When designing your website, great care should be taken to ensure every last detail of the site performs at an optimum level and actually serves its purpose. Here are five simple rules of good web design that anyone would do well to remember when considering building or designing a new website.
1) Don't use flash intros
Flash intros are still commonly seen as the first pages many web visitors view when they arrive at a website. Flash intros or splash pages as they are also known, are normally short flash based movies with moving images and text; featuring information about the site and many times words like "welcome" or "click to enter website". In point of fact, they are just a distraction and inconvenience to web visitors that serve no real purpose. Don't force your visitors to have a reason to click on their browser's back button! Give them the valuable content of your actual web site... that is what they are looking for after all and get rid of the flash intro / splash page.
2) Don't use too many banner ads
These days even internet novices are astute enough to ignore banner advertisements so don't waste your valuable website real estate on annoying flashing banner ads. Why don't you just provide more valuable content instead? Then mix in some relevant affiliate links within your website's body content... this helps your website visitors feel that they want to buy instead of feeling like they are being pushed into buying.
3) Easy to use and intuitive navigation
An absolute essential as far as web design is concerned is the provision of a straightforward and clear navigation menu system. It should be so clear in fact that even an 8 year old could use it. Steer well clear of complicated flash navigation menus or multi-tiered dropdowns. If your visitors find your site hard to navigate they will leave your site and they probably won't come back.
4) Give visitors a clear indication of where they are
When visitors are browsing deep within the inner pages of your site and are enjoying being there you should ensure they know which part of the web site they are actually on at any given moment. By giving visitors a clear indication of where they are they will be able to browse all relevant information on your website or indeed navigate to any other section of your website with ease. Don't willingly confuse your visitors because confusion can lead to them leaving your website.
5) Avoid using background music on your website
If you really want your visitors to linger long on your web site, reading your content, the very least you should do is ensure that they aren't put off by annoying background music looping on your website. If you really feel you must use background music at least make sure visitors have some control over it - give them the option of volume or muting controls at the very least.
Scot Crone is a search engine optimisation consultant who works for Totally Ace Web Design Bath Totally provide professional web design, internet marketing and digital printing in Bath UK.
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