Information scent is the strength of visual and conceptual prompts the user receives while navigating through information. It uses the metaphor of “scent” to indicate the direction the user goes while moving through the content in the same way an animal would use scent to track whatever it’s following.
A strong information scent gives users a clear message that customers will find the content they seek. Links and other navigation paths give them progressively more relevant information and clues that they are reaching their goal. The information scent is both visual and conceptual so that users are provided with content that is increasingly relevant to whatever they are seeking. For that reason, content that is irrelevant, misleading, surprising, or confusing should not form part of the path users are following.
Two key aspects of information scent are as follows:
- Users must be provided with enough cues and signals that they can predict the outcome.
- Users must be able to look back at the trail they’ve followed and understand their journey through the content.
The information scent begins, typically, with a landing page, or general starting point. Clues provided at that initial step in the journey give the user the scent to begin the next step. Consistent visual and conceptual cues help the user to continue navigating towards their goal.
Creating a strong information scent helps reduce customer frustration and confusion while helping them achieve their goals. Customers rely less on support resources because they're able to assist themselves more effectively. It also improves the conversion rates of potential customers looking for more information about an organization’s offerings.
