Common mistakes when building a website.

WEB SITE WISDOM

If you are a web designer or have your own web site, then you are in the company of countless computer moguls on today’s World Wide Web, all vying for the Internet community’s interest in YOUR web site. How do you contend in the face of such extraordinary competition? The following are some tips to keep your web site in the running and only a “click-away” from success!

* Know your target audience and make the site “personal”!
People visit web sites to meet some need: entertainment, information, purchasing, discussion, opportunity, etc. You must anticipate and meet these needs by knowing your audience: speaking their ‘language’, choosing the right words, appealing to the relevant emotions, addressing visitors’ priorities and preferences, and understanding what matters to them. While viewers may be many in numbers, your site should address and appeal to them in a personal way. Remember: your prospects are online looking for some ‘solution’. It is up to you to provide it!

* Details matter
Pay attention to every hyperlink, to every graphic, to every text, to every color, asking: How is this relevant to my target audience? What questions am I not answering? What questions am I not asking?

* Exude credibility and confidence
No matter what the content of your web site, given the myriad of sites only a click away, today’s surfers have the luxury of being picky. Most people are weary of sites that are not up-to-date, that don’t provide assurances of privacy protection and that lack credibility. Thus, craft your site to radiate trustworthiness and exude confidence. Remember: the goal is not to be a “one-time attraction”, but rather to get people to come back to your site again and again.

* Names DO matter
If you want to secure an audience, you need to first capture their attention! Generic page titles and irrelevant or riddled headings will not cut it in today’s Internet empire. Your page name should be direct, relevant (catchy where applicable), and already begin to meet your visitors’ needs.

* Web site content
Determine the purpose of your site. You should be able to look at the home page of any site and figure out what it is about within four seconds. If you can't, your site is likely to fail. Remembering that having viewers revisit your site a second, third, or fourth time is the hallmark of web site success, keep your content updated frequently, and encourage visitors (subtly or not) to get like-minded folks to visit. You can also make the most of the visitors you have already by giving them the ability to sign up for more info later, or to “join” your site via online chats, forums, contests, etc.
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* Website Mechanics & Design
Keep it Simple. Avoid pitfalls such as lack of a focal point on the page, too much text, too many pictures, inappropriate graphics, colors that blind your visitors or make them squint, lack of contrast and ugly background images.

Text is Text. Don't use graphics or Flash for text. They are not search engine friendly, and graphics are often jagged and of poor quality. Avoid text that is too small as well as long-scrolling texts.

The value of good navigational tools cannot be overemphasized! All web navigation must answer: Where am I? Where have I been? Where’s the Home Page? Keep navigation simple and consistent. LABEL your navigation buttons clearly, and ensure that they take viewers where they want and expect to go. Avoid placing links to the current page on the current page. All hyperlinks should be clearly labeled so visitors aren’t surprised when they click. Make surfing your site a breeze!

If you want folks to stick around, avoid delays! There is currently a popular trend to put 20-second flash intros upon opening a site with no option of skipping them. Long waits for your content to load is a sure way to “clear the room” of a crowd! Even worse may be the option of skipping the intro, which implies that it isn’t worthwhile to begin with. If, however, you choose to have a "Skip Intro" button, make sure it is highly visible and available without delay. Similarly, if music automatically plays on your site, offer visitors the option of turning it off.

* Be creative!
Whether your site sells, promotes, discusses, informs or inspires, you need to be alluring and interesting. Use creative as well as “true, tried & tested” strategies like making “top 10 lists”, or using popular game show formats (If it works for bestsellers, music charts, and Hollywood, why not make it work for you?).

Above all, remember: It's what your audience wants that counts.


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