The StyleSheet - For businesses that use the internet

Login Dos and Don’ts

Posted January 11, 2008 By Nick Weynand |

I recently read an article by Jared Spool about mistakes that many companies make when they create a Web site registration and login system.  During my time at TradeMark, I’ve been involved in the development of countless numbers of these systems and I’ve undoubtedly made my fair share of mistakes along the way.  This short article shares a bit about what I’ve learned, as well as what’s been established as industry standard by Spool and other experts.

Don’t have a registration/login unless you really need one

There is give and take with every business relationship, and unless you’re offering something really compelling, users will hesitate to complete a registration form and give you all of their contact information.  Of course there are benefits to having it, so before you password-protect some of your information, you’ll need to weigh the cost of turning off most visitors against the gain of capturing the contact details of a few.

Do provide a “Forgot Password” and “Remember Me” option

These two options are ubiquitous across the Web, but I still run into login forms from time to time that don’t have them.  These days, users have many usernames and passwords to remember. These options will save them a step and give them easier access to your information.

Don’t make the registration form too complicated

I recommend requiring the smallest number of fields possible and offering other optional fields that the user can fill out if they have the time.  Nothing will turn a user away faster than having to take time out of their day to complete an overly complicated registration form.

Do make the login form obvious

If you have a Web site that invites users to return, many of them will need to log in to access important information. The login button or form should be somewhere obvious on the home page of your site.  Make sure your users don’t have to hunt around for it.

Don’t provide generic error messages

If a user’s login attempt fails, your Web site should tell them specifically why the attempt was rejected.  Maybe their username was wrong or they keyed in the wrong password.  Your error message shouldn’t leave them guessing.

Do use easy-to-remember usernames

Everyone knows their own email address, which is why so many login systems simply use this as the username.  If you don’t want to use email address for the username, allow users to choose one that is easy for them to remember.

If you’re considering a login for your site, follow these tips to create a seamless login process for your users.

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