| |
| |
|
Go Back | About | Contact | Web Design News | |
|
|
|
Optimal Website Design
Optimal website design is the art of logical navigation. It will offer consistency while providing useful, quality information that is attractive to the eye and easy to understand. A well designed site will lead your viewers to the starting point and direct them through your site without confusing them. While there are many ways to design a website there are a few basic design principles that will help you create a site that is user friendly and attractive. 1. Use lots of white space. Don't feel that because you have a whole screen you needto fill it up with 'stuff'. Your page should follow a clean outline. Include your site name at the very top. Below that, list the subject of your page followed by information on your topic. Leave adequate space between each section. Don't cram a lot of pictures and ads on your site. If you have an ad, keep it off to the side or subtly intersperse it between your text. The idea is not to overwhelm your reader with a lot of advertisements. It's best to keep your text on a white background. If you do choose a colored background be careful that your textdoesn't blend into the background making it difficult toread. 2. Don't use animation and flashing objects. As advertisers we feel the need to get our viewers attention.This is important but we need to do it gracefully. Flashing objects and scrolling images distract your visitors and takeaway from the content. If your product is better demonstrated with animation, music or some other multi-media, allow yourviewer to select the option. Don't force it on them. 3. Include an 'about' link. Allow your viewers to find out about who you are and whatyou are about. Include a biography and some background on why you are in the business you're in or why you createdyour website. By helping them to get to know you, they willfind it easier to develop a trust. If they can like you and trust you, they will feel a lot better about doing business with you. Always include your business address, phone number and email address. This also lets viewers know that you welcome contact and are serious about your business. 4. Include a 'Privacy' Link Reassure your visitors that you follow privacy guidelinesby including a 'Privacy' page. This is particularly important if you are collecting names and email addresses. Visitors want to know that you will not sell or give away their information. In these days of rampant spam, your privacy policy needs to be prominently displayed. Many viewers and business partners won't do business with you unless you have it. 5. Always keep your links in blue. Internet surfers have long been accustomed to seeing linksin blue. It's simply an expectation that viewers have.There's certainly no law that says your links must be blue, but people prefer consistency, therefore it's good practice tokeep your links consistent and recognizable. If they're not,you may lose out on clicks. 6. Keep navigation consistent The navigation scheme you create on your index page should be done the same way throughout your site. Don't force your viewers to relearn each page of your site. Keep your navigation bars, colors and fonts consistent for each page. 7. Use Understandable buttons and links. Title your links appropriately. Don't use cute or misleadingnames. For example, if you have a link to 'cameras' don't label the link 'hotshots', label it 'Cameras'. Your viewers don't want to waste time figuring out what things are. Be clear with your text or you could risk losing your visitor. 8. Focus on the 'YOU', not the 'ME'. Make it obviously clear to your readers that you are in business for them. Encourage feedback, provide useful information and keep advertisements to a minimum.Your objective should be focused on what you can do for your reader? Convince them that your main interest ishow you can deliver what it is they're looking for? 9. Make sure your page loads fast. If viewers have to wait for a page to load they will click elsewhere. If a page doesn't load in 8 seconds youcould lose 1/3 of your visitors. Here's a great free tool to help you check your website's load time: http://www.1-hit.com/all-in-one/tool.loading-time-checker.htm 10. Use a site map. A site map will give visitors a "guide" on viewing your site,especially with larger sites. it's a road map for your visitors to follow. Sitemaps are also popular with search engines and are often recommended to help ensure indexing. About the Author Elizabeth McGee has spent 20 years in the service and support industry. She has moved her expertise to the world wide web helping businesses find trusted tools, enhance customer service, build confidence and increase sales. You can contact Elizabeth at mail@pro-marketing-online.com or visit her website at http://www.pro-marketing-online.com Copyright © 2004 Adlite Enterprises http://www.pro-marketing-online.