Web Design
NOT SO FAST! Before you think about design style, you need to consider design functionality.
Function over Form
Pretty is pretty, but features, details information and tools keep visitors at your site, and keep them coming back. Before you decide what your site should look like, you should decide what it will do. In the 90's most sites were nothing more than an e-brochure, also referred to as brochure ware or Web 1.0; a digital business card. These days, all the most popular sites constantly have new content being added to them. This can be done by having items to buy, BLOG articles, events calendars, coupons, or even a message forum for your visitors. The key is this... Ask yourself if the sites you visit most often are static, or do you go to them for new information? Don't mistakenly think that you are different from everyone else using the Internet. You probably don't go to the same static site to read the same copy over and over, and neither does anyone else. We ALL are always looking for something new.
Dynamic over Static
It is critical to understand that providing new and timely information is the most important thing you can do for your customers. You are an expert in your field, so your customers come to you for your knowledge. Consider posting a BLOG or even RSS feeds into your site. You could also consider a message forum for your site visitors do discuss issues that are pertinent to your industry or field. Static sites continuously slide down in rankings because the content is considered "stale."
You should also provide the opportunity for your prospects and customers to server their own needs online 24/7/365. Often, this even allows organizations to increase productivity and/or reduce payroll. Following are just a few examples:
- Stores sell products online
- Real Estate agents show properties online
- Lawyers and Creditors put applications online
- Rental companies put reservation systems online
- Service industries place appointment systems online
- Everyone puts forms online! Why should an administrative assistant do any customer data entry? Allow your customers to do their own data entry by providing online forms. In fact, place a computer in your lobby or any public area to allow your customers to use only for using your website.
Avoid Flash like the plague!
If you only take one piece of advice from this website, let it be this: Avoid Flash like the plague! Sure, Flash sites move around and make noise, but there is nothing less search engine friendly on the planet. Search Engines index the words on your website, yet a Flash site is nothing more than a movie. Go ahead and google any word or phrase you want, and we will guarantee that the first links on Google's results will not be flash sites. Google is looking for relevant content...words. Another reason to avoid Flash is that Flash sites seem to be synonymous with noise. Studies have shown that noise for the sake of noise, is the quickest way to lose your site visitors in less than one second. It's a sad truth, but more people will visit your site while they are supposed to be working, and if your site makes instant noise, they will close their browser immediately. The same can be said for video(s). Entice your site visitors to watch your video(s) but don’t make them auto-play. Flash designers are also hard to find and therefore charge a lot of money. The sad part is that 90% of Flash designers know a lot about graphics arts and trendy looking design, yet they tend to know absolutely nothing about business development or website development.
Design Style
Or - to continue learning - jump to Web Hosting now and come back to review the multitude of applications and design styles later.
