Eight usability requirements for successful social media websites

1. Welcome Page
The welcome page informs the users on what they can expect on the website. This information should be attractive enough to make the users to register. Its substantial reduction, which is the case, for instance, of Facebook opening web page, is dangerous, as the users are not given information regarding the advantages of their registration. Such an attitude can take only those who can largely rely on recommendation.

2. Registration
Registration of a new user should not be difficult with as little personal data required as possible. Users can make changes to their profile after registration. Buttons for registration and login should be situated in the top right hand corner.

3. Search
This point should have been put in the first place, as in my opinion it is of the utmost importance. The search box should be spotted immediately. Its functioning should be smooth. The presentation of the search results should enable the users to identify what and where they are looking for.

4. Forum
Forum makes an essential and significant part of each social media web site. Forum should be well-arranged and user friendly. The search according to the forum articles, users, tags or categories is of primary significance for unfolding.

5. Find Friends
Each social media web page should enable the users to find the people they know, or share interests with, quickly and easily. Finding “friends“ easily will be the momentum for the social web page development and its active usage by the users.

6. Navigation Menu
Navigation also plays an important part. I have seen navigation designed using impressive flash effects, but computers with flash deactivated showed none of that. This also relates to iPhone and iPad without flash support. Navigation, as the basic feature of each web site, should be intuitive, informing the users on their current location.

7. Interaction with Users
Chats, comments and private messages should be available for each user on each page of the social media web site. Complementary features, such as notice boards or status messages, are also widely used. Connection to Twitter, for instance, also increases the frequency of new contributions and keeps the profile updated.

8. User Profile
Users should be able to change some settings in their profiles. Apart from the security settings, users should also be given the opportunity to modify their profile according to their personal taste. Nevertheless, despite the opportunities of personal arrangement, using photographs, videos and pictures on the background, the overall design of the platform should be preserved.