| l designed website will help your users easily find | | | | sure you include your address and phone numbers on |
| what they are looking for and will make your | | | | your contact page. People like being able to easily |
| business look more professional and stand out against | | | | contact you and know where you are located. |
| the competition. Designing a website from the | | | | Use maps. Buyers may not be familiar with where |
| beginning with Search Engines and your users in mind | | | | you are located. It's also helpful to have a custom |
| will help your website to be a success. | | | | map designed for your site to indicate landmarks that |
| Here are some practical tips and examples: | | | | might not be found on Google maps. However, it is |
| Simplify, simplify, simplify. What is the most important | | | | also important to link to a Google or Yahoo map so |
| thing you want to tell the visitor about on each | | | | that customers can easily get directions to your |
| page? If a web site has too much information on a | | | | locations. |
| page, it ends up being confusing to the user. | | | | Make sure to do your keyword research before you |
| Additionally, Search Engines actually prefer that you | | | | start building your site. After discovering what users |
| separate topics out onto their own pages, as it sees | | | | are searching, you should then choose 6 to 10 |
| this as more relevantto the users. | | | | phrases you want to rank for and try to incorporate |
| Visually highlight important calls to action such as your | | | | them naturally into your page titles and headlines. |
| telephone number and email address. Consider using | | | | Make sure to organize your web site so that it is |
| icons to highlight important items on a page. Have | | | | easy for your users to navigate and find what they |
| secondary interest items such as joining a newsletter | | | | are looking for. Clear and logical navigation will help |
| or submitting your details for a free ebook. | | | | users navigate your site and help them to understand |
| Set up an email newsletter - this is a inexpensive and | | | | what you do and how you can meet their needs. |
| environmentally-friendly way to keep in touch with | | | | Use web conventions. For example, using underlined |
| your customers, notifying them of new products, | | | | text when linking and make your logo link back to |
| sales, events, or to send them special discounts for | | | | your homepage. People have certain expectations |
| being newsletter subscribers. | | | | driven by their experiences of other websites. You |
| First impressions are very important. When people | | | | need to understand what these are and make sure |
| arrive at your web site, you have about five seconds | | | | you accommodate them in your design. |
| to convince them to stay. On your homepage, keep | | | | Limit your color palette. Professional looking websites |
| it simple, communicate what you do and what makes | | | | tend to use 2-4 colors. This site uses blue and white. |
| your business different. | | | | Use color to help highlight important features on your |
| Be personal. Use photographs of people and | | | | web site. |
| testimonials from happy clients to build trust. Make | | | | |