KISS that site. That means “keep it simple, stupid”. What a harsh manner of addressing! But, when it comes to business Web design, this is THE golden rule. And “golden rule” is such a cliché! Cliché or not, is a true rule and it would be a pity for you not to understand that not all the web users were born web designers, and even less really enjoy browsing the web are really skilled at doing that, are able to find anything they look for in a matter of seconds and so on. Some don’t give a damn on design if the content lacks. Others will not like to read too much content (laziness, boredom, lack of time). So keep it simple!
1. Create a simple (and not simplistic) layout. This will be easy to use, clear and “clean”. You don’t need to waste your visitor’s time (and your chances to capture their attention and deliver the desired message) by displaying fancy graphics, or extravagant Flashes. Use Flash to create online presentations, not corporate Websites. Remember: flash is a great tool. Artists, music bands, entertainment websites can be created in Flash, because their purpose is to mesmerize their visitors. As a serious online business owner you just need to provide accurate information about your product, in a simple, yet attractive manner. This sounds like a challenge, doesn’t it?
2. Don’t use a website template and stuff your content randomly. Ask a professional designer to conceive a website for your business. Each industry has particular traits and standards you shouldn’t ignore. Besides, a web designer should also know that respecting your branding standards is a must! It’s hard to choose a good web design company to create the perfect business site, but not impossible.
3. Think accessibility. Web standards were created for accessibility purposes. Ask your web designer to create your website respecting the W3C standards. To listen to those telling you W3C standards are irrelevant. They are relevant. They’ll ensure that your website is displayed correctly in most of the web browsers and even make it easier for people with disabilities to have access to your content.
4. Again: keep it simple! No tiny fonts, no huge fonts, no ornamental fonts! No dizzying animations, no blinking banners and buttons and no useless graphics. Background images? Forget them! The best practice is the simplest practice as well: dark fonts on light backgrounds.
Take a look at global players such as Philips, Sony etc. You’ll note that they use W3C standards and the overall layout is simple (although they do use Flash the design is flawless and they do have enough back links not to need content for high SE rankings!) Such sites should be an example for you too. A serious online business needs a meaningful web presence!
Once again: simple is not simplistic. Simple websites could have elegance and style, but their most important attributes are scanability and navigability. And…guess what? They are cheaper to develop and maintain. So when you hire your web designer just tell him/her: KISS that website!
