Every site has nouns and verbs. What I call nouns are the individual pieces of information that fall into your site structure. Verbs are activities that your users engage in.
Nouns
The nouns are the objects, sectional breakdowns, and data that pull most of the weight in structuring the site or page IA. Nouns create context.
- You are here
- This page primarily contains information about an object of type A
- This page also contains some info about objects of type B and C, which are related to A thusly
- This is the information on the type A object you selected
- This is a list of other nouns that we have content about
- etc...
They are the primary drivers of navigation menus, breadcrumbs, and headings. Linked nouns typically take users to information based destination pages. Browsing a site via noun links is an information gathering, exploratory exercise. You're offering information to your users. Following a noun link should generally not alter the mode of a user session. Object meta data and content text blocks support your nouns and may contain noun links as well. In my opinion, verb links in meta data and text blocks should be kept to a minimum.
As the designer, you should recognize the nouns on a page and their relationship within your site AI. In the example above, if there is value in offering more information on a specific type B object than displays on the type A page, the noun should be linked to a drill down page focusing on the type B object. I'll repeat myself for emphasis:
The noun should be linked. Don't leave the noun as raw text, then add an arbitrary verb link such as
read more.... If your typography is clear, it should be obvious that the noun is a link, and that's enough.
Verbs
Verbs keep your users on your site. Some verbs are for your benefit, such as site registration; others for their benefit, such as purchasing something. In general, sites built to directly bring in revenue are built around verbs. If you have a site where your users can engage in unique or profitable activities or workflows, then by all means, invite them to do so. And make a big deal out of it!
Verbs give your users a sense of ownership. They engage users to intellectually protect their experience on your site.
The user is doing something and you are helping. The better and more transparently you do your job (helping), the more likely they will stay on your site.
On any given page, you should be inviting your users to act. The language used in your verbs should be plain and clear. The visual prominence of verbs should reflect their importance to your users (not to you). If a user is engaged in a multi-step workflow, tone down verbs not directly related to their path. If the page is informational, or a functional terminus, then present them with an obvious doorway to somewhere they can act again. Presenting them with contextually useful verbs keeps the user moving forward.
If there are textual verbs on page representing actions the user can take, they should be linked. If the user can't take these actions from this page, then you need to reconsider their inclusion in the content. If their presence is informational ("You
will be able to do X") then identify in the text or typography that the function is potential, not a starting point for that action. Make the verb into a noun, basically. Linking this noun should target a page or popup with more details about the action.
Treat your verbs with respect. Display them prominently and with pride. Being good to them is being good to your users, and being good to your users is good for your bottom line.
