Special Website Design Considerations
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Webpage content
A webpage should not overwhelm the visitor with unnecessary animations, flash novelties or music. All of these things can detract from the content of your page.
If you want to present these things, do it on another page where you can isolate the full effect from other elements of the website or use them sparingly for emphasis.
Use white space to lead the eye around the page. The spaces and margins on a webpage can help to frame the contents and emphasize key areas.
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| Look at the page and form an image in your mind based on the spacing and layout. Does it help the eye to follow a path around the webpage, flowing from the most important areas to the least important areas. |
Rules of thumb
In order for visitors to understand your site you need to follow a few more rules of thumb:
- Explain everything clearly and briefly. Web surfers are short on patience. Give them what they want by keeping sentences and paragraphs short and to the point.
- Make sure you present information in a logical order. Both website visitors and search engines look for structure in the content of a webpage. If the content is haphazard and illogical in its composition you will have problems.
- Use plain language. Avoid being overly technical in the language you use. Consider the average reader and use words that you would use in normal conversation. Also, simple language translates better when viewed by visitors from other countries.
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Main sections
It is best to keep your main website sections to no more than 5 - 7 divisions. As the visitor moves further into your website you can begin to add more pages and detail. The following diagram gives a visual example of what I mean. |
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The Pyramid
A website can be compared to a triangle. The index page forms the tip of the pyramid followed by the main sections, subsections and pages of increased content. Let your visitors decide where they want to go, starting with brief introductions and leading into more detail as they proceed through the site.
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Now let's recap the main points:
- Balance the web page for a more pleasing experience for the visitor
- Have a clearly defined focal point on your page
- Make good use of the hot spots on the page for your title and links
- Keep your content brief and to the point
- Use only one style of alignment and be consistent throughout the website.
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