Web Crimes: how to avoid common website design mistakes
Thinking about designing your own website? Think again about adding any of these "features"... 1. Animated gifs. You know the ones: the dancing baby, the rotating email sign. No matter what you chose, nothing screams out "amateur" quite like an animated gif. Next! 2. Mouse trails. Those little pictures, or strings of letters that "follow" your mouse everywhere it goes. In my case, they follow my mouse all the way to the "back" button, so I can surf on to somewhere less annoying. 3. Music. If I wanted to listen to music, I'd play some myself. Meanwhile, I'm reaching for that back button again... 4. Indecipherable colour schemes. Navy blue text on a black background. White on yellow. Ye Gods! It hurts my eyes just to look at it, never mind read it. Just say no. 5. Poor spelling and grammar. Specifically: text speak. It's bad enough on your mobile phone, never mind your website. If you're going to go to the trouble of setting up a website, at least make sure people can read it without cringing. Or it'll be that "back" button for you... So, that's how to get it wrong, but how do you get it right? There's no great mystery to great website design. Simplicity is the key; while there are a few people out there who go crazy for the piped music and the animations, there are probably a thousand more who're just driven crazy by them. A clean, simple website isn't going to offend anyone – or prevent people from actually viewing the content of your site. Remember that unless you're a website designer yourself, it's the content that really matters. Visitors don't come to your website to admire the pretty colours: they come to buy something, or to find information. If the thing they're looking for is obscured by your website design, they won't stick around to find it. At the end of the day, design is a matter of taste, and you'll never be able to please everyone who visits your site. Functionality is a different matter altogether, however. Make sure your website is clearly designed, content rich, and easy to navigate, and you'll be on the right lines. Just stay away from those animated gifs... Amber McNaught is co-owner of Hot Igloo Productions Ltd. - the small business specialists. Hot Igloo offer a range of services to businesses, including website design, public relations, internet marketing, copywriting and more. Visit their website at: http://www.hotigloo.co.uk
|
|
 |
 |
|
Textforfree.net Brings Web 2.0 to Online Text Messaging
Textforfree.net Brings Next Generation Text Messaging to the Web with the launch of its newly designed website. The new design highlights usability and design while offering site visitors a suite of new features which include; SMS scheduling and reminders, message archives, search features, a contact management system, group messaging, auto-carrier lookup and delivery reports.
New Bitrix Site Manager CMS v6.5: Web 2.0 style
Bitrix, Inc. is proud to announce the release of Bitrix Site Manager CMS V6.5, a new version filled with marvelous enhancements and new leading-edge features, including Web 2.0 tools, site wizards, Web services, photo gallery and other utilities. Bitrix Site Manager is a Web content management system that provides stable functionality and security, and promotes cost-effective growth of clients' Internet projects.
Live Earth Chose AISO.Net for Solar-powered Web Site Hosting
AISO.Net relies on energy efficient IBM BladeCenter servers with AMD Opteron? processors to support Live Earth concert series to combat global warming
Master ASP.NET 2.0 Web Development with SitePoint's Latest Book
Frustrated by the abundance of thousand-page ASP.NET reference monstrosities on the market, sitepoint.com has joined forces with five world-class ASP.NET developers to create a book that gets straight to the heart of solving ASP.NET problems.
Kindersay Launches Web 2.0 Preschool Learning Site as Free Alternative to Educational DVDs & Software
Kindersay is a free web-based program designed to help preschoolers (Ages 1 to 4) learn English words. Over 500 words, images and English-speaking videos are featured in interactive "Word Shows". The site uses web 2.0 technologies, such as flash video, to deliver the learning experience via the web browser with no additional software required.
Post.net Launches Amazing New Web 2.0 Platform for Connecting Demand with Supply
Post.net has launched the long awaited NETWORK platform for connecting supply and demand. Post.net is an online marketplace connecting people's needs with solution providers. Post.net allows users the ability to easily post their request for assistance and receive instant responses from the general public and qualified solution providers. Post.net's focus is on technology and innovative tools to better manage and connect people's needs (leads). Post.net is a global marketplace built on a scenario system of initiating and inviting response conversation.
Minority-Owned and Woman-Owned Internet Marketing and Web 2.0 Marketing Firm Launches All-inclusive $1,000 Per Month Internet and Web 2.0 Marketing Pa
Take your business or nonprofit organization to next level through Internet marketing and Web 2.0 marketing strategies.
New Web 2.0 Health and Fitness Site SpyOnHealth.com Launches
A new social media Web site focused on health and fitness has recently launched. SpyOnHealth.com allows users to submit, rate and comment on articles and become friends, extending conversations of health and fitness topics.
Web 2.0 Encourages a Trend Toward Internet Appliances, Says Industry Expert
Enterprises have concerns about SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions, but desire the elegance and simplicity of Web 2.0. The answer for many is an Internet Appliance, according to industry expert Philip Callender of Phinza Pte Ltd.
TouchTone.net Receives Make-Over -- Completely Redesigned Corporate Web Site Unveiled
TouchTone Communications, a full-service telecommunications service provider, recently announced the launch of its completely redesigned, user-friendly corporate Web site, www.touchtone.net.
10 Top Internet Marketing Web 2.0 Forums And Blog Resources
When I started this article I was looking for a bulletin board type forum where people dialog about posted comments. And while that certainly is my understanding of what a forum is why couldnt web 2.0 forums include social networks? Sure, the two do have minor differences but as it relates to posting and responding to posts they remain the same.
SCR Studios Launches Asian Photo Gallery Web Site Version 2.0
SCR Studios has announced the launching of its Asian Photo Gallery Web Site version 2.0 featuring the work of international travel photographer Steven C. Robertson. The updated Web site adds blogging functionality provided by WordPress and a Community Forum functionality provided by vBulletin to support social networking.
NonStopNeighbors launches Neighborhood Web Sites Version 2.0
NonStopNeighbors Version 2.0 Neighborhood Website Solutions offer a simpler to use and more automated Relationship Building neighborhood website as a marketing tool for Realtors that farm neighborhoods and communities.
|
 |
|
