Effective Website Design
There are literally millions of websites on the internet but only a small percentage of the websites are accomplishing their desired goal. Ensure that your time, money and efforts bear fruit by following these basic guidelines.
have a well defined, specific objective
Decide what you want your website to do for your business. All of the content should directly target these objectives. Make sure your visitors can immediately and at all times know the website's purpose.
capture the visitor's contact information
Your website is a tremendous opportunity to get sales leads. The visitor was obviously interested in what you have to offer, that's why they came to your website in the first place. Make every attempt to get the visitor's contact information even offer an "ethical bribe" such as a contest or a monthly drawing. A few possible ways to capture your visitor's contact information are:
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Newsletter subscription (include material that will entice them to return to
your website such as coupons, newsletter only specials or prize drawing
announcements.) Electronic coupons
Surveys - Market oriented, customer oriented, or your website oriented.
Email page for more information, questions, comments ("Tell Us What You Think"), or advice
The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Put yourself in your visitor's shoes. What would entice you to give out your email or postal address?
Keep The content focused
Keep the content focus on the visitor first, your company second. The website should have a friendly feel with the content focus being clear what the visitor will gain by visiting your website. The visitor should see you as a member of their team, especially on an information or service oriented website.
Maintain a Constant Look and Feel
Make sure the website has the same look and feel throughout. The look and feel is your visual "brand identification". In the mind of the visitor, an inconsistent design sends a mixed message and blurs your company's image.
Keep The Navigation Consistent
Changes in the navigation structure can cause the visitor to lose their way, resulting in visitors abandoning the site prematurely. Don't make the visitor guess where they are at or where to go next. Make it clear how to get to each area of the website and the contents of each area.
Ensure That All Links Work Correctly
A dead link or a link that goes to the wrong place reflects poorly on your business causing lost potential customers.
Your Web Pages Should Load Quickly
Visitors will abandon your website quickly if pages are slow to load or result in an error message being displayed. Your web site's host should be top notch. Be wary of low cost service providers. There is a reason they are low cost and it's usually NOT due to lower profit margins.
