Here is a list of important rules to consider to build a business web site that accurately reflects your company’s products as well as interests your visitors long enough to become paying customers.
1. Simplify Menus
An important key to build a business website is to keep it simple. The website should be simple enough for a child to navigate. Avoid the elaborate flash menus and multi-tiered drop down menus.
Visitors will leave if they cannot quickly find what they are looking for. Make sure that your most important links are always visible – the links to your products and services.
2. Simplify Navigation
Visitors to a website should always know where they are on the website and how to get back to where they were. Often users will become immersed in their browsing and after reading through a material on the website they will want to go back to re-read important information.
The user must be able to easily get back to find information, and more importantly navigate to the point where they can purchase a product, service, or click through a link.
3. Avoid Splash Pages
Splash pages are displayed as the website loads and usually have a command such as “enter site here”. There are numerous disadvantages to using splash pages.
These pages may not load for slow internet connections, may take too long to load, may be blocked by user and are often not found by search engines. Users surfing the net may press the back browser or head to the next display result rather than wait for these pages to load.
4. Avoid Excessive Banner Ads
The average web user is accustomed to banner ads, and they are often overlooked and completely ignored. Instead, experts suggest using the valuable page space to increase the amount of relevant content with affiliate links.
This method subtly encourages users to purchase products that meet their interests.
5. Avoid Audio
Typically, users are annoyed by a continuous loop of music while they browse through a website for information or to make a purchase. Often the music is so annoying that users quickly leave the website.
If the audio is absolutely necessary allow website visitors mute and volume options.
To build a business website, web designers and developers must consider the purpose and needs of the average website user. Websites featuring simple and clean designs attract users, interest them in the site, and keep them at the site longer.
Filed under: Web Design Tagged: | business web site, Website Design
