1. Your main page should specifically let your visitors know exactly what you're offering. If your potential customer can't find your product or service, they definitely won't waste a lot of time looking for it. They'll go on to the next site and probably never return. They're visiting your site for a specific purpose. They want something your site offers.
2. Create a page to display your "Privacy Policy" in regard to the personal information you collect from your visitors such as, email address, Internet Service Provider, etc.. Explain your reasons for collecting the information and let them know how the information will be used.
3. Create a page about you and/or your company. Include your name, company name, photograph, biography, address, phone number and email contact information.
4. Display your copyright information at the bottom of each page.
5. Keep in mind, your visitors may enter your site from pages other than your main, so make sure you include good navigational links on every page. Place your navigation links together at the top, bottom, left or right side of the page. Use tables to neatly align your links and maintain a nicely organized and uniform appearance throughout. Try to keep the number of clicks required to get from your main page to any other page on your site down to four and place your company logo on each page.
6. Use caution when selecting your background and text colors. Busy backgrounds make text difficult to read and draw the attention away from the text. In addition, always be consistent with your background theme on each page of your site. Keep in mind, colors affect your mood and will have an affect on your visitors as well. Bright colors such as yellow and orange, cause you to become more cheerful or happy, while colors such as blue and purple have a calming effect. Dark colors such as brown and black have a depressing effect. A good rule of thumb is to use colors based upon the type of effect you're trying to achieve.
7. ALWAYS check and double-check your site for spelling errors and make sure your images and links are all working properly. If you have several errors, this will make your site appear to be unprofessional. If you are designing your site using an HTML editor, use spell check. Proper grammar is also very important.
8. If you must use frames, use them sparingly. Frames, if not used properly, can make your site look unprofessional. Avoid making your visitors have to scroll from side to side to view your content. This can be very irritating and cause your visitors to leave.
9. If you must use Java on your site, use it sparingly. Java can be slow and has a tendency to crash browsers.
10. If you're using pop-up windows to display special offers or ezine subscription information, try to use a JavaScript that utilizes cookies. This way, the window will only be displayed to your visitors the first time they visit your web site.
11. View your web site through different browsers and screen resolutions so you will see how your visitors will view your site.
Visit:
SiteOwner- Check your web pages for HTML validity and browser compatibility.
Siteinspector Site
NetMechanic - Provides a variety of free services for your web site including; browser compatibility testing, graphic file size reduction, link check, HTML check, load time check, spell check and more.
Net Mechanic Site
11. Continually add new content to your site. Give your visitors a reason to keep coming back.
Web Design Mistakes to Avoid:
1. Large fonts
2. Large scrolling text across the page
3. Large slow loading graphics
4. Large Welcome banners
5. Multiple banners and buttons
6. Multiple colored text
7. Multiple use of animated graphics
8. Multiple use of different fonts
9. No contact information
10. No Meta tags
11. Over powering music set to AutoPlay
12. Over use of Java
13. Pages scrolling to oblivion
14. Poor browser compatibility
15. Poor content
16. Poor load time
17. Poor navigation
18. Poor organization
19. Poor overall appearance
20. Poor use of frames
21. Poor use of mouse over effect
22. Poor use of tables
23. Pop up messages
24. Scrolling text in the status bar
25. Spelling/Grammar mistakes
26. Text difficult to read
27. Too many graphic and/or line dividers
28. Too many graphics
29. Too much advertising
30. Under construction signs
31. Animated bullets
32. Broken links and graphics
33. Busy, distracting backgrounds
34. Confusing
35. Different backgrounds on each page
If you've never designed a web page, it would be wise to become familiar with HTML. (Hypertext Markup Language.)
A great place to start is NCSA Beginner's Guide to HTML: HTML Premier
Take some time to research and plan your web site. Your success depends upon it. The simple, well-designed sites make the sales.
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