Main Menu
Articles Home
Most Popular Articles
Top Authors
Submit Articles
Submission Guidelines
Link to Us
Bookmark
Contact Us



Partners
 
Home / Legal

11 Steps to "Sticky" Web Site!

By:Collette Gillian



An attractive and user-friendly Web site is crucial to attracting prospects and holding their interest. Seems obvious, yet poor design and even more poorly written content clutter the Web.

The basics of a good web site are simple. Generally, if the purpose of your web site is to convey information, the emphasis should be on clear navigation and engaging text. If however, your purpose is to showcase a portfolio or develop a brand identity, then it will be more appropriate to limit the amount of text, and concentrate on the graphics.

However you define the purpose of your web site, following a few basic guidelines will keep your web site user-friendly.

Keep It Simple.

This is the most important rule of Web site design. Keeping things straightforward from a user’s perspective requires some thought and planning.

If people find it difficult to get into or move around your site, they may not stay for the show. Ditto if you make it difficult for them to contact you or place an order. A little research into what your visitors will be looking for when they click on your Web site will help keep them happy.

Make Your Links Clear.

An important part of keeping it simple is making your links clear. If you use icons or pictures for your links, be sure to give them text titles. It may sound boring, but your site visitors don’t want to waste their time trying to guess where to go next.

Also, make sure that your links are easily visible. Don’t make your visitors have to scroll across to find them. Typically, links are found across the top of the page, or vertically arranged on the left.

Use Straightforward Navigation.

Make sure your visitors always know where they are by providing a navigation bar or map on every page. Also, try to arrange your information so that it is never more three clicks away. Make it easy for your visitors to find what they’re looking for, and to get around your site.

Tell Them What to Do.

Web users like to know what’s expected of them. If you want them to order your product, sign up for a newsletter, or contact you - tell them. And then give them an easy way to do it.

Give ‘em What They’re Looking For!

Your home page should include enough information about your site to let your visitor know they have found what they’re looking for. Nothing annoys users more than wading through click-thru’s, only to find that you don’t have the information or product they’re seeking.

Clear, engaging, value-driven content is essential to your web site’s success. Lame language and garbled grammar will ruin your professional image.

Minimize Download Times.

Big graphics, flashy animation, intricate images – they all take time to download. Take care when using whistles and bells. Again, consider your typical visitor. Will they have access to the latest technology? Or will they be dialing up from their rinky-dink home desktop? All the flash technology in the world won’t impress your visitors if they don’t stick around until the page loads.

Use Images Sparingly.

Images are a great way to add some pizzazz to a Web site. Too many, however, can detract from your site’s appearance or message, and they can make your site slow to load. Try using images that support and add value to your text, not as a substitute for information. Remember too, that although JEPG files are better for photographs, GIF files are quicker to download.

Avoid Unnecessary Forms.

This is especially relevant for e-commerce sites, but applies equally to subscription forms for anything. Long forms complicate the ordering process, and prospects may not be willing to fill in what they see as unnecessary details.

Color.

Use color with restraint in your Web site design. Too many colors may make your site look garish and incoherent. Stick to two or three complimentary colors to make a better impression. The same goes for textured or colored backgrounds. Often such backgrounds make text difficult to read, for example, a light blue background with yellow text or a black background with light blue text is virtually unreadable. (Don’t laugh! I’ve seen ‘em both.)

Text.

Different browsers support different fonts, and not all the same ones. So that unusual lettering that you think looks so good as your font choice, may show up as indecipherable gobbledy-gook on your visitor’s screen.

But all is not lost. There are a few fonts (called “true type” fonts) that are common to all browsers. The ones most commonly used are Times New Roman, Ariel, Helvetica, and Verdana (which was designed specifically for the Web).

Also, allow plenty of “white space” on the page. Spaces give readers a visual break, and allow them to focus more fully on separate elements of the page.

Following these simple guidelines, or using them as a checklist for your existing web site, will save you time and money. More importantly, your site visitors will feel understood and appreciated. And that’s a good thing!

©Copyright 2004. Collette Gillian dba bestWriter4U.com. All rights reserved.

