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Keeping your web
site simple doesn't necessarily mean that you are shortchanging your visitors.
Things like simple navigation and simple graphics actually allow more
visitors to view your web pages and help to keep them there because the
pages load faster.
Simple navigation
can consist of plain old text hyperlinks, or some very small graphic buttons
arranged in some easy-to-follow way. Be consistent with the way you have
people navigate your site.
Use the same format
for all of your pages when possible. Most people like to be able to figure
out the web site's navigation system in short order. If it takes too long
for them to figure out how it works, they will look for an easier web
site to navigate.
With the millions
of sites available for them to go to, you need to make yours appealing
to the web surfer that drops in for a look.
Creating simple graphics
does not mean that the graphics can't be fancy or appealing. It means
the file sizes need to be kept as small as possible and use a standard
format (gif, jpeg). Using the same graphics for most pages in your web
site will save loading time for the following pages. Most web browsers
cache or "store" a graphic after it has been used once. This
allows older browsers and slower Internet connections to have good access
to your site, and makes your site appear to load really fast on most systems.
Remember, not everyone
has high-speed cable Internet access! This point can't be stressed enough.
The vast majority of web browsing is done at 56kps with Microsoft's Internet
Explorer, but a lot of people still browse at slower speeds. Just because
you have a 56kps modem does not mean that you can connect to the Web at
that speed.
Please save the Flash
presentations for something other than your start page.
The main index page
(or the first page someone visits when coming to your site) should load
very quickly and inform them of what the web site is about. Most people
hate waiting 2-3 minutes for a Flash intro that really wasn't needed,
or having to skip around to learn what the site is actually for. The Internet
is an information medium and most people are looking for something while
they surf. If your site slows them down, they are more likely to leave
than stay.
However, if they
can find what they want quickly, it actually does leave a good impression.
That is half the battle!
Just because you
are keeping a web site simple, does not mean you can't have tons and tons
of great content or thousands of pages. Content is the meat and potatoes
of your site. All the fancy graphics and navigation systems you can create
don't mean much without great content. So some simple suggestions are:
1. Create the content
first. (The hardest part of designing a web site!) Know what you're building
the web site for.
2. Create small (file
size) reusable graphics. Reusing the same graphics cuts load time.
3. Make an easy-to-understand
navigation system for your site.
4. Create a "standard
page" layout for your site. Reusing code cuts your production time.
5. Test your site
on several browsers (and at different screen resolutions) for compatibility
and the finished look. It is always good to see what your site looks like
to others using different web browsers.
Not only are these
my "rules of thumb," but several familiar web sites use this
concept also. Check Ebay, Microsoft, and CNET.
Most concentrate
on the content first, simple graphics, and a standardized easy to understand
navigation system. All of these things will help increase the "stickiness"
of your site, not to mention ease the frustration level of your visitors.
These criteria aren't
set in stone. But if you think about load time, site content, and navigation
you should end up with a "stickier" site. Check out how the
"big" sites lay out their pages and navigation elements. Study
them and see if you can use any of the concepts they use to make your
web site "stickier".
The
moral of this story:
You don't always
have to use the latest bells or whistles to make your site stand out from
the crowd.
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