| Website design consist of the artistic, visual, navigational and user interface elements of the site. |
|
|
Website design is the "artistic" phase of a complete website development cycle, and it's importance cannot be over looked.
Think of your website as a catalogue of your goods, a sales flyer, or a promotional poster for an event – it’s advertising. While one could certainly explain things using only written text, it takes a good layout with some good photos to let it really explode and generate excitement.
There is more to design that simply throwing some photos in with the text however, there are many other considerations, such as readability, navigation and user interface.
Readability is just as it implies; how readable is the text on your site? While yellow text on a black background is readable, it is certainly rough on the eyes, and generally speaking should be avoided. That isn’t to say that only black text on a white background should be used, but the site must not be too rough on the eyes. Fonts also play an important role, unfortunately, not everyone has the same fonts installed on their computer as you do, and so “web safe” fonts should be used; these are the “default” fonts on most computers, and will ensure that your vision is what your client sees.
Navigationally, it doesn’t matter what goods ore services you offer on your site, if people can’t find it (typically within 3 clicks), then it mine-as-well not be on your site at all. The more ways they have to find it, the better the odds are that they will find it, and purchase it. Much research has been done in the past years with regards to personal preferences when visiting websites, and the rule of thumb is that your primary navigational menus should be located at the top of the page, or on the left hand side. Additionally, you should place navigational links in the footer of the website, it’s just another way for your customers to find the goods they want.
When your visitor (a potential customer) needs to interact with your site, whether to make a purchase, to sign up for an e-newsletter or to send a request for information or a quote, their experience with user interface should be as natural as calling you on the phone, or standing in line at a store. It should be easy to use, efficient and natural feeling. Take a look at on-line order forms, and you will see that many follow the same format and order of elements (inputs from the customer), here is a case where following the norm is a good thing as it is what has become natural for the on-line experience.
click here to contact Saint Lucie Webs for your website design needs
|
|
