| 7 Tips to Improve Your Website Design | | | | have music forced on them while they navigate, |
| 1. Pages should load fast. Most people will leave your | | | | especially if they are already listening to music or |
| site if it's not done loading in ten or 15 seconds. And | | | | surfing at their job! If you really cannot do without |
| even if you have a fast internet connection, not | | | | music, turn it off by default and ask visitors to start it |
| everyone does and 56k modems still exist. | | | | themselves. |
| 2. Text should be easy to read. The text size should | | | | 6. Design for browser compatibility. Many people do |
| be big enough, and the background should not obscure | | | | not use Internet Explorer on Windows. Make sure your |
| your text. If you want to be safe, use black text on a | | | | site is at least viewable in Mozilla Firefox and Opera (if |
| white background. If you want more color, choose | | | | possible, you could even try testing on a Mac). Sites |
| very carefully to make sure it's still easy to read. | | | | that target markets like technology should be more |
| 3. Your website should be easy to navigate. Each link | | | | careful, since readers are more likely to use the |
| should be clearly identified as such and graphic | | | | newest browsers and gadgets like PDAs. |
| navigation elements like buttons and tabs should be | | | | 7. Design for all screen resolutions. You may like to |
| easy to read and use. You do not want people leaving | | | | surf in 1240x1080 with your new screen, but some |
| because they could not figure out how your Flash | | | | people still use 800x600, or even 640x768! A site that |
| menu works. | | | | looks perfect in high resolution may turn out to be |
| 4. Your layout and design should be consistent. If you | | | | impossible to view correctly in 800x600. |
| switch between styles too much, you will confuse your | | | | And, if you have a doubt, test, test and test! You can |
| visitors. If the design is too different, people will believe | | | | also ask your family and friends for help. Being less |
| that they are now on a different website since the | | | | familiar with the website, they can help find a lot of |
| layout changed. | | | | things you overlooked. |
| 5. Avoid music and sounds. Very few people like to | | | | |