Simple Steps To Proper Web Design
By - John Kovacs
Over the course of the last decade, the Internet has grown
beyond all expectations. Each and everyday there is a new
website that is being developed. The biggest challenge a new
website will face is getting viewers to stay on their site long
enough and to attain high search results with search engines.
One of the factors that could help you address these issues is
having a website with good web design. The importance of knowing
proper web design can very well determine where your site is
listed in search results and how long a visitor stays on your
site.
Proper web design is not a difficult task, it is just a matter
of designing your website from a viewers point of view. This
article will give you suggestions on proper web design to
enhance your search results with search engines and capturing a
higher interest from your visitors.
What Your Site Is About
First off, it is vital that your home page explains in detail
the purpose of your website. Did you ever go to a website that
was filled with a lot of links, graphics or banners, but you
really didn't have a clue of what their website was all about?
If a person has to search from page to page just to understand
what information your website really offers, the chances are
they will move onto another site. Don't keep them
second-guessing, it's important that you are very specific on
your home page, letting your viewers know up-front your websites
main purpose.
Font Size/Style
When creating your website keep in mind not all people have the
same eyesight. It is best to use nothing less than10 point,
with12 point being the most recommended. Keep all pages in your
website consistent with the same font size and style (this of
course is in exception to titles and sub-titles).
Text Colors
Make reading your pages easy by always using a dark text with a
white background. Using a light colored text against a light
background can make it difficult for your readers to read the
content. There are a few sites that reverse this process by
using a light text on dark background, which is found acceptable
in some cases, but you are better off using dark on light for
your overall content.
Paragraphs and Spacing
To make reading your web pages easy for your viewers, do not use
long paragraphs on your web pages. Try to keep your paragraphs
to only 6 to 7 lines with proper spacing between each one. Try
to implement sub-titles to break up several paragraphs, as this
creates easier reading and is more attention getting.
Content
Does your website provide more useful content than
advertisements? Providing viewers with very little content is a
common mistake many webmasters make when they develop their
website. I can't begin to tell you how many websites I've seen
that may only have a couple paragraphs of what I call useful
content, and the rest being advertisements, sales pitches,
links, banners, etc.
If you are going to take the time to develop and invest in a
website, you need to focus on providing your viewers with
informative information. Search engines favor sites that have
useful content, not to mention you will capture a stronger
interest from your viewers.
Page Size
Try to keep each of your pages no more than four pages in
length. The reasons for this is that no one likes to spend a lot
of the time scrolling just to read the entire content. If you
have a lot of content, break it into separate pages. You can put
in a link of "continue", "next", or "go to page #" at the bottom
of each page.
Navigation Links
Nothing can be more frustrating than trying to figure out how to
maneuver around ones website. Most any person (including myself)
will leave a website as fast as they came in if they find it
difficult to get from page to page.
Make it easy for your viewers to navigate around your website by
putting navigation links on all of your pages. It is advised
that all navigation links follow the same pattern on each page
so as not to confuse your viewer. Setting your navigation links
on the either side and also on the top or bottom is highly
recommended.
Page Load Time
Did you ever click on a link to a website and found you had to
wait 20 seconds or longer for the website to open? I don't know
about you, but if I have to wait too long for a website to open,
I will click off of it and go to another website.
This problem is caused by a Webmaster having too many graphics
or animations on their website. Large graphics and animations
will definitely slow the load time to your website. Keep in mind
the majority of Internet users are still using dial-up for their
Internet connection, so the time it takes for a website to open
with a lot of graphics, can seem like eternity to them.
To avoid this problem do not use too many graphics on your
website and try to resize the ones you want to keep. The ideal
is to set your pages to load within ten seconds to avoid losing
visitors.
Setting The Right Resolution
Setting the right resolution when creating your web pages can
save you from visitors leaving your site rather quickly. The
most important thing to understand is that the majority of all
PC's are set at a 800 x 600 resolution. The problem here is, if
a internet user with these settings goes on a website that was
created with a higher resolution, the user will end up scrolling
left to right in order to view all of the web page.
Even though there are ways around this by implementing tables
into your web page, you are better off creating all your web
pages so they can be viewed on PC's with a lower resolution.
Contact Information
If you don't have a link that is accessible to a contacts page,
most people will not purchase anything from you.
It is highly recommended to place links that are plainly visible
on all of your web pages that go to a separate contacts page.
This page should give your viewers a way to contact you with any
questions, concerns or comments. This helps ensure support and
trust in doing business with you.
Pop Ups
This can be the most annoying feature a website can have in my
opinion. Pop ups are used to get the viewers attention to either
sign up for something or purchase their products. Although I
understand the basis to pop ups and what they are meant to
achieve, I feel there are other ways to capture your visitors
attention that should get you the same results.
The most effective way to capture your visitors interest is
having solid content on your website with informative
information, as mentioned earlier. With that being said, you can
implement title links in between some of your paragraphs which
can take your visitors to separate pages on "special
promotions", "newsletters" or "products". On these pages, you
can list the same message you would have in your pop up. This is
far more acceptable since the viewer is making the choice to
click on the link.
If you feel your website needs to use pop ups, use a pop under
instead. This form of pop up only comes up when a person leaves
your website and is far less annoying.
Site Map
A site map is a separate page that list a complete directory to
your entire website. You can relate to it like what a table of
contents is to a book. Having a site map on your website helps
the viewer maneuver through your site without confusion or
second-guessing where to find something. Most search engines
favor sites with site maps, which in turn will improve your
search rankings, as well as placement.
Privacy Policy
With the ever increasing problems with Spam on the Internet, a
privacy policy is a crucial element to your website. You are
letting your viewers know that any information they supply you
with, is held in the strictest confidence and that you will not
share this information with any other third party. You are
instilling trust to all who do business with you.
Update Your Site Often
This is a valid step you want to take seriously. Updating your
site with new content gives your viewers a reason to revisit
your website. Search engines love sites that update their site
often, which will definitely increase your search engine
rankings.
It can be an added benefit to add a section on your home page
that tells your viewers when your site was last updated, the
type of changes that were made and a link to each update.
Updating your site once a week or every other week should work
very well for you.
Copyright 2003-2005