Small Business Home Business - Five components of good web design

Here are five components of good web site design that will go a long way to make your web site the promotional tool you are seeking. These five components all circle around a theme - to improve readability!

1. Have a consistent web site layout. Why? Inconsistent site layout confuses readers and makes it hard to navigate. Ideally your small business web site should have a horizontal menu bar and/or a vertical menu bar. Using this familiar standard makes readers feel comfortable because they know what to look for and roughly where to look for it. Uniform layout will boost readability and improve the perception of your business.
2. On your website pages use words that your customer would use to find your business. For example if your business sells sales training and potential customers are searching for you by using the words “sales training courses” then use those words on your pages – in the page title, headings and text. A word of caution - don’t get carried away, if the pages start to read like a bad sales letter copy you’ve used the phrase too often. A good rule of thumb is to use the phrase 3 or 4 times on a page.
3. Make your web site pages easy to scan. You have about 3 seconds to grab the reader’s attention. Help your readers by organizing the information in a way that makes it easy to scan. Use the following elements to facilitate scanning:
   • Headlines and Sub-Headlines should contain key words that potentially carry information that the reader is looking for. Use a larger font size to make the headlines visually stand out.
   • Use subtitles every few paragraphs. In a study conducted by Jakob Nielsen, using eye tracking software, he had this suggestion: “Start subheads, paragraphs, and bullet points with information-carrying words that users will notice when scanning down the left side of your content. … They’ll read the third word on a line much less often than the first two words.”
   • Break up large paragraphs – 3 - 5 lines make it easier for readers to read quickly.
   • Use bullets to make features and benefits stand out visually.
   • Include pictures that support your key message. If you’re selling beauty products use pictures of beautiful people or pictures of your product or both. This is not the place to include your favourite outdoor nature picture (unless it features beautiful people using your product). Pictures that are inconsistent with your message can often distract the reader, moving their thoughts away from your product or business.
   • Group similar information together. For example group an email address and phone number together. Grouping makes it easier for readers to find what they’re looking for with a minimum effort.
4. Use a bold contrast between the text and the background on your website. Text that stands out clearly is easier on the eyes to read. Don’t get carried away using a soft grey for the text on an off-white background. In my experience “mature” eyes often seek greater contrast as reader skims the text. Make it easy for your reader to read the text quickly.
5. Include your business’s features and benefits. Features are the key aspects of your business. Benefits are the problems your customer can solve with your product or business.
   eg. Eco friendly fitted yoga top.
   Features:
   • It is fitted.
   • It is for yoga.
   • It is eco friendly.

   Benefits:

   • It doesn’t fall down when you’re doing a headstand.
   • You move easily without being restricted.
   • You feel happy about lowering your impact on the environment.

Contact us today. Let us help you build a successful web marketing strategy.

Related posts:

1. Blog - a business tool? As part of your web marketing strategy blogging could keep...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.