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Visitors will judge your site in a few seconds on
its professionalism and appropriateness to what they
are looking for.
You took the leap. You set up a
website to display your important message. Congratulations!
As in life, first impressions are important on the
web. Web researchers found that you have about 2 minutes
to make that first impression a good one. Visitors
will judge your site in those few seconds on its professionalism
and appropriateness to what they are looking for.
In fact, a website can lose about one-third of its
potential customers due to poor design, according
to a recent user study conducted by Jakob Nielson,
Ph.D., a principal of the Fremont Calif.-based Nielson
Norman Group.
Take a long hard look at your site. Or ask a friend
to give you a brutally honest review of your site.
Does it pass the test of professionalism? Are the
graphics of good quality and clear? Is the formatting,
font size and font colors consistent throughout the
site? Or does your site commit design mistakes that
speak AMATEUR as soon as it loads?
There are some common mistakes website owners make
that may cause visitors to leave early. Correct these
top 5 mistakes to make sure your visitors stay long
enough to read your important message:
Mistake #1 They use large, squeezed or out
of portion graphics.
Beginning website owners mistakenly post large graphics
that seem like a good idea but usually will bloat
the website. Large graphics will slow your page load
and turn away impatient web surfers before they have
a chance to read your message. Even so, do use them
for graphics and photos help illustrate your communication
and sell online.
Solution: Use optimized, web-ready photos and graphics.
Web Wit Tip: If a larger image is needed to help illustrate
your message, add a link that says, “Click here
to see larger image.” That way large images
that slow your page load will only be displayed by
people who really need to see a larger image.
Mistake #2 They use distracting elements
that blink, bounce, scroll or turn circles.
Most novice websters are sure this will get the attention
of their visitors. It’s true visitors may enjoy
the cutesy elements or flash presentations. But they
may never focus on your important message as well.
Unless the flash empowers your presentation, use the
adage “Less is More.”
Solution: Limit or eliminate any distracting elements
from your website.
 Mistake
#3 They use too many different formatting styles.
Unless your formatting is consistent throughout your
site, it will spell UNPROFESSIONAL to its visitors
and may cause them to leave early. Inexperienced site
owners change formatting with too many different size,
colors and styles of fonts throughout the site. They
create text blocks that are out of alignment.
Solution: Use a consistent style
and size of text throughout website. CSS style sheets
are helpful. Learn basic HTML and explore CSS style
sheets; it will improve your command of webbing for
profit.
Mistake#4 They use colored backgrounds and
graphics that make text illegible.
Some colored backgrounds, graphics or textures make
it difficult to read the type on a web page. Anything
that hinders the readability of your message may cause
visitors to give up and leave quickly.
Solution: Choose colors that will
enhance readability of your site’s message.
Light backgrounds with dark text improves readability
of your text every time.
Mistake#5 They use mismatched graphics that
are inappropriate for the content of the site.
Unseasoned site owners will sometimes use graphics
or photos that do nothing to help illustrate their
message. For example, they choose cutesy stars and
flowers on a site selling accounting services. Look
for clipart and photos that will support your important
message.
Solution: Select graphics or design
elements that will harmonize and illustrate your site’s
message. Web Wit Tip: For non-techies like the author
invest in inexpensive clipart/photo sets that will
enhance and help illustrate your communications. Additionally,
unless you are training to become a graphic artist
look for graphic programs with templates to shorten
your learning curve.
First impressions are important on the web. Follow
the simple design techniques above and stop turning
your visitors away at the door. Use your first few
seconds to impress your visitors with simple design
that delivers your powerful message effectively.
For
more insightful web site marketing tips
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