Everyone loves to surf the internet before starting their work day. Whether or not they chose to go to a particular site depends on various factors. Although there are many things that determine a site’s population, here are the most common elements to a well designed site. These apply to websites designed from scratched or created using a web hosting platform.
Navigability. In a world where nearly everything is instant, people want to be able to fly through a site with the click of a mouse to get to the content they want to see. Having to jump through hoops for a simple answer to a question is a major turn off for viewers and they find themselves giving up half way. When designing a website ensure that every page is easy to get to and anyone could find what they are looking for. Error-free. Nothing makes a viewer want to forget the name of a site more than seeing the numbers 404. Don’t just test your links, have friends with different computer settings do it. You may find that part of your site is not compatible with a certain browser. If so and you cannot fix it, put a little note next to the link letting your audience know about the limitation. It is better to tell them than to let them find out for themselves. A Catchy or Memorable Name. It is true that it is better to use keywords in the name of your site so search engines and the general population can find it for the first time. That being said, repeat business is a more important aspect because those who like a site will spread the word. Have a website name that your viewers can remember the instant they see it. They won’t have to look it back up when they want to tell their friends and coworkers about it. Pleasing to the Eye. Have you ever visited a website that may have had useful information but you couldn’t tell because the color scheme was horrendous? If your viewers can’t stand the sight of your website, they will never get to the relevant information it portrays. Many people enjoy softer colors against a dark background so there is minimal brightness coming from the screen and less eye strain. No music. The worst thing a web designer can put on their site is music or sounds that automatically play once the site loads. As stated above, viewers enjoy browsing sites at work. The last thing they want is attention brought to whatever they are looking at. Sounds can startle a viewer and force them to frantically look for the volume button. This leaves a negative impression with them about your site. If it is absolutely necessary to have some form of sound, have it muted with an option to listen. The viewer might come back at a more convenient time to listen.
Following these guidelines will help the most novice of website designers to create pages that people want to see. Anyone can make their knowledge about a subject well known on the internet. It is just a matter of how they present it.