Web Design
By: Cheryl Duffey cheryl.duffey@verizon.net
When designing a website, you must first consider your goals. Are you providing a service, conveying information, featuring entertainment, or selling something? If you are providing information of a serious nature, your website design should reflect it. An informational website addresses a specific issue. Such a site would be geared to the people who will be using it, with links to other useful sites. Information should be accurate and current. If you are providing a service, you need to state your services and provide a way for customers to access them. Entertainment sites may have graphics and music and other features. Personal sites showcase one’s interests and talents. They are usually self-designed and may be of limited appeal. Retail sites will have pictures of the items, the prices, and a way to place an order. You select items, place them in a shopping cart, then proceed to checkout. Your website design will reflect your goals.
It is a good idea to visit other websites to decide what you would like to integrate into your own design. Ease of use is one of the most important factors in website design. A user-friendly site will be successful in terms of popularity and frequent use. Sites can be very simple with one page, or very elaborate, consisting of several pages with links to other sites with related information.
If you have a target audience, the website should be designed to be attractive to this group. A youthful audience may respond to music and flashy graphics. Audio and video clips will make a site more dynamic, but an older crowd may prefer something simpler.
Many sites have features like chat rooms and message boards where visitors to the site can communicate with each other about common interests. A feedback feature allows users to ask questions or make comments through e-mail. Feedback can help you to make improvements to your site. An “about us” feature gives information about the site and its creators. This makes your site more personal.
Some shopping sites give the consumer options like custom design and a virtual model. By providing measurements and body type, a virtual mannequin is generated. You then have an idea of how the clothing will look on you without trying it on first.
A retail site should be designed with the shopper in mind. It should be easy to use, with accurate descriptions and pictures, and checkout should be simple and secure. Most sites allow you to register your personal information and log in and out with a password. Credit card numbers and other sensitive information is encrypted and access to it is limited. Online customer service lets you track the status of an order or report difficulty using the site.
A website should be designed carefully and thoughtfully. It should reflect your goals and personal taste. A professional website designer can bring this all together. They possess the technical knowledge and the experience to make a successful website.
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