What's happening to good web site design? Somehow we creative types at interactive and traditional ad agencies have run amuck - we're building web sites that may dazzle the senses, but don't really communicate much about our client's business or products and services!
1. Somehow I don't think anyone has a burning desire to spend 30-60 seconds on the Index page of a web site while another fancy Flash animation loads, complete with snazzy graphics, audio, and way cool cutting edge graphics - not!! People want to get real information, not razzle-dazzle graphics showing how great a developer is using the latest whiz bang technology!
2. I thought Frames went out of style like adding a .com to your company's name. Apparently not, as there are still lots of web sites using Frames - forcing users to see a web site with mix and match (bad) graphics, odd menus and just a plain ugly interface.
3. I some times wonder if some of my fellow design geeks all own Adobe stock, or they are just trying to make sure HTML disappears as a content standard. The last thing many people want is to sit and watch as their 56 kbps dial up struggles with opening a doc in Adobe's proprietary PDF format - many click off and are gone to the next web site. Content should be offered in HTML or Word format, both of which open instantly - no, I don't own any Microsoft shares!
4. Another popular time waster appears to be designing web sites that require people to list all of their contact points, including first born children, their dog's pedigree - etc. Registration forms should be short and no more than 4-5 entries that just require fundamental contact information.
5. What's the value in running contests, games and other technology-enabled multimedia content on a web site? Recent studies have indicated most of the online user community isn't interested in a web site that drives branding - they simply want information about a company's goods and services.
6. The web is a wonderful medium for customer acquisition but it also works as a valuable tool for building dialogue with customers - approx 75% of the online community does not mind filling out short forms that ask them questions about goods and services, or providing feedback. More sites should ask people for their opinions and reviews - they don't mind sharing them and these comments provide valuable insight.
7. Content is still one of, if not the most important variables in good web site design. Today's savvy surfer doesn't want content presented in book form; they want short paragraphs with lots of white space, not long textual columns in a type font that forces anyone over 30 (perish the thought there are people on the web over 30) to put on their glasses and squint at the screen.
8. We marketing types jumped on the community bandwagon 12-18 months back - you couldn't read an article about web site marketing unless "community" wasn't included as a buzzword du jour! Well, times have changed, or maybe we all came to our senses - today's web user wants baseline information they don't want to chat with other users via web site or read about shared interests - give them information in "content bytes' and let AOL worry about building a community!
About The Author
Lee Traupel has 20 plus years of business development and marketing experience - he is the founder of Intelective Communications, Inc., http://www.intelective.com, a results-driven marketing services company providing proprietary services to clients encompassing startups to public companies. Lee@intelective.com
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareYou have an idea for a website and you are... Read More
Squeeze pages are a very hot topic in the internet... Read More
You may not believe it, but people still judge things... Read More
If you've just finished building your new website (or revamping... Read More
Clutter: Too much noise, too much text, and too little... Read More
In my last article entitled, Maximizing The True Value Of... Read More
Do you have a website? If so, you need an... Read More
Have you put a lot of effort, time, and money... Read More
The landing page or entry page of your visitors is... Read More
Are you serious about get this website done fast and... Read More
Here's a really simple way... any novice can create a... Read More
Should Generating Revenue From A Website Be The Prime Motivator?... Read More
A successful website is something that everyone venturing into the... Read More
Argh, where's the contact button?! Believe it or not, some... Read More
Setting up a survey on your site is extremely simple... Read More
I have written before about long sales copy on the... Read More
In this article you will find the parallel between two... Read More
If you're not getting a lot of traffic to your... Read More
Audio can provide an added dimension to your site. It... Read More
There are lots of websites out there that do little... Read More
In today's age of fast food and high-speed Internet, a... Read More
Effective navigation stands out. It's clear, obvious, and highly visible.You'll... Read More
FIRST IMPRESSIONS. First impressions often leave lasting impressions. Impressions... Read More
Geared Up with a website and lots of energy to... Read More
If you are trying to sell a product or service... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..Before you start worrying about marketing your website on the... Read More
Many times I've seen a web site undergo a revision... Read More
Since I'm a web designer, I have a tendency to... Read More
You know that I'm always extolling the virtues of an... Read More
I once created a notepad-like editor. It is possible with... Read More
When I purchase something from a web site I first... Read More
The Internet is a relatively new medium. What works for... Read More
In cascading style sheets you can specify how your web... Read More
You've designed your logo, and you're ready to print your... Read More
So your web site's online and you've got high rankings... Read More
Your website design may be affecting your sales in ways... Read More
To explain my point I need to first confuse the... Read More
Design sells. It's something that all of us know, but... Read More
This article may come as a surprise to you.Especially since... Read More
Any kid, and their grandmother too, can make a webpage.... Read More
Here are a few programs I can't do without. They're... Read More
Designing your website means you have to be creative, plan... Read More
(Making Your Graphics Work For You)It's no secret that a... Read More
Owning your own website is a must if you are... Read More
To create your own great banner, you only need five... Read More
The internet is filled with sites and they are good... Read More
If there's one thing that I've learnt so far, it's... Read More
You have an idea for a website and you are... Read More
~A man [woman] is a success if he [she] gets... Read More
There is unlimited possibilities when it comes to designing a... Read More
Web Design |