In today’s digital world the importance of having a great website is boundless. Users are accustomed to sourcing information in abundance in a matter of seconds. There really isn’t much that you can’t get online these days. Therefore it is more important ever that your website fulfils its purpose quickly and effectively without any fuss, otherwise your company’s reputation for online interaction will be tarnished. This will affect the reputation of your business as a whole.
Simplicity
Although you may be trying to convey your brand message through your website or you might be trying to encompass a certain style and creativity it is more important that you site is functional and user friendly. Otherwise your customers won’t stay on your site for long. Your customers are coming to your site for a specific reason. It could be to purchase something, to find out some information or to contact your business. If any customer is unable to complete the desired task quickly and with ease then they will likely give up. Not only have you lost a customer but it is likely that customer will spread the word about the difficulty they had using your site. Three aspects that should adhere to the rule of simplicity are:
Colours
Don’t use too many colours as it looks much too busy. Having a maximum of five colours is ideal.
Typeface
The typeface or font that you use should be clear and legible at all times. You should also avoid using too many if you have to use more than one, avoid having more than three.
Graphics
Having graphics or images is great for SEO purposes however they should also have a purpose. Don’t use graphics that are not related to the content of your website and avoid having too many. You should use quality, relevant graphics that are placed well throughout your website.
Navigation
Having clear and easy navigation is essential to website success. The goal is for every user to be able to arrive on your site and find the section they are looking for without having to think too hard about it. Follow these tips to easy navigation:
- Place your navigation bar or menu running along the top or down the left hand side of your website
- Include all the main and important sections of your website in the navigation (try not to have too many)
- Use breadcrumbs to show the navigation trail
- Have a search box
- Include links to relevant pages within your content copy (this is great for SEO but also helps users switch from page to page quickly)
Choose a Style and Stick to It
Keep the overall aesthetic of your site consistent. This includes the tone of your copy, image and graphic placement, typeface, colours, call to actions and contact forms. You contact form should look the same on every page. You should evenly spread images, contact forms and call to actions. Everything on your site should flow and look as though they are part of the same website.