Simple Is Better When Designing A Website

When it comes to creating an attractive website, a less is more strategy may prove more effective than the over-the-top design approach. So be careful not to waste valuable time and resources on fancy graphics, clever designs, or cool music that may ultimately prove ineffective. Some of these "extra touches" can actually be distracting and even turn-off visitors.

When designing a website, keep in mind what people really want from a website. What is that you ask? In a word: information. If people are coming to a particular site for information on building a home business, then all the fancy design and cool graphics in the world won't placate them if they don't find what they are looking for. Initially they may think, "Wow what a cool looking site!" but that will soon turn to frustration if the site lacks quality content.

Choosing a background color may seem like a simple enough thing to do but careful consideration should be taken when choosing a website background. Your industry is the primary consideration when coming up with a background color. For instance, if you are in the legal business a more subtle background with muted blues, grays, and blacks would probably work best. On the other hand, if you own a salon then bolder colors might be in order. But remember the background should not distract visitors from what it is they are looking for (pricing, services offered, hours of operation, etc).

Links are a very important component in designing a highly functional website. Links help your visitors get to the information they need so they should always be easy to find and readable. The information that a visitor would consider most important should be linked to on the home page. If you are selling a product or service, a link to a price list is a must since most visitors interested in buying a product would want to know how much that product costs. Other important links that should be readily available might include Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Company Info or Background, and Contact Information.

Frequent updating and tweaking of your website should also be done. Any broken links should be fixed immediately or removed. There is nothing worse than searching for information online only to link to a website that has not been updated in months or even years. It amazes me how many stale websites can still be found on the first page of Google (what a waste!). Don't let this happen to you! Make sure all information and links on your site are fresh and current. All changes in your business should be reflected on your website.

Having an effective, functional, attractive website is not as tough as you might think. Just keep the aforementioned tips in mind and you should be well on your way to having a website that is the envy of your competitors.