There are some fantastic website designs out there, and then there are some that would be awesome other than a few things that detract from the overall impact and potentially drive visitors away. Are you committing any of these web design crimes?
Here are 8 ways that people ruin a potentially great website.
1. Colors. The colors you use in the design of your website can make it pop, or drive everyone away. Use too many bright colors, and the look is a bit “nervous.” The saturation and contrast of your colors makes a difference, as does your niche – particular niches need a particular feel, such as relaxing, exciting, inviting, etc.
2. Flash intros. Once upon a time, flash intros were all the rage. Today, there are still some that are informative and attention grabbing, but most visitors to your site do not like to be “demanded” to wait while your intro plays – they want quick access.
3. White space. Not referring to using white color, white space is the area between the elements. Unfortunately, some web designers feel that white is “boring,” so they leave little or none on the pages. The fact is, in your visitor’s eye white space makes everything look neat and organized, so they do not get that sense of clutter – good readability and focus are other benefits.
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Give your brand a makeover!
If you’re brand seems a bit stale, or you’re simply ready to evolve it and make it do all it can do for you, there are a few things you can do to enhance both your brand and increase your success in the new year. Are you ready for 2012 to be the year that you finally reach your goals in regards to your business, and have your brand more recognized than ever before?
Give your brand a makeover with our 5 tips!
1. Define your key services/products. Focus on your strengths and avoid casting your net too wide. Your services/products should be defined in a clear, concise manner so that potential clients don’t get confused.
2. Take a close look at your own messages and clearly define your audience. Take a really critical look at your own website and collateral materials such as brochures, business cards, your blog, even your email signature. Are you sending mixed messages, or is your messaging clearly targeted, speaking in a single, clear voice?
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Layered cake and Website design?
It really makes sense. Read on!
When reviewing the effectiveness of a website, you need to explore many layers, both on the surface and below, including the following:
Website functionality
Navigation and information architecture,
Forms and data entry,
Trust and credibility,
Quality of writing and content,
Help, feedback and error tolerance,
Page layout and visual/aesthetic design,
Accessibility and technical design.
Website visitors make judgements about trustworthiness, credibility, competency, reliability, design and style within seconds of arriving on a Web page. Make sure your website has all the elements for success!
Your website’s aesthetic reflects directly on the perception and trustworthiness of your brand. Even if your design was the hotness when it first launched, aesthetics evolve.
An old design will be detrimental to your product, leading to the declining metrics mentioned earlier. How can you tell whether your website’s aesthetic is outdated?
Look at your competition. Look at hyped-up newly launched services in other sectors.
Your metrics are down. Not sure what this is? You’re really in trouble.
Your web visitors tell you the truth. It’s time to step it up.
It’s been more than 12 months since your last update to your website.
“Clear indications that it’s time to redesign”. This article really sums it all up.
A great website is what the internet is all about, and it’s your bread and butter if you have a website that showcases your business. However, there are some aspects of web design that can leave your visitor cold, so to speak. If your website is to be successful and draw the attention of your target audience, there are some things that should be avoided at all costs.
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“For many businesses, a Web site is the first way that your clientele will look at you…”
Forbes reviews 16 Solid Small-Biz Web Site Design Tips. These are definitely worth checking out.
Here’s the short summary:
1. Choose an Obvious Domain Name
2. Highlight your Brand: Modern branding involves coming up with a name and logo that can be effectively rendered on the Web. Simplicity is critical: You should be able to reproduce your logo on an appropriate scale in any format.
3. Spell out your products and services: Be clear and direct about what you are selling and why people need it.
4. Choose smart keywords: The key to SEO: selecting 50 to 100 key words most relevant to your products.
It’s all in the details!
It really is all about the details when it comes to effective SEO on your website. It all starts with a solid and correct foundation on your website. Just like a house, your website needs to be built properly from the ground up with SEO in mind. There are a variety of elements that play into effectiveness and one of the first is your domain name.
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Does your website blow your visitors away when they arrive, or does it just sit there, looking pretty much like every other website – nothing special, really? Creative website design can be the difference between an online presence that demands attention and attracts notice, and one that is, well, just a wallflower, so to speak.
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Logo design may appear simple, after all it’s just some graphics and fonts right?
Well, not exactly. It’s so much more. Color, balance, harmony, white space, negative space, proportions, design elements and an non-verbal that accurately sums up a businesses purpose and vision in one recognizable mark.
The typical design of a logo goes through several steps and processes.
For instance, one of my recent logo designs started with a series of hand drawn sketches. When working this way I will often turn my paper at several angles and work upside down to get the balance and spacing just right. I’ll do this for 12 different concepts at least. Sometimes it flows and all of them are great. Sometimes they all fall short of my expectations. I walk away, put it on hold and come back to the drawing board again later.
Check out the visuals as you read on.
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Every day, the internet is becoming more and more competitive in regards to being seen and getting noticed. It is certainly no secret that there are billions of websites online, and perhaps hundreds of thousands or more in direct competition with you within your industry. The truth is, part of your success may hinge on the creativity of your web design. Why?
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