Goldenline and sign-in panel
Posted on December 11, 2009 by Marek
In this article I am writing about Polish website Goldenline.pl which is a very similar website to Linkedin.com. In fact this article is not about Goldenline.pl but it’s all about usability.
“Sing in” module in Goldenline.pl intrigued me for a long time. It may be that most users never requested it and did not pay attention how it looks like. But those who are connected to the Internet from the practical side will certainly ask themselves “Whether error or not” quite often.
I think I don’t have to explain to anyone who’s involved in online business how important usability is. Sometimes it’s just one small change to improve website performance. Quite recently, I realized (once again) about this. Well, the change of the payment page resulted with revenue growth of 50% within two weeks! It was enough to simplify the procedure and make it as users want it to look like.
Probably the worst thing you can do is insist that you know better from the users what they like and what they want. You can persist as long as you have money to keep the business running 
But it’s not the point.
In this context, I still haven’t clear opinion about the sing-in panel on Goldenline.pl. Moreover, I am also convinced that the authors (it’s Autentika as far as I remember) did both good and bad. Let me explain.
Let’s look at the sign-in panel of Goldenline.pl
I assume that you noticed the red button. And that’s what matters. This button it’s not “Login” but “Register”. What do you think if this button should be highlighted? You can look at it two ways.
Why is it good? Because the site owner wants to have as many registered users as it possible. The strength of each website users are, in the case of such a website as Goldenline.pl (same as Linkedin.com) is also very important to have a large number of users. There is no doubt that makeing “Register” button red helps new users to find a place from which they can start their adventure and the presence on website.
Why is it wrong? Therefore, in spite of everything that much more frequently used is button “login” and it there is pushed into the background. Who has never made a mistake by signing the Goldenline.pl? Not many people I think. And if you do not have an active option to remember username and password (and no reasonable person has) by clicking “Register” instead of “Login” and then using one of the most popular and most used browser buttons (“back”) you go back to a blank login box. And once again you must enter the login and password. This can be a source of major frustration don’t you think?
Quite recently I talked to one of the leading Polish usability experts, and he had a similar opinion with an indication of option 1.
Despite I have no clear opinion about this in case of desiging any new website I would not make such a login module as it’s on Goldenline.pl It is too strategic location to conduct tests on the living organism. The standards are useful and allow at the worst case to save money, and well implemented allow just earn more money. And that’s what it comes in any business. Also the internet business.
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