Web Site Basics

Thursday, 18 August 2011 Posted by Encore TeleSolutions Category Services

When was the last time you found a website that made you think “Wow, this website is really well thought out, it loaded quickly, it made sense where to find things, and I got what I needed”? Unless you visited a website specifically to analyze the usability, you probably didn’t think about these things at all. Maybe you found a website and you were unsure where to find the information you were looking for. You may have even become frustrated enough with the site that you navigated away completely. This is an example of what is called bounce. In contrast, you may have found a website with exactly what you were looking for. As you clicked through each link, the navigation made logical sense and the purpose of your visit was fulfilled, whether it was a purchase, a contact or just information. This is an example of what is called conversion.

A good website should be designed with a goal in mind: to make it as easy as possible to get visitors to do what you want them to do. When designing a website, you don’t want visitors to bounce, you want to convert them. Thoroughly planning out the website’s logical navigation before building the site is very important.

Here are some considerations for the basic elements of a website: Graphics Graphics should be kept to a minimum and have some connection to your company’s brand. Image file sizes should not be too large so they will load as quickly as possible. Copy The copy should be concise and relevant. General information should be presented first with options for more detailed information in subsequent links. The copy should sound natural to the reader and include relevant keywords that speak to what you have to offer. If your company is called Blend-O-Matic and you sell food processors, make sure to include your company name and keywords such as “food processors” and “blenders” in the copy. Also make sure it is easy for visitors to find your contact information. Other Design Elements Carefully select your colour scheme, ideally the same colours as your company logo or any other signage you have created as part of your brand. Be consistent with fonts, colors and menu locations and use plenty of 'white space'. Make sure the text color and the background color contrast and the font is large enough for easy reading.

Tags: website basics, business communication

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