Most people know a poorly designed website when they see one but it can be difficult to avoid creating one if you dont keep some basic rules in mind. Here are some simple dos and donts that when applied will improve the usability of your website.
The donts:
1. Dont use flashing or scrolling text. Scrolling or flashing text can be a distraction from the site rather than an enhancement to it.
2. Dont use images as backgrounds. Background images can make text difficult to read and pages seem cluttered. When pages take more effort to read people are less likely to actually read them.
3. Dont underline words that arent links. Underlining words that arent links can confuse readers. Or, even worse, cause them to think that your site isnt working properly driving them away from your site and on to others that are more easily used.
4. Dont completely fill the site with content and graphics. A page full of content and graphics can look disorganized and difficult to read. Use of whitespace adds a neatness and organization to the site encouraging users to read content.
5. Dont use font that is too small or ornate. Again, pages that are difficult to read are less likely to be read. So use a font that is simple, not fussy and is a size of at least 10pt. Now that we know what not to do lets look at what to do.
The dos:
1. Do use contrasting colors for text and background. Use of contracting colors for text and background makes text much easier to read. Black font on white background is most easily read. But if that doesnt suit your needs go with a light background and a contrasting dark text.
2. Do set line spacing to leave space between lines. Overcrowding of text makes it much more difficult to read while leaving space between lines improves readability and the overall aesthetic of the page.
3. Do be consistent with link styles and navigation. Use the same link and navigation styles on all pages. This allows users to easily navigate your site and eliminates confusion. I would also recommend staying with standards people are familiar such as like underlining hyperlinks.
4. Do use short paragraphs with headings. How many times can I say it? If your page is easy to read it is more likely to be read. Short paragraphs appear easier to read. Headings allow you to make important points even when readers do not read all the page content and can be used to draw the reader further into the page.
5. Do use bullet points. Using bullet points to list main points allows for getting your main points to readers in seconds and doesnt require a lot of reading. It also lends organization to a page and can break up long potentially daunting sections of text.
6. Do make sure each page has a clear call to action. Place subscription and order information prominently on the page using an easy to complete form.
The donts:
1. Dont use flashing or scrolling text. Scrolling or flashing text can be a distraction from the site rather than an enhancement to it.
2. Dont use images as backgrounds. Background images can make text difficult to read and pages seem cluttered. When pages take more effort to read people are less likely to actually read them.
3. Dont underline words that arent links. Underlining words that arent links can confuse readers. Or, even worse, cause them to think that your site isnt working properly driving them away from your site and on to others that are more easily used.
4. Dont completely fill the site with content and graphics. A page full of content and graphics can look disorganized and difficult to read. Use of whitespace adds a neatness and organization to the site encouraging users to read content.
5. Dont use font that is too small or ornate. Again, pages that are difficult to read are less likely to be read. So use a font that is simple, not fussy and is a size of at least 10pt. Now that we know what not to do lets look at what to do.
The dos:
1. Do use contrasting colors for text and background. Use of contracting colors for text and background makes text much easier to read. Black font on white background is most easily read. But if that doesnt suit your needs go with a light background and a contrasting dark text.
2. Do set line spacing to leave space between lines. Overcrowding of text makes it much more difficult to read while leaving space between lines improves readability and the overall aesthetic of the page.
3. Do be consistent with link styles and navigation. Use the same link and navigation styles on all pages. This allows users to easily navigate your site and eliminates confusion. I would also recommend staying with standards people are familiar such as like underlining hyperlinks.
4. Do use short paragraphs with headings. How many times can I say it? If your page is easy to read it is more likely to be read. Short paragraphs appear easier to read. Headings allow you to make important points even when readers do not read all the page content and can be used to draw the reader further into the page.
5. Do use bullet points. Using bullet points to list main points allows for getting your main points to readers in seconds and doesnt require a lot of reading. It also lends organization to a page and can break up long potentially daunting sections of text.
6. Do make sure each page has a clear call to action. Place subscription and order information prominently on the page using an easy to complete form.
Following these simple guidelines when designing your next website will help ensure that the site is visually pleasing and easily read ensuring more content will actually read the content. After all isnt that the point of the site?
About the Author
Kimberly Geramin invites you to learn “How To Dramatically Boost Your Website Profits Month After Month Without Writing A Single Sentence... and How to Increase Your Sales Copys Conversion Rate By Making Minimum Changes That Deliver Maximum Impact! http://www.bigsellingconversions.com/onetime.php
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