Tips to designing your own website
As the rate of information technology increases, many small
business owners and individuals are now aiming to increase their
communication and business with the use of the Internet. Some of
the benefits of the Internet is that people can frequently
improve their knowledge, be critical, and analyze new concepts
and developments. Not only does the Internet provide an
opportunity for people to access new and foreign knowledge, but
people are also given the opportunity to share knowledge through
the use of creating their own websites or visiting chat rooms.
The concept of building a website may at first seem to be
foreign to the less technologically inclined, but once the
basics of website building are mastered, then the concept
becomes routine and easy to handle, especially with updates.
However, the building of a website does not only involve
conquering technology, but also the design of your website will
largely affect how many visitors will stay on your site and the
amount of information that is consequently attained. For
example, a website that is offensive in their use of language or
ideologies, or even which has unsuitable colors will deter
viewers from going to the site. Below are some tips that need to
be taken into consideration when building your website.
TIPS: 1. Make sure the color of the text on your website is not
too bright and is suitable for the content of the website. For
example, if you are designing a website to talk about the death
penalty, a pink background with yellow text may not be the most
appropriate format.
2. The pictures or images that are presented on your website
also need to be taken into consideration. A website
incorporating cartoons and pictures of Barbie but which is aimed
at mature age people in the content may not be as successful.
Remember, when people go to a website the first thing they will
see will be the graphics, and just as easily as getting to the
website, people can just as easily go to another website.
3. Make sure the links that you put on your website are relevant
to your content. Although advertising is permitted and
incorporated into some websites, too much advertising and
propaganda will act as a deterrent and may compete for the
attention of the viewer. Also, although advertising may pay for
the cost of maintaining your website, remember the initial
purpose of designing the website and don't let in-your-face
advertising overtake your valuable content.
4. Although most people feel that a website is made more
interesting when there are graphics on the site, do not put in
too many graphics and make the size of your website too large.
Viewers can become frustrated if a website takes too long to
download and will go to another website.
5. Remember to reference everything that you have researched and
include a bibliography or a list of references. Do not
plagiarize. Plagiarism can have consequences if you are an
academic, or you may be liable for court action if it is too
serious. Remember to indent long quotes that you may have gotten
from a person or from research. Acknowledge help and all your
sources.
6. Be mindful of different ideologies and cultures. Colors for
backgrounds may have significance to the content. However, in
another culture it may have a completely different meaning and
may be misunderstood.
7. Ensure that the content is concise and attractive to the
viewer. The content of websites can be written in formal as well
as informal language. This will depend on the target audience
and what you want to promote. For example, a person who is
aiming at a teenage market may want to use less formal language,
however, if you are aimed at academics or mature age people,
correct referencing and research as well as formal language will
be better appreciated.
8. Ensure that the links that are put on your website work and
that your website is easy to navigate. For example, endless
links that go nowhere can cause frustration and deter people
from your website. Information that is not concise or inaccurate
can cause misunderstandings. Hence, check all information before
you put it on the website and check your links before you
publish the website.
The building of your website can be a challenge at first, but
the rewards are that many people will have the opportunity to
share in your knowledge and communicate with you in relation to
your ideas. For entrepreneurs, websites have the ability to
promote your business and also ensure that consumers have the
ability to gain better information about your goods and
services.