subject: Web Site Development - Follow Top 20 Dos And Don'ts To Build Highly Successful Sites [print this page] Good web site design is central to your website's success. An effective design can expand your client base and increase earnings. On the other hand, a bad design can discourage website usage despite exceptional products and service.
Keep in mind the following points while you design your site if you want it to be successful:
Top 10 Dos of Website Design
1. Do provide convenient search and navigation capabilities. Your website design should promote quick and easy search of required information. All pages also need to have the important links to information that would boost the user experience. Any useful information should not be more that two or three clicks away else you risk losing the user. You would ensure repeat visits from your customers if you save them time by offering fast navigation and swift access to information they are looking for.
2. Do keep your website content simple and easy to understand. Develop clear, effective and to-the-point content to secure customer attention and help them comprehend better what you have to offer. Your content should address customer problems and provide effective solutions for them.
3. Do give your site a consistent look and feel. If you want your site to look professional, it is necessary to be consistent in fonts, colors and layout of pages. This is especially important with regards to the interlinked pages.
4. Do make your site accessible on multiple browsers. Users may visit your website using many different web browsers like Firefox, Internet Explorer or Chrome. Increasingly large number of users are surfing web sites on the mobile phones. It may make sense to test the site for access on mobile web browsers.
5. Do put your contact information on every page.
List your physical address including other contact information like phone and email on the 'Contact Us' page. It is also important to list phone and email at the bottom of each page for easy availability.
6. Do make sure that each page has the most important information at the top of the page so that the user knows precisely what the page is about and if they want to scroll down or not.
7. Do use high-quality graphics and pictures. Images on your website, including your logo, should be of high-quality to draw in the customer and generate interest but should not take too much time to load.
8. Do use headlines, italicized words, bold face, pleasant colors, bullet points and icons to attract customer attention to most important segments of your content.
9. Do understand that security of the web site is important and develops confidence Make your website secure for visitors. Privacy policy also needs to be easily accessible to the users.
10. Do use clear and concise page titles. Site visitors see web page title in search results and clear effective titles can appreciably increase the traffic coming to your website.
Top 10 Don'ts of Website Design
1. Don't clutter your website. Cluttered web pages are tough to read and navigate. Limit the amount of information you present on each page. Each page should ideally deal with only one topic, product or category. Any advertisement on the web pages must be non intrusive else the visitors would leave and most likely not return for a repeat visit.
2. Don't make excessive use of bandwidth consuming audio and video features, such as graphics, animations and photos. These may be slow to download and are frustrating if the customer has to wait too long for them.
3. Don't make content hard to read by using offbeat text fonts or color combination. Additionally, don't include distracting visuals on your web pages.
4. Don't add any information or features to the site that do not serve the intended purpose. It would be a waste of time for your visitors to use features or browse information that does not carry any meaning for them.
5. Don't let the content and links on your website become outdated. Content should be frequently refreshed and links monitored. Out-of-date links are annoying and can seriously affect your business reputation.
6. Don't use jargon or overly technical terms on your pages unless your website is designed to address the needs of a small segment of technical people. Additionally, avoid using conflicting information in your web pages. In addition to confusing customers, such information gives a highly negative and unprofessional image to your website.
7. Don't use flashing icons and text as that can distract browsers and could possibly be detrimental to the popularity of your website.
8. Don't stuff up your web pages with advertisements. Also, limit pop-ups as they can irritate customers.
9. Don't include introductory advertisements on the first page before your web content appears. Such advertisements put customers in a sore mood even before they look at your content.
10. Don't just brag about your company's achievements. Offer your clients easy to consume information and back it up with references and customer success stories to allow them to judge your performance.
Follow the dos and avoid the don'ts to create an effective website, and greatly enhance the probability of successful web entrepreneurship.
