Apr 22, 2011

The Art of Websites

[caption id="attachment_393" align="alignright" width="362" caption="The art of websites"]

[/caption] Websites have transformed from cool things to have into components necessary to stay in business. A carefully crafted website is the key to gaining and retaining customers. All websites should have some basic characteristics, such as being easy to understand, visually appealing, supportive of the visitor’s task, consistent, and having a clear and distinct call to action. In addition to these core concepts, here are some tips for writing content on your page:

Create short sentences.
Use digits, not words (this can contribute to up to an 80 percent conversion).
Only highlight important words (an excess of bolds or colors is overwhelming).
Use ordinary, conversational language (newspapers use a fifth- to seventh-grade reading level).
When possible, use bulleted lists rather than paragraphs.
Keep lists to 3-7 items only.
Include “Read More” if the story is long.

Many people overlook the impact of graphics on conversion rates as well. Here are a few tips to help with conceptualizing graphics on your site:

Ensure that the image relates to the content, and tag it appropriately.
Illustrate key concepts.
Show product views.
Use pictures of friendly, happy people.
Make sure to tightly crop photos.
If possible, take your own photos rather than using stock photos.
Nobody likes flash unless it is specific to your business (and then, they still usually don’t like it).

When testing your site, make sure all valuable information is above the fold. The fold is the imaginary horizontal line where the bottom of your screen stops, and “above the fold” refers to what is visible on your screen without scrolling down. Firefox has plugins that allow tests of different screen sizes and resolutions to ensure that your information is showing up properly. Google also has a website called Browser Size¹ that allows you to see how your webpage will appear on different screens. When you write copy for your site, visualize your perfect customer and her largest problem. Then, create your page in a way that solves her problem. Don’t boast about yourself. Tell her what’s in it for her. Lastly, do not “welcome” people to your site. It might seem innocent and friendly, but it really just takes up space and becomes a nuisance. For more information, visit: 1. Browser Size