Tips on How to Design a Great Site

Have you ever walked pass a shop that, for some reason, you just felt that you had to go in? Maybe it was the d?cor, or the window display, or the pretty girl, or a combination of all those but something in the shop called out to you, "Come in" and you just had to obey.

In the online world, won't it be nice to have a site that buyers just had to buy from, despite themselves? Surfers will be drawn to the "Add to Cart" button that squealed, "Click me!" to them. They found that they just had to click the button and buy the item.

While I can assure you I can't design such a site, and I certainly am not going to reveal how to design it in a free article even if I can, there are many ways to make your site more friendly to your visitor.

The following tips will make your site load more faster, easier to use and more pleasing to your visitor. While they won't guarantee you a sale, a happier and more satisfied surfer should greatly increase your chances of a sale.

DON'T REINVENT THE WHEEL

Probably the first thing you want to do is to visit some of your competitor's sites. It will give you an idea of what your site could look like, what features you want for your own site and serve as a starting point for the design of your own site.

Perhaps the best advice I can give you here is to look at the sites from a customer's point of view. As a customer, what do you like or dislike about the sites? Would you buy from them, and why? Are you going to revisit again, and why?

EASE OF NAVIGATION

In many cases, you don't read a web site like you would a novel. You don't start from page 1, continue to page 2, and so on.

You would probably "read" a site like you would a reference book. Maybe you will read the introduction to get an idea of what the book is about, and then you will skip to the table of contents to look for the location of the information that you need. In some cases, you may turn to the index at the back of the book to see what on what pages the information you want is referred to.

Notice the navigation aids - the table of contents and the index. The first will be found at the beginning while the second, if available, at the end of the book. This is a standard observed by all books.

Your site should be as easy to navigate.

- Main Menu. You should have a menu, located either at the top, left or right, that directs users to the various sections of your site. This menu should be available from every page of your site, and at the same location.

- Site Map. If your site is relatively large, and you feel that users may have a problem locating the information they want even with a main menu, consider including a site map. Site maps give much more detail than the main menu and users will have an easier time locating the information they want.

- Search Engine. If your site is a very large site, including a search engine is a good idea.

FAST LOADING PAGES

Many webmasters will have broadband or cable connections and they tend to forget about the poor souls still struggling with dialup.

It is best that you keep the size of your pages as small as possible to accommodate users with slow connections. A general guideline is to keep the size of your pages below 100k.

GRAPHICS

Pretty graphics are nice to look at. But unless your site is about graphics, it's probably best to keep it to a minimum. It distracts users the information you want to convey, and increases the load time for your pages.

Don't forget to optimize the graphics that you use. The jpeg graphic format is a compressed format. You can choose to compress it as much or as little as you want. The more you compress it, the smaller it becomes, but the image is of a lower quality.

To optimize your jpeg's, start with a jpeg of acceptable quality. Save the jpeg with more compression and view it. If you find the quality acceptable, save it again with even more compression. Keep doing it until you get an image with unacceptable quality. The image before that will be your optimized image.

Note that you cannot go from a low quality image back to a high quality image. So remember to save your high quality images into a separate directory before trying any optimization.

CONSISTENCY

We discussed consistency regarding the location of your main menu. This consistency should extend to all areas of your site. In other words, your fonts, color scheme, buttons, etc, should be the same for all pages of your site.

TESTING

The computer on your desk is called a PC, or personal computer. Whenever I am asked why a particular computer behaves in a strange way, I will invariably remark that the computer is called a "personal computer", and thus will exhibit its own personality. :)

Similarly, surfers viewing your site will also have their own personal computer, with their own particular combination of software and hardware. Therefore, it is best to test your site under as many different types and versions of hardware and software as possible.

- Browsers. Although IE is the dominant browser, some of your users may be running other browsers like Netscape or Firefox. Test your site in as many different browsers as you can. Also, don't forget to test it under different versions of the same browser.

- Screen Resolutions. Don't forget to test your site under different screen resolutions.

- Java and ActiveX. Many sites depend on Java or ActiveX to display properly. If your site needs a Java enabled browser, try it with Java disabled and see how it looks. If possible, it is best that your site will function correctly even if the users have Java or ActiveX disabled.

