| There are web sites out there have really bad design. | | | | Keep your content updated. People won't return to |
| As the old adage goes, too much of a good thing can | | | | your site if you never have anything new to share. |
| do you harm. According to usage stats at | | | | Easy and relevant navigation. No one likes to guess |
| internetworldstats.com, close to 240,000 Americans | | | | what your links mean and have them be relevant. |
| surfed the web in at the end of December of '07. | | | | Colors. Choice of colors is EXTREEMLY important! |
| What this means for anyone owning a website is that | | | | Read more on this. |
| the potential for reaching a wide audience is easier | | | | Carry the same theme across all your pages. |
| than it's ever been before. One caveat: It's also easier | | | | Bad Navigation |
| than ever for businesses to compete for that same | | | | The most frustrating thing for visitors to your site not |
| audience. The obvious point?.. That you cannot afford | | | | being able to find what they're looking for. I have visited |
| to loose a visitors' interest in your site. | | | | many sites and left as soon as the page loaded |
| Don't confuse your audience. | | | | because there was too much clutter. Too much stuff |
| If your site is about selling dvd's then sell dvd's. People | | | | spread out all around the page is very confusing. The |
| come to your site because they are looking for | | | | best types of navigation remains consistent across all |
| something specific. They want answers, and they are | | | | the pages of the site. |
| impatient. Be clear from the very first sentence, what it | | | | If a user can expect to find links to the various pages |
| is that you're selling. Decide in advance what image | | | | in one location it eliminates confusion to a large degree. |
| you want to portray and get that information to the | | | | Navigation that is badly categorized or structured is |
| reader fast! | | | | equally bad. Simple is better. |
| Don't let people guess. | | | | Stale content |
| Let them know clearly what the links on your site are | | | | If you have a content based web site then your |
| and be consistent. When your links are all over the | | | | visitors will expect to find, well.. content. The reason |
| place or change from page to page, this makes for a | | | | most sites die is due to the fact that they don't update |
| very bad navigation experience. They will leave. | | | | their content frequently enough. If I come to a site |
| Use flash and sounds moderately. | | | | week after week and find nothing has changed since I |
| Flash animation can do wonders for your site but too | | | | last visited, why would I want to return? It's like reading |
| much of it will make your visitors sick. It's right up there | | | | the same book over and over again. |
| at the top of the list of things that irritate people most. | | | | So if the main purpose of your site is content, then |
| It's annoying and distracting if not done modestly. If you | | | | don't let it go stale. If there were no other reason to |
| absolutely must have sound effects (bad idea | | | | add new content but for the search engine spiders, |
| anyway..) then always give your user a way to opt | | | | then that is reason enough. The search engines will |
| out or turn off the sound. | | | | rank your site depending on the amount of relevant |
| Choose your color scheme carefully. | | | | content you have. This is not the only way they rank |
| How much is too much? A good rule of thumb that I | | | | you though, but it is definitely a good way to improve |
| try to follow is that, subtle is always better. Most | | | | your site ranking. |
| people are impatient when surfing. Finding a site that | | | | Bad site design |
| you has a bunch of ads flashing around enticing you to | | | | Inconsistent layouts and bad colors are a turn off to |
| buy reminds people of a sales person. Who likes being | | | | your visitors. Paying attention to your site layout and |
| pressured by salesmen? People have low tolerance. | | | | making use of tasteful design is another hook that will |
| If your site deals with teaching people how to burn | | | | keep your visitor lingering around for a while longer. |
| dvd's then you'd better teach people how to burn | | | | Make no mistake, fancy graphics with a dull or |
| dvd's. Getting to the point quickly and concisely is of | | | | non-existent content base is no good. Good design will |
| paramount importance. People won't linger on your site | | | | only complement an already good site. Lay out your |
| if you don't get them what they're looking for, FAST! | | | | content spaciously and make it easy to read. You can |
| How do you make an enjoyable visit? | | | | accomplish this with more white space between your |
| Start by thinking like the visitor. What would I like to find | | | | content paragraphs. |
| on a site that sells tea? Well, tea of course! | | | | |