Web Site Design Tips

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11. Structured Approach

Make "Structure" an integral part of good web site design. It's a good idea to map out the pages of your site. That means you should design the sitemap first.

Find the most logical, most direct way to link your pages to one another. Think like your customers - if you were visiting your site, how would you want to find information? Better yet, get your customers to tell you. How? Ask them!

12. Plan Before Plunge

Good web site design tips and practices start with good planning. Don't develop a single graphic until you've set up a skeleton site and done some real-world testing to see if the structure makes sense. Sit your employees or customers, or your spouse down and see if they can navigate your site easily and locate information quickly.

13. Be Consistent

Other good web site design tips include always (yes, always) using navigation aids consistently. That means that your common navigational elements will be in the same place, and will have the same look on every single page of your site.

14. Standard Practice

Sometimes, good web site design tips dictate that you simply follow standard practices. Keep your logo in the upper left hand corner of the page and use it to link from your interior pages back to your home page.

And use common names for things - "home" for home and "about us" for a page about you. If you have a search field, put it prominently near the top of your page. Most people have grown accustomed to these basic web site design principles.

15. When "More" Is Not Always "Better"

It's safe to say that all businesses want an effective web site. But what's "effective" and what's "excessive"? Other important web site design tips worth remembering are that fancier and more sophisticated are not always better. Yes, your site can flash, blink and sing, but there are reasons not to add extra features.

By "extra features" we mean things that do not improve your sales, make your business more efficient, or advance your goals but which, instead, are simply surface enhancements.

Music, a twinkling star, graphics that fade in and out. Music and other sounds, especially when automatically playing on your home page without a mute button, will cause your visitor to click away from your site in an instant.

16. Hazards of Showing Off Too Much

    All of these things may impress you but they may not impress your visitors. Extra features can:

    • Slow your site down so that people with slow Internet connections might never get through your opening animation.

    • Stop or inhibit search engines from listing your site.

    • Annoy visitors so that they leave your site before learning anything, signing up for your newsletter, or making a purchase.

    • Flashing-blinking-singing things can be distracting, repetitious or detract from the real purpose of your site.

    That isn't to say that these elements should never be used. Each has its place and can be an integral part of good web site design.

    But any enhancement should advance your business goals, and your animations and music should come equipped with an "off" button. Remember, the purpose of a web site is to convert visitors into customers.

17. Use the Right Technique

    So far, everything we've mentioned has some visible effect on your web site. But there are other "behind-the-scenes" web site design tips that can help to make your web site the best it can be.

    Such web site design tips include taking care to ensure that:

    • Graphics are optimized for download - Visitors should be able to get to your web pages quickly, even on slower Internet connections.

    • Colors are "Web-Safe" - Some browsers display a limited color palette. Visitors should be able to view your site in all its glory, whatever their browser.

    • Visitors using low resolution monitors should be able to see your primary content without scrolling. It's usually best to design for the "least common denominator" so that your most important content is immediately visible on all types of monitors.

    • Your site must work across multiple browsers and on multiple operating systems. Customers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and so do their web tools. People using a Mac, or IE 5.0 should be able to see your site as well as someone using a PC, or Firefox 1.0.

    • Proof of the Pudding - Include testimonials from your customers and suppliers. Nothing builds trust with customers and prospects like good words about you from people who know you and have done business with you.

    • Optimize for Search Engines - Search engines are the number one way of getting visitors to your site. You will want pages that are easily registered by the top search engines like Google and Yahoo. Also, be aware that search engines are a lot smarter than they used to be and are getting smarter by the hour.

      Most search engines first look at the title of your page (those words that appear in the little box on your browser), then at the page's Meta Tags, and finally at the copy on your page. If the same keywords appear in all three places, your site gets a higher listing than a page on which these elements don't match.

      This means that a customer who searches for you using one of your site's keywords will more likely find you linked if your page is listed in the first 10 to 15 sites the search engine presents.

      To see what Meta tags look like, go to any popular site, point your cursor at the page, and click the right mouse button. Choose "view source." The Meta tag looks like this:

18. Update Often

    Make sure you update your important info often. Search engines, just like customers, check back frequently to see how your site is progressing. Lots of helpful articles, tips, and a question and answer page will give customers all the information they need.

    Also include links to other recommended sites like yours. Try to get those sites to add your link as well. Customers will see you as an authority in your field and will appreciate your ability to help them in a variety of ways.

19. Own Your Website

    Your own domain name will make your business look bigger and your Internet effort more serious. Yourname.com looks a lot more impressive than freewebsite.com/10101/yourname.

20. Easy Contact Info

    Don't forget to include all your contact information where customers can easily find it. Include phone, fax, and your regular mailing address.

    Your street address adds credibility to your website and offers. Invite visitors to email you with questions and for more information.

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