool feature that lists the percentiles and shows visually what portion of the screen is visible to each percentage of users. While this is not necessarily groundbreaking stuff, it is definitely a welcome addition to the ever evolving Analytics suite. The Browser Size Tool and other metrics software have done similar things before.

Browser size is key to designing a page for the highest possible click-thru rate. Ads displayed below the fold or outside of the browser window will amost certainly have a very difficult task at drawing any real attention. Alternatively, many are finding that too many ads can even reduce SERP rankings, and so it is nice to know exactly how things might look for the greatest number of users. A site targeted towards certain demographics may have people using older machines or more cluttered browsers which means less room for on-page visuals. Conversely, the opposite may be true for high-tech oriented pages where users can be running large monitors and high resolutions. Anyone using Analytics should take the time to become fully accustomed to this tool and take the hints given as valuable information. The rollout has just begun, so it may be a little while before everyone is able to find the Browser-Size Analysis under their in-page analytics section.

Search engine optimization is all about having more information than the competitor, and utilizing this information in the most profitable manner. Nowadays, browser display statistics show that over 85% of computer users are accessing sites with a screen resolution greater than 1024x768. After that, there is room for a lot of customization. Regardless, design efforts should be targeted at making pages that utilize proper CSS and markup language to display well on even the machines of the minority. It is never good to assume that something that looks good on one machine looks good everywhere. Testing should be done on a variety of screen sizes, resolutions, color depths and browsers in order to insure complete compatibility. A visitor may only stop by for that first impression, and if they are turned off by design quirks, it could very easily be their last visit. Thankfully, web Analytics is taking the initiative to make things easier.

For more information and professional advice on Analytics, visit the Loves Data website:
www.LovesData.com