Friday, February 27, 2009

Rules for Proper Website Design

By Jerry Hammond

Optimal performance is the number one priority in any website design. The existence of large, slow loading flash files on some website shows that some webmaster do not require the basic understanding if what constitutes an optimally designed website.

Here are five basic website design rules to help you in your quest to achieve maximum web performance for maximum results.

1) Never use splash pages

Splash pages makes up the first impression people have of a website. These are elaborately fancy pages with lavish designs and images along with words such as "welcome to our website Usually, they are pages of elaborate graphics that includes words such as "welcome or "click here to enter the site. These are merely distractions that can divert attention away from the purpose of your website. Visitors will be more likely to leave your first page without waiting for the exceptionally slow loading time due to the heavy graphics used.

2) Reduce the number of banners on your site

Although these can be at the foot of a web page, adverts like this are primarily placed right at the top of the page in what is called the 'header'. Adding banner ads are actually futile efforts to maximize the use of your website as space research shows that people tend to ignore such advertisements. Instead add useful contents and add your affiliate links skillfully into the body of the text so that it would seem like a natural part of your text and not an advertisement.

3) Provide your site with an easy navigation system

The navigation should be made very simple that even a young child can manage to find their way around. Do not use any form of menus that will complicate users, drop downs and multi-tiers are not a good idea. When navigation becomes hard and frustrating, they will leave your site for good and you will probably never get them back. Have a sitemap added to the website design to help them find what they are looking for.

4) Make it clear where the user is at the moment

Give them a clear view of where they are now and how to get to where they want to be. This way, they can easily navigate the exact section they want. When each link that has been visited is marked in some way form the ones that are fresh, visitors can easily know which is fresh and which is fresh and which is not. If you confuse your visitors in any way they will leave.

5) Follow this simple rule- do not use audio

Your favorite tune may be repulsive to some visitors, so use music sparingly. A sound file should not be played continuously it can be irritating on the user. If adding audios seems like a good idea to you, do make sure you provide some form of control such as muting or volume control so that your visitors can adapt to their surroundings. If you diligently apply these website design tips, you will be rewarded with retuning visitors again and again to your website.

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