|
Planning
your site
Getting
started
Ten
things to keep in mind when designing your Web site
Ten
things your visitors might not appreciate
Getting
started:
You're
ready for a web site. You've just gotten a contract from a publisher,
or your first book will soon be published. Or you're a small business,
and people ask for your web site when they ask for your business
card. How do you start?
First,
you have to make a couple of decisions. Are you going to do it yourself,
or are you going to hire someone to do it for you. If you plan to
hire someone, I hope you're considering me. Even if you're not,
though, read on for some information you'll need no matter what
you decide to do.
If
you decide to try your hand at creating your own site, you can find
the information you need to start working on your site on my Resources
page.
Either
way, though, there are a few things you need to think about. You'll
need to have at least an idea of what you want your site to look
like.
Ten
things to keep in mind when designing your Web site
1. Your Web site is a marketing tool.
- Every
item that appears on your site is a business decision; each word
and every graphic, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, must
serve your purpose.
- The
organization and design should be carefully thought out and planned
out before you start the actual building process.
- You
have to keep in mind who you're trying to reach, what they will
be looking for when they come to your site, and what you want
them to do when they get there.
2. You have very little time and very little space to capture a
viewer's attention, so you have to make it count.
- Many
viewers judge the value to them of a web site based on what they
initially see on the screen.
- You
have only the area of that screen to convince the viewer to stay
and explore your site further.
- Therefore,
you need to make sure the things that are most important for a
viewer to see are up front and at the top.
- You
can't afford to waste that space.
- Forget
splash screens unless there's a really good reason for them.
- Limit
graphics to those that tell something important.
- Make
sure it loads quickly. If it takes more than 30 seconds, your
time's up and your potential customer has moved onto another site.
3. Your Web site needs a hook, just as a book does.
- What
do you offer that's interesting to a potential viewer?
- Why
should a viewer go deeper into your site?
4. Graphics are fun, but they take up space and can draw attention
away from your message.
- Include
graphics but make sure they serve to reinforce your message.
- Provide
interesting text for people to read while they wait for the graphics
to load.
- Make
sure it isn't a long wait.
5. Your Web site is how potential readers get to know you. It should
reflect your personal style and your writing style.
- If
you're writing is light and humorous, your Web site should be,
too. (Jeff Strand's Web site
is a near-perfect example!)
- Do
you want dark and mysterious? Or should your site be romantic?
- Where
are you taking your reader?
6. You need to make sure you do the things that will help potential
customers find your site.
- Learn
how to submit your site to search engines.
- If
you're designing your own site, you need to learn a bit about
META tags. They need to be set up properly to be sure search engine
spiders can index your site.
- Especially
if you're using a WYSIWYG editor like Frontpage or Dreamweaver,
you need to be aware that they don't default to setting up the
META tags the way you'll want them, and it won't be obvious to
you that they haven't.
- Get
your name and link out there on as many other sites as you can,
paying special attention to sites frequented by the people you
want to attract.
7. You need to engage the viewer. Offer your guests some reward
for sticking around.
- Offer
them a freebie -- a story they can view; promotional items they
can request; or a contest they can enter.
8. Most of the principles of good design in print are equally valid
for Web design.
- Consider
your palette: use a limited number of complementary colors.
- Limit
fonts to no more than three and consider carefully where and how
you use them. Better to vary your fonts by size and careful use
of bold and italics.
- Give
the viewer's eye a path through the site.
- Graphics
should enhance rather than overwhelm.
9. It's not easy to design a site that works across all platforms!
- Web
site layout is not the same as print layout. You cannot assume
that what you see in your browser window or the design software's
window is what every other visitor to your site will see.
- Keep
in mind the different platforms and hardware arrangements people
have.
- Build
for the most commonly used ones.
- Check
your site across as many different hardware/software platforms,
browsers, and screen resolution settings as you can.
10. It's YOUR site.
- Even
if you're not doing the design yourself, it still has YOUR name
on it. Don't let a designer who wants to experiment with the latest
technologies or try out adventurous new graphics sell you on a
site that's not yours.
|