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What makes a good website design?

A number of elements go into the design of a successful web site. In addition to their individual importance, there is the need for them to be combined seamlessly into a web design that is fast, clean, user-friendly, and pleasing to the eye. (Read on--there's a lot of good, basic information that will help if you are new to this!)

And, if you already have a website, use this link to test the speed of your website--how fast does it load? And, please, use your back button to come back here and finish reading!

Content!

Content starts with you. And, it is the single most important piece of the site. Even if you have the ugliest, most cumbersome site imaginable, if you have first class content, you will have visitors that linger on it. What is "first class content?"

It is information. Information that visitors are looking for. For example, if your business is a small printing business, you need to tell visitors what you can do. That's obvious. You also need to tell them what they can get for their money. Your small printing business is looking for other small businesses to buy your service. They are just as frugal with their money as you are. Give them as many options and product bundles as you can come up with. And, give them prices whenever you can.

Additionally, give them information about yourself and your business. Why you are in it, what kind of materials you can provide, what kind of services you offer. Show them pictures of your operation, images of your work, your employees. If you offer any service that your competitors do not, tell them about it. And no doubt there is more— only you know the finer points of your own business.

Graphics on your Site

Graphics can enhance a site tremendously or they can slow it to a crawl. Don't even think about designing a site with large, high-resolution graphics, no matter how glorious you think they may be. Your site is for your visitors— not for you. Hang your splendid images on your wall, not on your site.

Color is also a big issue. You may love aqua and pink. However, that may not be the best thing for your web site. Again, hang it on your wall, not your site. Colors work together or they do not. Their working relationships fall under the category of color theory. It's more than a theory—it provides recipes that please the visitor's eye and enhance your message. For a curious experience, have a look at this eye/brain coordination exercise.

Make Navigation Easy and Logical

Organize your site into logical pages, trying to reduce what you want to present down to what you think your visitors are looking for and what kind of information they want to find. Make it easy for them to find answers to any questions they might have. Make sure they don't get lost in a welter of links where they must follow many links to get an answer to a simple question. Having to hunt for the answer to an obvious question about your business equals frustration. Not a good way to start off a potential relationship.

Finally, there is the under-the-hood issue of making sure your site will eventually be found by the search engines. This is behind-the-scenes work that I know how to do. Search engines are picky and not all are consistent in their workings. But, even though invisible, it is exceedingly important.

If You Don't Have a Domain Name

If you don't already have your domain name, you can check for available names by using the VT2000 Domain Check Page. If yours is not taken and you need help registering it, please call and I will help you register it. This will not in any way lock you into using VT2000.

VT2000 Can Also Host Your Web Site

I can register your domain name and host your site as well. I will host your site on the same server as I have my own sites. That means that both the Technical Contact and the Site Administrator are located in Vermont. However, if you chose to go elsewhere, and even if you chose not to use my design services, you might want to check out
hostican.com Why Would I Send You Somewhere Else?
If you don't want to use VT2000, then I still want to save you money and hassle. Incredibly reliable hosting at hostican.com. Sometimes good advice is free! Cheers.

I agreed to recommend them because they are very reasonable, have fast servers, are reliable, and have good support.  Return to Top
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