June Web Exclusives»

Top Ten Website Do's and Don'ts

10 - Flash intros
They were clever in 1999. Not now. Don't subject your visitor to a page that says Loading... and then torture them with something that is nothing more than a 10 to 30 second example of artistic hubris. The skip intro button is the 2nd most clicked on the web today. Your visitors time is valuable to them. Take them straight to the content.

9 - Don't use background music on your web pages!
The exception to this rule is if you are a recording artist. If you are not avoid this like the plague. Visitors do not want music playing if not given the choice. Additionally, if your visitors are viewing your website from their place of business, they more than likely either do not have the sound on or do not have sound capability.

8 - Don't force your visitors to meet specific requirements to view your site
"This website is best viewed with Internet Explorer 7.0, Flash Player 8 or greater and a 1024 X 768 screen resolution". This is the best way to lose someone before they have even entered your site. It is the designers responsibility to ensure that your website can be viewed in all browsers on all platforms by all people.

7 - Page counters
Page counters do nothing except make your webiste look amateurish and give people information about your website they probably shouldn't know! Your web hosting provider can supply you with detailed traffic reporting or you can integrate Google Analytics into your website.

6 - The Great Distraction
The whack-a-mole ad at the top of your website you inserted to help offset the cost of production serves two purposes. One, it can completely drown out the content below it. Second, if it is realizing revenue, then chances are people are clicking on it, sending them away from your website. Advertisements (if needed), should be strategically placed and designed to minimize the effect of drowning out your content.

5 - Design By Committee Brings Death
To say that all committees are a bad idea is naive, and to suggest that a website could be developed without consultation is disingenuous. However, when it comes to design, committees are often the kiss of death. Design is subjective. The way we respond to a design is influenced by numerous external forces. What one person considers great design could be hated by another. This is why it is so important that design decisions be evaluated by user testing rather than by committee. It also creates compromise. Because different people have different opinions about the design, they inevitably look for ways to find common ground. One person hates the blue color scheme, while another loves it. This leads to designing on the fly, with the committee instructing the designer to "try a different blue" with the hope of finding a middle ground. Unfortunately, this leads only to bland design that neither appeals to nor excites anyone.

4 - Clarity
There is no grater example of instant gratification than the habits of a web surfer. If it takes more than 5 seconds for a visitor to figure out what your website is about, you have lost them. (Another reason to avoid flash intros). If you are selling purple bananas, say so. This is not a medium to be apologetic or ambiguous.

3 - Accessibility
The age demographic of the web user it could be argued is 5 to 95. The experience demographic is neophyte to Unix Sys Admin. If the goal of your website is broad appeal, then appeal to the lowest common denominator. Accessibility does not mean blasé or dumbing it down. It means menus that are clear and easily clicked, text that is text and images that are images. Avoid using mystery navigation or mice type. If the image of the clown is also a link, provide a visual cue.

2 - Have your contact information visible and prominent
A large percentage of your visitors arrive via search engines. In many instances they are using the search engine as a phone book. Don't bury your contact information at the bottom of the contact page, rather, place it in a prominent location throughout your website, since not all of your visitors will enter your site from the home page.

1 - If Content Is King Then New Content Is Queen
The single most important element of your website is content. Don't underestimate the value of writing great copy. Proof-read to avoid spelling and grammatical errors. Have someone else proof-read it. Launch your website and then start writing again. Stale content is one sure-fire way to lose visitors. Develop a strategy to draw visitors to your new content. Share your new content and archive your older content. If you have any questions regarding website do's and don'ts, please contact us.

Jeff Sargeant is the owner/operator of Net Advantage Solutions. If you have any questions and/or comments about this article or anything else relating to web development, email him at jeff@netadvantage.ca or call him at 519.619.3007.