Key to Effective Site Design
A clear objective, meticulous planning and simplicity are the keys to effective site design. Without these key parameters, one risks ending up with a website that is chaotic and confusing to the visitor.
The first thing you need to do when planning for a website is ascertaining exactly what you want from it. Do you want to sell something online? Do you want to promote your business? Or do you merely want to mark your presence on the World Wide Web? Being absolutely clear on the objective is critical to the planning process because the site has to be designed accordingly.
Plan everything. Write down the main areas your site needs to cover. Each of those would lead to other related areas, which also need to be planned. Once that is done, the design process can begin. The key factor in this would be navigation. It is best to keep navigation simple, logical and consistent throughout the website. Don’t confuse the visitor with too many navigation choices. Begin with a few main areas. The visitor can always be presented with more options after selecting the main area he/she wants to explore.
Content is another critical factor. It is what ultimately sets a website apart. You need to strike a fine balance with content. Too much can put a visitor off while too little might leave un-answered questions. Also, given the limitations of the medium, you need to break the content up into chunks that are easy on the eye. Use concise sentences, simple font and bullets wherever you can to make the content easier to read.
The use of images and colour also needs to be carefully planned. Unless your business demands it, keep images small and use them sparingly. Big images take much longer to download and slow down the navigation process. It is advisable to favour softer, more conservative colours because they are less of a strain on the eye. Choose only a few colours and use them consistently throughout the website. It is best to use a very soft hue as the background so it does not visually interfere with the text or images. Be generous in the use of white because it gives a site a more organised and neater appearance.
If you need help designing an effective site, come to Business 1st. A leading name in website design in the UK, Business 1st has developed sites for over 3,000 clients. We offer website design packages from as little as 99.99 pounds to bespoke services for businesses wanting to do something special on the Internet. Visit www.b-1st.com for more information or contact us.
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