As web designers we are constantly fighting the battle against clutter and overload, whether it’s on our own website or it’s a design for a client.
The design of a website needs to enhance its purpose by putting the focus on the content whilst being able to be used and viewed by everyone. Taking the time to ensure no detail is left overlooked produces a much more effective and attractive website.
We will discuss your main objectives on your website, the attention to detail, less = more, and finally finding the balance between cluttered and minimalistic.
My online objective
First is first, if already live, does your website have objective and if it is not yet developed, what is your objective? Your website needs a clearly defined purpose and objective to eliminate any confusion, from the first project brief to completion of the project.
For example, at Webitecture our website’s purpose is to:
- Showcase our capabilities and experience
- Showcase our best work to potential clients
- Provide relevant information to prospective clients on the services we offer
Our objective is to:
- Increase brand awareness
- Increase revenue
By clearly defining your objective at the early stages you create a uniform and systematic approach to your online presence. It creates relevance, maturity and professionalism.
Attention to detail
When we design a website we look at every detail, every pixel of the design is scrutinised to ensure nothing is out of place. Just remember, what you remove from the website is just as important to what you put in.
Your website becomes much more relevant and its content become much more pleasing to the eye when you remove the fluff and put in substance. Have you ever listened to the parliament? Julia Gillard gets up and speaks for 10 minutes when she could have just said a simple “yes” or “no”.
Unite your layout and content
Your website’s content need to get along in order for you to achieve your overall objectives. You need to create a hierarchy of information, headings and contents need to be separated.
Align objects
There are many ways to align objects on a website design, just remember that the cleaner your web design, the easier it is to spot something that is off by a single pixel. Grids are a great way of keeping your objects aligned and spaced together. The key with alignment is balance, using a grid your columns, spaces and alignment is kept standardised across the website.
The 960 Grid System is one that we use very frequently.
Hierarchy of objects
A user will determine their opinion of your website in a matter of seconds, the same way a hiring manager manages to look through 1000 CV’s in one day. Most users glance over text with predetermined keywords in mind, in other words they already know what they are looking for.
Going back to your online objective and using it as a guideline, you need to find relevant content that will make the most impact, and achieve the best results and place it in strategic areas of your design.
Usability, usability, usability
A website that is easy to use will improve a user’s experience and encourage them to find out more about you. Your online presence is there to engage users, not confuse them.
Things that are a must on every website:
- Going back home – How does a user go back to the home page?
- Contact us – Ok, I’m interested in what you have to offer or I have only come to your website to find your number… so where is it?
- Navigation – Should be consistent and easy to use, and lets not forget easy to find.
- Close buttons – Pop ups are an annoying yet effective way of grabbing someone’s attention or providing content without going to another page, but if there is no way of closing them the user will close their browser or steer away from your website, neither of which helps you.
- Eliminate Browser prejudice – ensure your website can be viewed the same (or at least without bugs) on every browser and platform.
How Less equals More
The sheer fact that you have been reading this blog up until this point means that the content has been engaging. No? you have better things to do right?
Engaging content that makes users want to read more is the most effective style of website copywriting. You are passionate about your work and you are an industry expert, so write a whitepaper, not a website. There is a time and place for everything. When a user visits your website’s home page, they don’t want to know about your life story, that belongs in the “about us or about me” section of your website. They want to know who you are and how you can benefit them by reading a sentence or two not paragraphs. Wether that is in the things you educate them on or the services you are able to provide them.
Interested?
For more information on Webitecture’s web design and development services contact a member of our sales team on 02 8006 6126.