David Lim is the webmaster of http://quittingyourjob.com, a site offering information, advice and resources for a newbie looking to start an online home-based business. Probably the best thing about this site is that it tells it like it is, without any of the hype that is so typical in other similar sites.

apartment cleaning near Highland Park ..
In The News:

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.
Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.
Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.
Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.
Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.
New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.
Gaia Family offers fixed upfront pricing for IVF cycles with unlimited embryo transfers and financial protection, partnering with over 100 U.S. fertility clinics.
The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.
Fake Geek Squad invoice emails are targeting users with convincing charges and urgent phone numbers to steal personal information and money.
Fox News Digital's artificial intelligence newsletter digs into a robot in Russia that faceplanted, George Clooney's alarm and OpenAI's rivalry with the New York Times.
Major data breach at Conduent exposes personal information of 10+ million people. Government contractor hit by cyberattack affecting Medicaid, child support systems.
Texas startup Janta Power raises $5.5M for innovative vertical solar towers that generate 50% more energy than traditional panels while using just one-third the land.
NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft launched aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket Thursday afternoon from Cape Canaveral, beginning their journey to Mars with arrival expected in 2027.
Learn how to set email reminders on iPhone and Android so you never forget to reply again. Simple built-in features help you stay organized and on top of messages.
Discover how Apple's passkeys revolutionize Mac security by replacing vulnerable passwords with biometric authentication and encryption for ultimate protection.
New survey reveals 78% of parents fear AI scams targeting their kids, yet nearly half haven't discussed these threats. Learn why this dangerous gap exists.
Chrome now autofills passport and driver's license info automatically. Google's latest browser update adds official document support with encryption and user control.
Scammers impersonate Department of Veterans Affairs employees claiming veterans owe money, but real VA communications only direct to VA.gov or official channels.
The AltoVolo Sigma hybrid-electric aircraft flies 500 miles at 220 mph while operating 80% quieter than helicopters, featuring safety systems and compact design.
Google search scam alert: fake customer service numbers can give scammers remote control of your phone. Learn how to spot these traps and protect yourself.
Electric vehicles overtake gas cars in total CO2 savings after just two years of driving, with emissions benefits growing over time as power grids get cleaner.
Louvre Museum reportedly used "Louvre" as password for surveillance system during $100M jewel heist. Learn how weak passwords put even famous institutions at risk.
Bipartisan AI jobs bill from Sens. Hawley and Warner would require companies to report AI-related layoffs and hiring to Department of Labor quarterly.
Joe A. from Shelton, Connecticut, lost $228,000 to a ZAP Solutions cryptocurrency investment scam after his divorce, highlighting rising online fraud.
AI-powered autonomous trucks from Waabi and Volvo target U.S. freight driver shortage with Level 4 self-driving technology and NVIDIA computing platform integration.

Web Advertising: 10 Little Known Tricks To Help Convert Your Traffics To Buying Customers

You may not believe it, but people still judge things... Read More

When Good Computers Go Bad

Remember the day that you got your new computer (or... Read More

Immutable Laws Of Effective Navigation - Part 1

The first immutable law of effective navigation: It's gotta be... Read More

Maximising Web Site Viewability - Browsers

With so many different configurations internet users have their computers... Read More

6 Website Design Disasters and How to Avoid Them?.

Let's face it; the line from A Field of Dreams... Read More

Want to Increase Your Online Sales? Make Sure That Your Web Site Has a Unique Selling Proposition

If you own a web site or if you are... Read More

The Technology May Change, But Human Nature Remains The Same

Let me repeat that.."The technology may change, but human nature... Read More

Free Web Design Advice

In this article I will give advice and tips of... Read More

Give People What They Want And Watch Your Profits Soar!

Do you know why the majority of people use the... Read More

Make Your Site Quick To Load!

The time it takes to load your site can make... Read More

Usability and Considerate Design

I hate to imagine that in your web development project... Read More

Give Your Website A Chance

I often wonder how serious people are when it comes... Read More

How To Use Color Effectively When You Create A Web Site

Colors are powerful, and create strong feelings. They can also... Read More

Other Ways to Look at Things

Many people today are tired of the Microsoft software that... Read More

Free Online Tools to Design (and Maintain) Your Website

These days, it seems that everyone has a website. Unfortunately,... Read More

Ten Steps to a Winning Home Page

There's no doubt about it - the first page your... Read More

Through The Looking Glass

My mother used to take me along when she visited... Read More

Web Production And Design Tips

You have identified that to have an internet prescence would... Read More

Tips On Effectively Organizing Your Navigation

Not all links are created equal.While all of your links... Read More

Why Use a Web Design Template?

What is a Website Template?Many smart and savvy businesses are... Read More

Web Design: How To Get Your Visitors To Stay

Remember the famous line from the movie Field of Dreams,... Read More

Three Things You Must Do When Designing and Building Your Small Business Website

If you are going to have a web presence for... Read More

Reach Out To Billions

Have you heard of 'Babel Fish'?It's a service provided by... Read More

What to Ask Your Web Designer

If you need a web designer, but have no clue... Read More

Your Site Map: Spider Food or Just A Light Snack?

Mechanical spiders have to eat. In fact, they usually have... Read More

cleaning lady near Arlington Heights ..