Four Strategies for a More User-Friendly Website

1. Use Flash Judiciously

Flash movies are popular, but just because you can use them doesn't mean you should. This is especially true for content-rich websites. Visitors come to your site looking for information, not for an intrusive Flash movie. Flash requires users to download a plug-in, can consume your machine's resources, and can make it difficult to navigate away from. Not everyone has a high-speed modem, so loading times can be a deterrent. If you must use Flash, give people the option of viewing it or not. You could:

• Provide two links on your entry page: one to view the site using Flash, the other to view it without Flash.
• Move your Flash movies deeper within your site. If your visitor wants to view them, they can simply click on a link.

2. Be Selective with Graphics

The right picture can say a thousand words, but don't use graphics just for the sake of using them. If they don't convey something specific and relevant to your site, it's better to leave them off. If you need to display a lot of graphics on one page, make them into thumbnails. Visitors can click on the image they want to see to view the full-sized version. Also, compress your images to make them as small as possible, and specify the image width and height in your HTML tag.

3. Avoid Frames

While some people like the look of frames, search engines struggle to read them properly and poorly designed frames can trap your visitor. BigNoseBird.com has a helpful tutorial on how to achieve the 'Frames look' without actually using them.

4. Keep it Simple and Use Common Sense

The simpler and cleaner your HTML, the more likely it will display exactly as you intended on different browsers.

• Limit the number of fonts and colors you use. Pick a color scheme and stick to it.
• Keep your navigation consistent from page to page.
• If you use Javascript or VBScript, provide another way of viewing your information. Not all browsers support them.
• Use tables to properly layout your site. Don't force your visitors to use the dreaded horizontal scroll bar to read your information! Tables can also add white space to your site for easier readability.
• Spell-check! A site filled with spelling errors is very hard to read.
• At a minimum, check your site with the two most popular browsers, Internet Explorer and Netscape.

Creating a web page is easy. Creating a good web page, however, takes a little more thought. Offer a content-rich site that's a pleasure to visit and your visitors will keep coming back!