Website Design Strategies

The following are several stragies clients should keep in mind when contemplating the design of their Website:

Keep It Simple

The business Website is there for the customer. Keep your customer in mind at all times. Don't become so enchanted with showcasing your company that you lose sight of the reason your visitor came to your site. If you lose him once, you are not likely to get him back for a second chance.

Update Often

Good Websites have changing content and changing design. If your site looks like it has not been updated lately, can your customer actually depend on the information he finds there? Well-designed Websites allow for easy updating within the structure of the site. The best designs offer a dynamic site which has something different each time the visitor returns. Talk to your designer about options for automating your Website content.

Provide Relevant Content

Do not assume that your visitor is interested in your company history, employee roster, and personnel photos. Give him something worth reading in an interesting format, and he will return to your site and recommend it to others. The most visited Websites are those which offer unique content and easy access to information the visitor cannot find elsewhere.

Look Professional

Many companies try to save money on their Websites by designing and maintaining them "in-house". These offices often end up spending more money on creating and maintaining their Website than if they had hired an outside consultant. What often happens is that employees have other responsibilities which must be balanced with the Website, and when time is tight, the Website is the project which gets put aside for later or given to another employee to finish. Remember that your Website has the potential to reach thousands of customers every day. Be sure it is leaving the right impression.

Use Quality Graphics

Just as you would not decorate your customer lobby or the front of your offices with clip art, you should not use these images in your Website. Quality photographs and graphics are an essential part of your professional design. Good professional photography and graphics enhance your Website and keep your visitor exploring longer.

Use Quality Fonts

Too many Websites can be found which use fonts more appropriate for greeting cards than for business. Keep your Website clean and professional with two or three font types and add interest by changing sizes and weights. Resist the urge to scatter fonts creatively throughout the Website, but do use enough to clarify your navigation.

Computers are not Created Equal

Remember that colors, graphics, fonts, and sizes will vary wildly from computer to computer. There is no way to control the exact appearance across the Web. Therefore, don't spend a lot of time trying to match your letterhead or logo. Also, don't rely upon what you see on your computer as representing what the rest of the world will see. Screen resolution sizes are set by each computer user, and how your Website will appear greatly depends on universal design techniques. Speak with your designer for more details on this subject.

The Web is NOT Print

This may seem like an obvious statement, but it is important to remember that printed materials cannot just be scanned to your Website. Printed materials must be reformatted for use on the Web and doing so requires specialized and often expensive software applications. It is not always practical to try to reproduce your existing printed materials for Website use. Let your designer guide you to find the right balance between good Website design and consistent image for your business and marketing materials.

Spell-Check Everything

Errors and typos always seem to find their way into almost all Websites. You can reduce the number of errors on your site and the time necessary to correct them by using the spell check function for any text files you send.

Download Time Matters

The average visitor will wait 4 to 6 seconds for a page to download. It is important that your Website have something for your customer within that time, or you may lose him forever. Keep your Website pages to a size which can be downloaded quickly. There are still plenty of potential customers out there using dial-up modems to connect to the Internet.

Use Animation Sparingly

The use of "FLASH" animation can dramatically increase a visitor's interest without increasing the download time significantly. However, too much animation can compete for the visitor's attention and actually drive away traffic. Integrate your animated elements into the design concept, and let them support your information rather than competing for attention. "FLASH" animation is also a proprietary application requiring very specific training and software applications. Many designers will not be able to provide such animation.

Also, intense animations and large graphics will require more time to download, often making the pages unreadable within the 4-6 second target time period. Trust your designer's suggestions.

Make Your Website Unique

There are millions upon millions of Websites on the Internet today. Most of them look very much the same. Do not design your site with a template which will make your Website just like all of the others. Keep your design memorable, but professional. Many service providers offer "easy" Website design, and many software applications will give you seemingly attractive templates. However, these are used by millions of people. More often than not, investing in a custom-designed Website by a professional designer will bring you the best results.

Navigation is the Key

You have probably been to one of those sites which makes it hard to find the information you are seeking. Clear navigation is important. Your site should allow the visitor to clearly choose his options and to get back to the beginning without difficulty. Good navigation is one of the most important keys to successful Website design.

Write Good Content

What makes visitors return to a Website? Of course, it is the content it provides that keeps the visitors coming back. Preparing good Website content is a matter of keeping your Website visitors' viewing experience in mind. Give him what he wants, fast, and in a format that is easy to read on a computer screen. Click here and read the content section for a few tips to help get you on the right track for creating good Website content.

Get Your Money's Worth

Listen to your professional designer! After all, that is what you are paying for! If you have chosen your designer or design firm well, then they will know their business - just as you know yours. Too many cooks spoil the broth - and the Website, too! Of course you should be involved in guiding the direction of your new Website, but let your designer give you the benefit of his expertise in the field.