Simplicity in web design
When browsing the web on a daily basis you may come across a website or two that is extremely functional, easy to use, to the point, and visually appealing. Why are there only a few of these sites out there? Because the people that create them understand the key to web design and the key to customers, or viewers. Simplicity is the key. Yes, web design allows us to express ourselves through code and graphics. However, being over expressive and going far beyond what the web site needs actually hurts the web site in general.
An elite graphic designer may ask – How so? More graphics = longer load time is how. Ever sit and wait for a web page to load? We want them to be on our screen fast! Your viewers don’t have time to sit there waiting and waiting for your site to load. So make it easy on them so they keep coming back. Optimize the amount of graphic detail you need. This includes flash and even scripts too. Go through your HTML code, and make sure you aren’t cluttering it up with things that are unnecessary.
Once your site it optimized for easy viewing and browsing, think about the content that you are presenting. Is your site user friendly? Does it encourage feedback, interaction, etc? An easy way to keep traffic interested in your site is by adding a simple poll or perhaps a comment box. Something that makes the viewer feel as if they are important. Make your written content easy to read and understand. A confused customer is a lost customer
Browser compatibility is a big issue nowadays, with so many new free browsers available to download. What you want to keep in mind however are the big name browsers. If your site is compatible with internet explorer and mozilla firefox, you should be OK. Two other big name browsers that are used by a lot of people however are Opera and Netscape. You may want to take those browsers into account when making your site compatible and easy to access from a variety of platforms.
Last but not least one of the often overlooked parts of a web site is the mission statement, or detail of what the company or website provides. Often I look at company websites and the mission statements, or greetings are stale and boring. I lose interest in the web site even before I reach the second page of content. That’s not a good sign. In order for your viewers to understand your website and your ideas you have to communicate with them. Your goals should be explicit and easy to comprehend. They should be simple and appealing. This is really the part of the website that hooks the user and lets them know that your website is legit, as are your intentions.
