5 RulesTo Develop A Successful Web site
Posted 24th January 2012 at 04:36 AM by kcraighead
There are a few simple rules to follow as a web designer that will ensure you produce a web site that is easy to use. Many of them are common sense but it is astonishing how many expert web site designers will overlook them. If you follow the advise in this article you will produce better sites that website visitors will appreciate and your client will love. In short, it will be a winning web site!
1. Make your website simple and easy to use
Ensure your website is easy to operate so that an inexperienced visitor will be able to use it without getting completely confused.
Remember it is better to keep the way your site operates simple than making it clever, advanced and different for the sake of it. That way anyone will be able to use it, regardless of their expertise.
2. Website visitors do not read web page, they scan them
Research has shown that website visitors don’t read most web pages (with some exceptions such as news stories). Instead, they scan or skim them.
The reason web site visitors do this is:
You would be astounded by the huge number of people who use things effectively without knowing exactly how they function, or with the wrong idea about how they function.
After all, people can’t be bothered reading instructions so they muddle through. This applies to virtually all modern technologies.
The truth is loads of people get things done by muddling through. In fact studies prove users operate websites and software packages perfectly well but in ways that are nothing like the designer planned!
This occurs because:
Of course there is!
Muddling through does work but it is inefficient and error prone. On the other hand if they "get it":
Try to make it effortless for website visitors to "get it" and your site will succeed.
4. Don't make visitors think!
This is the key rule when creating a website that works. But what does it mean? Put simply, it means that when a visitor arrives at your web site it should be self-evident, clear and self-explanatory where they are, what is on offer, and what the point of the site is.
Visitors should know this without having to think about it.
Remember, website visitors should spend their time on your web site finding out about the services you offer. They shouldn't spend their time distracted by less important things such as:
Don't make your visitors think!
5. Website visitors don't make the best choice, they pick the first viable option
You may believe that when you build a web page visitors will scan the entire page, evaluate all of the choices available and pick the best one. Studies show that they don’t.
In reality visitors don’t pick the best option on the page – they select the first option they see that may lead to what they want.
The reason they do this is:
About me
I own and run NetChimp, a web design agency that offers Web Design in York, and throughout the UK. If you have any web design related questions feel free to get in touch.
1. Make your website simple and easy to use
Ensure your website is easy to operate so that an inexperienced visitor will be able to use it without getting completely confused.
Remember it is better to keep the way your site operates simple than making it clever, advanced and different for the sake of it. That way anyone will be able to use it, regardless of their expertise.
2. Website visitors do not read web page, they scan them
Research has shown that website visitors don’t read most web pages (with some exceptions such as news stories). Instead, they scan or skim them.
The reason web site visitors do this is:
- Visitors are usually in a hurry and don't have time to read everything.
- Using your website is meant to save time.
- Website visitors are just looking for the parts of your website that assist them with the task at hand.
- Are brief
- To the point
- Use short sentences
- Are broken up with headlines
- Have short paragraphs of 1 or 2 sentences
- Use bullet points for lists (like this one)
You would be astounded by the huge number of people who use things effectively without knowing exactly how they function, or with the wrong idea about how they function.
After all, people can’t be bothered reading instructions so they muddle through. This applies to virtually all modern technologies.
The truth is loads of people get things done by muddling through. In fact studies prove users operate websites and software packages perfectly well but in ways that are nothing like the designer planned!
This occurs because:
- Visitors don't think it is important to learn exactly how it works so they simply mess around and try to figure it out.
- If something works, they stick to it.
Of course there is!
Muddling through does work but it is inefficient and error prone. On the other hand if they "get it":
- There is a greater likelihood they will find what they are looking for.
- There is a much better chance they will grasp the full range of services you offer.
- You have a greater probability of directing them to the parts of the site you want them to see.
- They will feel in command and will come back again.
Try to make it effortless for website visitors to "get it" and your site will succeed.
4. Don't make visitors think!
This is the key rule when creating a website that works. But what does it mean? Put simply, it means that when a visitor arrives at your web site it should be self-evident, clear and self-explanatory where they are, what is on offer, and what the point of the site is.
Visitors should know this without having to think about it.
Remember, website visitors should spend their time on your web site finding out about the services you offer. They shouldn't spend their time distracted by less important things such as:
- Where am I on the web site?
- Where should I start?
- Where is the thing I'm looking for?
- What are the most significant things on this web page?
- Why did they call it that?
Don't make your visitors think!
5. Website visitors don't make the best choice, they pick the first viable option
You may believe that when you build a web page visitors will scan the entire page, evaluate all of the choices available and pick the best one. Studies show that they don’t.
In reality visitors don’t pick the best option on the page – they select the first option they see that may lead to what they want.
The reason they do this is:
- They are in a hurry.
- There is no handicap for picking a wrong link.
- Evaluating all the options before selecting one does not help on a badly designed website so they don't do it on any website.
- Guessing is more fun and may lead to something amazing and good.
About me
I own and run NetChimp, a web design agency that offers Web Design in York, and throughout the UK. If you have any web design related questions feel free to get in touch.
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