Poor information architecture causes the majority of outright user failures and isn’t improving at the rate of other Web usability issues, reports usability authority Jakob Nielsen.

To determine why, he identified 10 long-term sore thumbs that together cost websites billions of dollars each year.

Many of these information architecture blunders can be quickly and easily corrected, such as made-up menu names. Why use “What makes XZY company tick” when people are looking for an “About us” button?

As Nielsen suggests, websites should communicate plainly and simply. Otherwise you’re likely frustrating your visitors and missing opportunities.

Check out Nielsen’s full report.

For business and pleasure, people are placing bios on multiple sites, from Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn. That’s because Internet users have an increasing number of accounts where we make friends, build networks or market businesses.

So it makes sense to invest some effort or resources in a bio, and even have a couple of different versions serving different sites and purposes. After all, you’re branding yourself on the Web, and the right bios can make a world of difference to how people perceive you.

Presenting consistent information in your bio(s) makes you appear more professional and memorable. However, personal brands are often disjointed on the Web because most people have different identities on each social network.

The good news is there are emerging technologies that will enable a transportable identity, which will empower Internet users to bring your identities with you. It’ll lead to an integrated social experience.

Meanwhile, whether you have one bio or 10 floating around the Web, it’s wise to ensure your profiles are up to date, consistent, and put your best side forward.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) dominates the desktop browser market, but definitely not in the design world.

According to W3Counter, IE owns 57.42% of the market, with Firefox in second position with 31.22% of the browser market.

Those numbers closely match our web writer blog stats, which is generally visited by business owners, writers and web designers. Since January, 57.86% cent of visitors were using IE, and 32.26% used Firefox.

However, our main Webcopyplus web writing site, which predominantly attracts web designers through several popular web design blogs, tells a very different story. In fact, during the same four-month period, 53.82% used Firefox, and only 22.86% used IE.

If web designers ruled the world, IE would be in big trouble! As it turns out, IE should be looking over its shoulder. Mozilla’s Firefox is eating away at the market share, Google is now a serious contender with Chrome, and Apple recently announced Safari 4 beta, promising to put forward the world’s fastest and most innovative Web browser for Mac and Windows PCs.

As entrepreneurs and employees rely more heavily on the Internet and Web-based tools to perform daily functions, browser innovations like faster processing, tabs, and new search features carry a lot of weight, and can instantly change the landscape of browsers.

SEO specialists, web writers and website developers, take note: Ask.com has become the second search engine in Germany in the 1st Quarter of 2009, according to research firm Nielsen Netratings.

Google maintained a stronghold on the top spot with 36 million unique users per month on average, and Ask.com came in with 4.2 million users, edging out MSN (4 million unique users), Yahoo (2.5 million unique users) and AOL (1.7 million unique users).

Hold on…how did Ask.com become Germany’s second largest search engine? They bought a lot of Adwords traffic! Read more at Search Cowboys.

To ensure the world doesn’t miss out on awe-inspiring or useful words, writers should always jot down ideas as they surface.

Inspired by lyrics? Someone said something captivating? Capture it! I recall an interview with Radiohead, where the band explained how a mutual friend said: “The best you can is good enough.” They were moved by the phrase, and eventually worked it into their lyrics for the tune Optimistic.

Sure, there are the BlackBerry, iPhone and generic microrecorder routes, but old school notebooks can be practical and fulfilling. In the cold digital age, tradition can be enchanting. In fact, you should check out MOLESKINE, which offers simple, legendary notebooks that have retained the thoughts of creative heavyweights like Van Gogh, Picasso and Hemingway.

Too much noise in your life? Pick a time of day when you can write without disruptions, and make it a habit. When you’re enjoying your morning latte? Late in bed? Whatever works for you. Find your time and try sticking with it.

Can’t seem to get inspired? Just dive in! Grab a blank sheet or screen and just start writing. If ideas or leads don’t emerge, try something different, like playing around with contradictory headlines. Try seeing things in a different perception.

Don’t let a brilliant thought get lost. Document your ideas.

It’s the Web, right? So it’s supposed to be sticky. Fortunately, there are simple ways to ensure visitors “stick around” your website.

Even avoiding pricey add-ons such as corporate videos, your web copy alone — if done right — can make your website more attractive to users. Here’s how:

1. Inject Some Personality, but Watch the Humour

Speak directly to your visitors in a personal, authentic voice. Most web users don’t want to be entertained; instead, they’re looking for specific information. Your web copy should direct them with a few choice, friendly words.

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As online visitors often jump from one link to another, you should treat your links like headlines. They should deliver your primary message in as few words as possible.

In fact, a recent study by Jakob Nielsen suggests the first couple of words in your links are imperative.

Nielsen reports: “Online reading is often dominated by the F-pattern. That is, people read the first few listed items somewhat thoroughly — thus the cross-bars of the ‘F’ — but read less and less as they continue down the list, eventually passing their eyes down the text’s left side in a fairly straight line. At this point, users see only the very beginning of the items in a list.”

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Whether you’re a New York IT firm or a San Diego design studio, SEO copywriting services can help you tap into a new stream of leads and sales.

The fact is that 85% of all new traffic to websites arrives via search engines. And it’s no secret that Google owns close to 75 per cent of the market. Hence, if SEO copywriting services get you to rank top 10 on Google, you’ll achieve a powerful return on your investment.

On the topic of investment, website owners often ask what do SEO copywriting services cost. Some supposed ‘SEO experts’ make themselves available for as little as $150 a project, while large SEO agencies can charge tens of thousands of dollars per month.

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Your website’s headlines and kickers (a.k.a. sub headlines) need to tell visitors they’re in the right place.

You have a fraction of a second to orient people on the Web. If your web content does a good job, you’re often a step closer to a conversion. Miss the mark and your bounce rates will go through the roof.

A headline takes more than a catchy hook or angle to get prospects to stop and scan your web content. You need to align your headlines and web content with your visitors’ emotional drivers or trigger points.

The most effective way to achieve this is to leverage what you know about your target audience. Familiarity can help you nail the right information, keywords and angle.

But always be sure to provide practical information on where they’re at and what you can do for them. Vague statements don’t stick well on the Web. “5 Writing Tips for Web Designers” is a lot more helpful to visitors than a generic headline, such as “Writing and Web Design.”

Precise, practical headlines help your visitors get to the right information, and spare them time and frustration.

When you’re creating or revamping your web content, be sure to periodically ask yourself: “Does my audience care?”

If the answer is no, you’re headed down a slippery slope. That’s because web content should speak to and cater to the visitor – not the business owner, designer, developer, programmer, or your spouse. Indeed, the consumer is the true king of the Web.

To help achieve useful web content, you need to define not only what content will be published, but why you’re publishing it in the first place.

Self-centric jargon just gets in the way. Visitors want to know how you can help them. So tell them.

Don’t waste their time with we-driven copy. Respect your online guests.