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Date: 06/01/2001-2004 Web Site Design: How to Annoy Your Visitors |
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How To Annoy Your Visitors! When you build a website, your goal is to get people to come to your website, look around and find reasons to come back. If your site is annoying you can be sure they will find another site to visit, never to come back to yours. Here are some ways you can be sure to annoy your visitors: (they might not annoy all, but probably the majority) 1. Frames - Chopping up a site with frames is a great way to get your visitors frustrated. These frames are very obtrusive and make navigation and reading your site much harder. 2. Overbearing Graphics - Not only are these blinking and flashing graphics distracting and unnecessary, they can also cause your site to download very slowly. Most people do not have the time to sit and wait for an extremely slow site, and will leave before even knowing what your site has to offer. 3. No Contact Information - I cannot stress enough how important it is to have your email address on every page. This will add credibility to your site and always give your visitor a reason to be assured that you can be reached when needed. 4. Too Many Pop-ups -If you want to use a pop-up window (which can be very successful) try using a pop-under. This is the kind that will pop-up under the web page. It will not be the first thing to pop into your visitor's face. This will give the visitor a chance to see what your site has to offer and they will be more likely to respond to the pop-up. Please do not have multiple pop-ups popping out all over! 5. Hard To Navigate - You want your visitors to be able to get around your site without trouble. Have your links all together in a place that is easily seen. Have them in the same place on every page. 6. Inconsistent Page Design - I have been on some sites where after clicking on a link, I didn't even know if I was at the same site. The page was totally different and did not have any of the same information or links as the previous page. After trying to find what I was looking for and not finding it, I left. Please keep your site design uniform and consistent. This will make it much easier on your visitors. 7. Too Many Banners - If you want banners on your site, set up a banner exchange page for this purpose only. Do not have your homepage or other pages so loaded with banners that there isn't room for anything else. 8. Hard To Read Text - Do not use fancy text or pale text on a pale background. The easiest to read is a dark text on a light background. Also, if you use a textured or print background, be sure that it is not hard on the eyes. One site I visited had a weave look background that made the text so hard to read, after a few minutes of looking around I had to leave because I was getting a headache. If you think it is easy to see get a few more opinions just to be sure! 9. Music - Music used to be very common on the web. Practically every site you went to had music. More and more people started realizing that this was a major distraction and annoyance to a lot of people. If you really want music, have a choice for your visitors. Let them decide if they want the music. 10. Lack Of Content - You've got to have content! Gee, that sounds awfully familiar. People visit a website to see what the site has that will benefit them. Useful, helpful, practical content can't be beat! This would include resources, freebies, tips, ideas, information, interaction, contests, etc. Visit these sites for more information on designing and building an effective website: http://www.aboutresults.com/39steps.htm http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.html http://www.hwg.org/opcenter/newsletters/tips/feb00a.html http://www.webmastercourse.com/articles/5-web-design-mistakes/ http://www.designer.com/focus/articles/web_problems/web_problems_print.htm One thing you can do is visit several sites that pertain to your business. Study these sites and write down what you find annoying. Write down any reasons you have for leaving the site. Take note of what you like about these sites. Incorporate all these findings into creating a sharp, clean, useful website with nothing to annoy all those visitors! ********************* Terri Seymour owns and operates MyOwnEzine.com ******************** www.fdgweb.com Florentine
Design Group is a coalition of web designers, marketers, artists,
animators, and other hired guns who work in the start-up arena.
Sometimes cheap, sometimes for free, always getting the job done.
If you can find them, maybe you can hire them....just like the A-Team..grrrr |
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