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This newsletter is intended to provide information, tips and advice to Alaska business owners on how they can more effectively use the web to increase their business. If you would like to be removed from the mailing list click the unsubscribe link at the bottom.
Elements of Good Web Site Design: Part I
This edition will introduce some of the top level elements of good web site design. Effective site design includes more than just graphic design and appearance. It encompasses all aspects of your site from audience analysis to web site marketing. Future newsletters will address some of these topics in greater detail.
1. Do your initial research
Before you even begin to think about what your site will look like or what information it will contain, you need to answer some questions that will allow you to define a foundation for the site.
- Where is your company at in its growth? Where do you want it to go?
- What do you want the web site to accomplish for you?
- Who is your target audience?
- Will your site be mostly informational or commercial?
- What is your competition doing?
- Why will visitors return to your site?
- What is the most significant thing about your business, organization, or community? Incorporate this on the initial page view of your home page.
- What makes your company unique?
2. Create useful content for your site
The content of your site is the most important element. A snazzy interface will accomplish nothing if the content is poor quality or not what the visitor wanted. If your site is offering widgets for sale then provide lots of detailed information about your widgets and why they are such great widgets. Some people make the mistake of providing too little information with the belief that if the customer wants more information then they will call or email. No - they'll just click on to your competitor's site where they can get the level and quality of content they need.
4. Make your site easy to navigate
This is especially important for larger sites. Your menu system should be simple and easy to understand.
- The top level of your navigation system should be visible at all times.
- Your visitors shouldn't have to go back to the home page to get to the page they want.
- Make sure that it's clear where you are in the site.
- Don't leave it to the visitor to figure out where to go on your site. Create pathways for them.
- Use cross links to create multiple paths to your content
- Don't make "deep" site structures. If it takes more then three clicks to get to a page from any other page then you might need to rethink the structure.
5. Speed counts
Not everyone has blistering fast, broadband connections. A slow loading web page is one of the most common reasons that people will leave your site.
- Assume that a visitor to your site is using a 56K modem at best.
- Keep image file sizes as small as possible
- Beware of incorporating animations, audio, video or other elements that are slow loading.
That's all for this edition. In the next edition we'll talk about some other elements of good site design in Part II. Then we roll up our sleeves and get into the details.
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