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Full page website or Centered with Background?

by Glenn Newsome
4 replies
I have a couple of questions about the way websites are done.
Do you prefer the websites centered with a background? This seems to be the preferred method at this time.

What do you think about full page view websites?

I actually like some of these, but they seem to be fading in popularity. Could it be because folks screen resolutions are set different causing scrolling, etc?

I understand a website centered with background for a sales type page, but I like the full view for functionality sometimes.

Have there been any actual case studies on which method is best?

Just curious,
Glenn
#background #centered #full #page #website
  • Profile picture of the author jensrsa
    A centered 800px page work fine for a page that don't use columns like a lot of the sales pages or even a two column page. However as soon a three coumn page (or your content section is in columns like the default Joomla set up) the content becomes squashed.

    Sideways scrolling shouldn't be an issue unless you use a fixed width design.

    Full screen gives you more effective space to work with particularly if you want to promote affiliate programs or Adsense. Traditionally the left column is the menu/navigation column and the right column the advertising column.

    Jens
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  • Profile picture of the author mmurtha
    Hi Glenn,

    It depends on what type of site I was looking at. For instance, if it is sales copy, I like them to be centered at about 680-720 pxs, but if it is a news or, web.20 I like them about 85% ,,, not the full width.

    Which brings me to your second question. The reason I don't like them at full width because some people do end up scrolling and it turns them away. I don't have to worry about stuff like that because I have up to date monitors, but some don't, and it will eventually hurt my traffic in the long run.

    Case studies -- I did an experiment one time after I had good traffic flow with 3 different widths of the same site. I put up each width for a month. The narrowest first, and the widest last. The month in the middle got the most visitors that stayed on the site for any of the 3 given months.

    It wasn't a real case study because of time constraints, but it did give me a general idea or ballpark figure.

    To be honest about it, there would be more variables to consider in a study like this, and I'm not sure you can get anything concreate at the end.

    Hope this helps ...


    Mary
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  • Profile picture of the author Glenn Newsome
    I was just curious because I see a lot of business websites and info type websites going to the "centered with background" sales page type.

    I have had both and build both ways. I still prefer the full page type on sites with lots of info or functionality. Was starting to think they were going away and I was the only one who liked em--LOL.
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