| Website layouts can actually show to the audience | | | | 5. Own variation of English words |
| what type of person you are. If you come across a | | | | Use the standard spelling for English words. I have |
| nice and simple website, it goes to show that you're a | | | | seen many people using words that have the same |
| neat and tidy person. It also let the audience feel | | | | pronunciation but with a different spelling. Take for |
| comfortable to look at your site. A nice and simple | | | | example, the word "you". People spelled it as "euu". |
| layout is the way to go if you want to appear | | | | What kind of language is that? No doubt others might |
| professional in your field. However, I've came across | | | | know what you are trying to say but such usage of |
| MANY sites that literally caused my eyes to strain and | | | | spelling reflects your professionalism and credibility in |
| thus, I closed the window almost immediately. Why | | | | your field. Would people trust what you say? I doubt |
| almost immediately? Because I was taking down | | | | so. |
| notes on what to avoid on the design of the website. | | | | 6. No punctuation |
| So, I've compiled the top ten stuffs that should NOT be | | | | Punctuations are invented for a purpose. That is, to |
| on your site. | | | | allow the reader to know when to stop, when to |
| 1. Neon colors | | | | continue and so on. I have come across many sites |
| Neon colors are way too bright to be used on a | | | | where the authors do not use any punctuation at all. |
| website. It is too glaring to be look at a few minutes, | | | | This makes reading extremely tough. Can you imagine |
| especially so if you use neon colors as your | | | | reading this whole article without any punctuation? You |
| background color. Imagine having a neon yellow color | | | | will not even know when I am asking a question! So, |
| as your background. Wouldn't it be too straining for | | | | please use punctuation in everything that you type. |
| you to look at? People will get turned off by such | | | | Also, do note that there is a correct way of using |
| colors and thus, you will lose your audience in just 1 or | | | | punctuation. Take this sentence for example. "You are, |
| 2 minutes time. Therefore, do not use neon colors as | | | | reading this article, now." There are too many |
| your font color or your background. The only way you | | | | "commas" in this sentence. So, please use the right |
| can use neon colors on your website is to use it as a | | | | punctuation at the right place. |
| highlight over the important words, like what we used | | | | 7. Messy layout |
| to do when we were in school. | | | | Have you come across a website where it is too |
| 2. Black or dark background | | | | messy to be viewed? What I mean by messy is that |
| Audiences usually associated a dark background | | | | there are too many stuffs on the sites positioned |
| website with a hacker's website or sleazy website. So, | | | | without any order and overlapping items. Site layout |
| the recommended color for a background is either a | | | | should make sense, period. |
| light color or white. | | | | 8. All caps |
| 3. No paragraph spacing | | | | Text set in all caps make people think that you are |
| This may sound basic to you, but I come across this | | | | shouting at them which is unnecessary. Therefore, only |
| mistake ALL the time! People post up articles to their | | | | important words should be capped to let the readers |
| sites without any paragraph spacing and this makes it | | | | know that this is the important point in the whole |
| extremely difficult for the readers to finish reading the | | | | paragraph. Other than that, you should not use any |
| whole article. If I come across such articles, I will close | | | | text set in all caps in any part of the articles or posts. |
| the window immediately as I dislike reading without any | | | | 9. Capped letter in any placement of the word |
| paragraph spacing. Imagine having to read this entire | | | | I have seen people typing like tHis in tHeir BlOg pOsT. |
| article without any paragraph spacing. Are you able to | | | | You can type like this on MSN or social media sites |
| finish reading it? I highly doubt so. Most likely you will | | | | with your friends BUT definitely not your professional |
| read the first few sentences and switch your | | | | website. |
| concentration to another thing. | | | | 10. Spelling or grammatical error |
| 4. Pop ups or pop under that cannot be closed | | | | Many people post their articles or blog posts without |
| Many people resorted to using this method to force | | | | doing a spell check for spelling mistakes. Spelling errors |
| their customers to subscribe to their list. Is that | | | | are among the most common surface errors as well |
| necessary in the first place? I don't think so. Yes, your | | | | as the most easily corrected. To correct spelling |
| number of subscribers on your list will increase | | | | errors, use a spell-checker, regardless of your spelling |
| tremendously BUT this goes the same for the number | | | | skill, along with a dictionary to help you find the right |
| of unsubscribe too! Why so? Simply because you | | | | alternative for a misspelled word. Grammatical errors |
| literally forced these people to subscribe to your site! | | | | are also common on sites. People always misuse "it's" |
| That's how simple and easy it is. I have nothing against | | | | and "its". So, be sure that to correct the grammatical |
| pop ups or pop under. Just avoid using pop ups or pop | | | | errors on your article before posting it to your site! |
| under that cannot be closed at all. | | | | |