| Keep It Simple Stupid | | | | form it is unlikely that they will take the time to fill it |
| Simple website design is a vastly underestimated tool | | | | out and a potential client/customer is lost. Simple |
| in a web designer/marketers arsenal. | | | | forms are a much better way of getting leads from |
| Keeping a web page simple and uncluttered has | | | | your sites, keep the information to name, contact |
| benefits on both aesthetic and practical levels. The | | | | details and a brief description of their enquiry, even if |
| rise of interactive Web 2.0 sites, the need for | | | | you require more details, these can be obtained later |
| endless plug-ins and add-ons can often deter less | | | | once you have established a dialogue. This should also |
| experienced users from a site before they have the | | | | help to reduce the number of void enquiries. |
| chance to make use of anything it has to offer, so it | | | | For many reference based websites, the temptation |
| is always important to think of you target | | | | to over-complicate things is overwhelming as it |
| demographic before deciding how to go about | | | | becomes easier to implement more technically |
| constructing your site. | | | | advanced codes and layouts. However, while it may |
| If your site relies on returning traffic it may be worth | | | | offer a more professional look, it is important to |
| incorporating related features, but if your site is more | | | | remember that reference websites rely heavily on |
| angled towards one-off visitors it is more worth your | | | | sensible coding and text layouts in order to make the |
| while keeping the site fast and intuitive to use. | | | | most out of search engine rankings. |
| Maintaining an aesthetically simple and effective site | | | | Your visible copy needs to be written in clear and |
| can be achieved by ensuring your pages are | | | | concise prose. While optimised text may bring visitors |
| uncluttered, your colour schemes are easy on the | | | | to your site, it will not help keep them there. Make |
| eye and your navigation is intuitive. Background tools | | | | sure you get the right balance and don't over do one |
| such as CSS can help you acheive this. | | | | or the other. |
| The advantages of this sort of thinking in web design | | | | The same principal applies to links and banners. Try to |
| includes better accessibility and site recognition which | | | | place them in eye catching places, such as the top of |
| will help visitors easily identify your site and also allow | | | | a right hand column. If you can find banners that |
| them to access information and services quickly and | | | | match your color scheme they will make your site |
| easily. Put simply, fast and easy to read websites will | | | | look more professional and keep attention on the |
| help retain traffic at your site. | | | | actual content of your site. |
| If you have a number of related sites, maintaining a | | | | Make sure your site is compatible with all of the |
| similar design scheme can help visitors to recognise | | | | major web-browsers. Internet Explorer's dominance |
| your sites more easily. Familiarity and trust in your | | | | among web browsers is fading. As such, it is |
| sites can help to increase the numbers of returning | | | | important to make sure that your site is displayed |
| visitors. It will also make the actual design and | | | | properly in other browsers such as Firefox and Safari. |
| construction of these websites easier and quicker | | | | If you build links to your site, try to enure that they |
| with the possibility of sharing resources such as | | | | all point to a landing page which clearly states what |
| images, templates, forms and style sheets. | | | | your site is about, what visitors can get out of it, |
| 'Keeping It Simple' also applies to any scripts you | | | | and clear links to any relevant pages. Don't clutter |
| might have in your sites such as information request | | | | landing pages with unnecessary information. |
| forms. If a visitor is confronted with a monster of a | | | | |