5 Most Common Web Design Mistakes
As
you're designing your new web site, you'll be tempted with
web design ideas that could turn into fatal mistakes. This
is especially true if your web site represents your business.
Below are five of the most common mistakes to avoid at all
costs...
1. Too Many Graphics
Having too many graphics (particularly large graphics),
can cause your site to load entirely too slow. Visitors
will get impatient and often times click out of your site
-- never to return.
SOLUTION: When possible save your graphics as GIF files
(gif.htm) rather than JPEG (jpg.htm). Also, reduce your
graphic in actual size as much as you can without distorting
the graphic or picture.
2. Counters
A visitor counter or hits counter should not be seen on
your site unless you have trememdous traffic. The reason
for this is visitors really don't want to know which visitor
they are, especially if they're visitor number four. There's
no benefit to your visitor, nor is there any benefit to
you. The only way showing a counter is advantageous is if
you've had millions of visitors and wish to display the
popularity of your site or would like to attract advertisers
with the large numbers. Otherwise, you can use this space
for a benefit-packed headline that leads your visitor to
another part of your site.
SOLUTION: Most web hosts offer web statistics that reveal
daily visitors, hits, referrers, etc. This feature will
let you know how many people are visiting your site without
the whole world seeing the information. If you're just starting
out, make sure your web host offers this free service.
3. Banners
Limit your banners to the bare necessities. Why? Because
banners are graphics that can slow loading time and are
a turn-off for many surfers on the internet. For most, "banner"
is just another word for "ad" and they
avoid clicking on them.
SOLUTION: If you do have a banner or two, place the banner
at the very top or bottom of your page. Or you could place
a small banner in your sidebar. Most people will look at
the first picture they see and then start reading below
the picture, so any writing or links that are above the
banner may remain unnoticed. Also, the banners on your site
should be related to your product or service. Remember,
everything on your site should work together to benefit
your target customer.
4. Scattered Web Site
When designing your site, make sure it has a pattern that
leads your visitor. Get several people (friends or relatives)
to visit your site and watch them as they navigate. Notice
the places where they stop (as if they're finished) and
also links that they click on. Organizing your site to lead
visitors is very important whether you're leading them to
buy something or just to click and go to another place in
your site. Customers are silently begging to be led.
SOLUTION: Take a look at the flow of your site. Design it
in a fashion that always continues like this...
Make sure that graphics don't get in the way of your lead.
If the visitor stops in the middle of the home page to click
on a graphic or banner before getting to your sales page,
they may never return. You've got one chance to get the
visitor's attention and keep it. Make the most of it.
5. Generalization
The most effective way of selling on the internet is to
personalize your web site to reach your target audience.
Many web sites are general and try to reach everybody. The
reality is that you can't be everything to everybody. The
business owners who are successful on the web normally have
very specific products or services that target a niche market.
SOLUTION: Make your site as personal as possible. As you're
writing, pretend that you are face to face with the customer.
Present your web site in such a way that the visitor feels
like he just walked into a store in his hometown. Also,
stay focused on your target customer (one who would be interested
in "your" product.)
These five mistakes should be avoided at all costs if you
want to build an effective and successful web business.
Design your site to sell!
About the Author:
Article written by Candice Pardue, editor of Web Design
Weekly, the ezine for beginning webmasters. Subscribe to
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