The final installment of our series focuses on common website features that may be driving your visitors away. These include blinking text, moving words across the page or status bar, and distracting animated graphics. While these elements may seem fun or innovative, they can be off-putting to users who are more interested in your content than your design gimmicks.
While some may argue that a webpage is not a printed page and therefore not subject to the same design rules, the reality is that an unattractive design is unappealing, whether on paper or a screen. For example, would you enjoy reading a book or newspaper with black pages and white, blue, or bright green print? Probably not. So why would you expect your website visitors to enjoy a similar experience?
If your website is difficult to navigate, visitors may perceive you as discourteous or even incompetent. If your site's content is unreadable due to poor color choices, visitors may leave in frustration. Similarly, if your images take too long to load because you haven't specified their dimensions, or if you neglect to use ALT tags for text-only visitors, you risk losing your audience. These are basic principles of user-friendly design that should not be overlooked.
Interestingly, some of the most user-unfriendly websites I've encountered were created with various versions of Microsoft FrontPage. A friend of mine, who is quite knowledgeable about web design, humorously referred to FrontPage as "evil". However, this is likely due to its popularity rather than any inherent flaws in the software. I've seen some beautifully designed sites created with FrontPage.
If you choose to use web-creation software, I strongly recommend learning the basics of HTML. This will enable you to eliminate redundant code and ensure that necessary code isn't omitted. There are many tutorials available, such as Alan Levine's excellent guide, which teaches you HTML by guiding you through the creation of a website about volcanoes.
I must admit that I've broken several of my own rules on my website: my homepage background differs from the rest of my pages, I've used purely decorative graphics in place of dividing lines, and I've used all capitals for a heading. However, I won't tell you which pages these are on!
Is Your Website User-Unfriendly? Part 1 of 9
This article delves into the common pitfalls that can make a website user-unfriendly, using a real-life example to illustrate these issues. It also provides practical advice on how to avoid these mistakes, focusing on the importance of page width in this first part of the series.
Optimizing Your Website's Visual Appeal: Part 2 of 9
This article is the second in a nine-part series that aims to help you enhance your website's user experience. In this segment, we delve into the role of images on your website, how to use them effectively, and the common pitfalls to avoid.
Is Your Website User-Unfriendly? Exploring Parts 3 and 4 of 9
The first impression of your website can make or break a visitor's experience. This article delves into the third and fourth parts of a nine-part series, focusing on the use of sound files and text presentation on your website. It provides insights on how to make your website more user-friendly and appealing to visitors.
