When it comes to websites, the topics are unlimited. As far as what you put into it depends on what you want your website to say. If you’re designing a business site, you would keep it more basic and focused on your business. If you are designing a game and amusement site, you have a little more freedom with add-ons.
I’m a firm believer in “Less is more”, and “Just because you can add something doesn’t mean you should”. How much should you add to your website without losing the purpose? Here are just a few tips on building an effective website that stays in focus.
Use only add-ons that stick to you site’s purpose. If you have a site for photography, you won’t want to include a link to Yahoo Games. It would become a distraction.
Determine your target traffic. It’s highly unlikely you’re going to sell Teletubbie sleepwear to 40-year-old bankers. If you know who is most likely to view your site, you can design it to meet their needs.
Don’t add anything you can’t understand. If you add something to your site that you don’t understand, who’s to say your viewers can. Another thing is that you may be sending the wrong message without realizing it. If you’re going to add something to your site, make sure you know what it is first, and that it sends the right message.
If you want to add colors, try to use colors that will enhance the appearance of your site, not become distracting. I give the same advice to customers trying to pick frames for their prints. Try to look at your website as a frame for your business. If the color of your frame is overpowering, it take all the attention away from your primary subject. If you base the frame on your subject, it will enhance and draw attention to your subject.
Use lettering that’s easy to read. If you try to get too fancy with the lettering, you may confuse some of your viewers. By keeping it simple, you will keep more viewers. Times new roman is a perfect example of easy to read.
Remember, the more cluttered your website is, the more viewers you will turn away. Get rid of the clutter, focus your site, and you will draw visitors to you.
Challenge: Look at your web design and see if you have something that serves no purpose, and then get rid of it. It’s not doing you any good.
Enjoy,
Allen