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Web-Development - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Build a Database Driven Web Site If you ever want to create a state directory, articledirectory, dating site or link directory, you need to know aboutcreating database driven web sites. This may seem like adaunting task at first, if you have never done it, howeverI was in the same boat as you. Building a Great Intranet Taxonomy While it may seem like a "quick and easy" task, defining the navigation structure and organization of your intranet site will be one of the most challenging tasks you will face in the course of your project. It is also one of the most critical success factors. What is The Google Toolbar? No matter what browser you may want to use, you should consider using Google's toolbar. Google. Wheres Your Focus, Money or Customer? Is your website Really useful?I had a 'rep' in yesterday who was telling me he had a website, not realising I'm a man of many talents he was telling me about all the new companies he was working with and the great products he could offer and reminded me to go to his website.When he'd finished, I asked him:-"what is the purpose of your website?" a question which he couldn't answer. The 5 Biggest Mistakes Almost All Web Designers Make Huge Mistake #1: Creating a Website with Flash -- Did you know in a recent study, top internet marketers discovered that having a website created with Flash, actually DECREASED the response from prospects and customers by as much as three-hundred-and-seventy percent?Here's why: Your prospects and customers are most likely visiting your website using all types of different computers, connection speeds and internet configuration settings.. Get a Website!, Register Your Domain!: To Website or Not to Website? If you're fairly new to the Internet scene, you may just be a bit overhelmed with family members, friends, collegues, and advertisements urging you to get your own website for your business. Typically, this is good advice for businesses. Database Driven Web Site - Do You Need It? Many of site owners still don't realize all advantages of database driven web sites and don't use all abilities they give. So when do you need a database driven web site and how it will make your web-life better?What is a database driven web site? Database driven web site is one that uses database for collecting and storing information. Newsletter Management Using PHP w/o mySQL for Beginners Let's begin by setting some limits. If you're like me, you like to keep it simple. Autoresponders Make You Look Like A Pro People like to get immediate responses to requests. Autoresponders are great for letting people know you are on the job and that their requests are being taken care of. Why a CSS Website Layout Will Make You Money Although CSS layouts have been around for years, they haven't become so commonplace until recently. This was basically due to limited browser support (especially from Netscape 4) - nowadays though, CSS 2. Making Your Websites More Compelling The Internet is a remarkable publishing medium. With just a little effort, you can make your web pages visually irresistible by playing with color, shapes and text. How to Get a Better Web Site ROI Better Web Site ROIHow to increase your business profitability by hundreds ofpercentWebsites are ubiquitous these days and everybody is trying toget a betterweb site ROI. With millions upon millions of sites all trying toappeal to the same traffic, what can you do to improve your website ROI?What's In A NameYou can use Google Adwords to very quickly and cost effectivelyimprove your business profitabilityby a significant amount - hundreds possibly thousands ofpercent. Make Your Web Site Stand Out When visitors add your web site to their Favorites or bookmark your site, what shows up in their list of sites? There are at least two things you can do to make sure your site stands out on anyone's list of Favorites, including a great idea that very few sites use. If you have a webmaster, he or she should be able to make these changes quickly, and those who maintain their own sites can easily handle these simple tasks. Learn What 98% of Targeted Visitors Do On Your Website Getting a Targeted Visitor to a website is a waste of time and money if you've got no idea what 98% of them do when they get there.I'm assuming that if you have a website selling products that your conversion rate is at least 2%. 10 Tips For A Successful Website Have you ever thought the secret behind the success of most of the famous sites. Do you ask yourself these questions. The Importance of Website Stats to You One of the best tools you have as a webmaster is your website statistics. The most popular site stats programs are Awstats, Webalizer, and Analog. Trust Us! Sending Credible Messages A company must earn and keep trust or sales don't happen. Imagine that last Sunday, while you were reading the paper, you saw an ad for a great deal on a digital camera. HTML Editors - How to Choose the Right One for Building Your Websites There are lots of HTML editors on the market, however, you will want to look for one that has specific tools that will make building your websites easy, straightforward, and as stress-free as possible. Review the following requirements you should look for in an HTML editor. How Does Your Website Make Me Feel? When people think about the Internet, they think about technology. When people hear that I am a Website strategy expert, they see me as a "techy type". Earn On Offshore Web Design and Development If you have some experience in web site design and want to make good money you can try acting as IT-outsourcing partner. Learn more what you should know and how to start.
|
ChicagoAnimation's Acquisitions: Market Polls - 1pennyStock.com
Sponsors: Paving | VTL's | Religious Statues
