Has your site fallen victim to bad design? Learn what can make or break a website.
The goal of any design is to effectively communicate a
message. Typically this means promoting a brand or selling a product.
Less is more.
Every element added to a design increases cognitive dissonance, meaning
that it makes the site's message more difficult for the customer to
find. It will take some constraint, but I promise that less is more
when communicating a brand message.
Color Palette
Consistency of message is important and that includes colors. If you
have a set of official colors, those should be the colors used in your
website. Ideally those same colors will be used on every page. A
constantly changing color selection implies haphazard organization,
while a consistent color scheme looks professional.
Typography
With the huge selection of fonts freely available online, it's tempting
to use a different font for every element of your design. Like your
color palette, it's important to choose two or three fonts at most and
stick with them throughout your marketing materials.
Photos
Photos are fantastic to connect with your customers, but they're also
the most obvious indicator of your professionalism. A stock photo from
the Web or your Uncle's point and shoot camera will immediately cheapen
your brand's integrity. With photos, more than anything else, it's
important to use exclusively professional photos to flatter your brand
and products.
Social Media Circus
While social media is important, its significance is often overstated.
What is important is to be accessible to your customers. Before signing
up for that shiny new web2.0 service, ask yourself how it will help
your business. Does it make me more accessible to my customers? Do I
have to manage it daily? If you can't check a service daily, people who
use it to contact you will be frustrated. Choose your social media
wisely or hire a social media manager.
Felix Hazel is a web designer and photographer. He holds degrees in business and marketing and has taught workshops on both. His only vices are reality TV and talking to his cat.