About The Author

Collette Gillian is a copywriter specializing in Web content and Web copy with an emphasis on usability and results. She also helps her clients optimize the content of their Web sites to improve search engine positioning. Visit http://www.bestwriter4u.com for more helpful articles and information.


collette@bestwriter4u.com






Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Top Legal Articles
  • 1). how to defer jury duty  By : Phil Wiley
    Let’s face it. Jury duty can be a drag, but most of all it’s not always convenient when we’re called up to service. So how can you defer jury duty?
  • 3). The New Bankruptcy “Means Test” Explained in Plain English  By : Charles J. Phelan
    With the new bankruptcy law in effect as of October 17, 2005, there is a lot of confusion regarding the new "means test" requirement. The means test will be used by the courts to determine eligibility for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The purpose of this article is to explain in plain language how the means test works, so that consumers can get a better idea of how they will be affected under the new rules.
  • 4). Estate Planning - No Contest Clause in your Will  By : Ronald Hudkins
    Copyright 2006 Ronald Hudkins There is value in the story of an older client who had seen a very interesting clause employed in a will. There was a great deal of money at stake and the many family members had little reason to love each other, because they had never met and never knew of each other’s existence. It was expected that the will would be heavily contested on several different fronts in every conceivable way.


New Legal Articles
  • 1). Personal Injury Compensation Claims  By : Julian Hall
    Not all accidents lead to legal proceedings, however if there are no serious injuries, you may be entitled to recover damages for property and other expenses from the third party. The likelihood of legal proceedings will usually rest on the quantum, or the amount of financial damage which has ensued from the accident.
  • 3). California Contractor License Bond  By : Seth Miller
    Before a contractor can receive a contractor’s license in California, the contractor must register with the California Contractors State License Board and pay a Contractor's License Bond or a cash credit. In the event of a contractor's license getting suspended or annulled due to a breach of the Contractors License Law, the contractor must file a disciplinary bond with the CSLB.
  • 4). Montana Child Support the Treasure State  By : Holcy
    Montana Child Support How do you know if you qualify for child support? Child support is available to all single parents in need of financial assistance from the non-custodial parent. In order to receive child support services, you must first fill out an application with the state of Montana. When apply for child support, there will be a non-refundable application fee.
  • 5). Criminal background check  By : Stanley Alpin
    Background checks are a useful screening and selection tool for companies. Of the many types of background checks, criminal background checks are routinely carried out by employers to ensure that they are not courting a risk of physical and mental trauma. In fact, in several states in the U.S, criminal background checks are compulsory for prospects who apply for positions in places such as nursing homes, educational institutions, and adult care centers.
  • 6). Employment background check  By : Stanley Alpin
    Employment background checks are becoming increasingly common these days. The reasons for this include the fact that negligent hiring lawsuits that result from the actions of an errant employee can damage a company’s credibility and lead to hefty fines; companies have become more selective in their choice of employees following the threat of terrorist activities; accepting a resume at face value has resulted in many companies wasting time and money due to frequent hire-and-fire situations.
  • 7). How an employee background check works  By : Stanley Alpin
    Over the past few years pre-employment background checks have gained significance for employers big and small. Companies can either execute the required activities in-house or can outsource them to human resource companies that specialize in carrying out background checks. There is a lot of paper-work, co-coordination, and follow-up that goes into conducting a background check and for this reasons companies prefer to get the job done by an outside agency.
  • 8). Is an instant background check even possible?  By : Stanley Alpin
    Given that there are more than 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States and that information on U.S citizens is scattered across various databases all over 3,142 counties, it is safe to conclude that an instant background check is not possible at present. Yet, there are innumerable companies that purportedly offer instant background checks.
  • 9). What shows up on a criminal record background check?  By : Stanley Alpin
    A criminal record background check can throw up a lot of information on an individual including previous arrests as well as conviction and non-conviction information. The information is obtained from Federal Fugitive files, files from the Department of Corrections prison, state criminal records, databases on sex offenders, and prison parole records.
  • 10). Offshore Trust - Effective Estate Planning, You Decide  By : Ronald Hudkins
    Copyright 2006 Ronald Hudkins The creation of offshore trusts and other financial plans is a way of shielding your assets from the laws of the nation in which you reside. It can sometimes be used to remove one of the two certainties of life; taxes. Americans are far less likely than the citizens of other countries to put assets abroad because, although when you receive the benefits of being free of your country’s laws regarding assets (namely taxation) you also lose the aspect of those laws that are designed to protect your assets.


 

© 2006 articles2k.com - Privacy Policy