Do's and Don'ts in Web Design - part 2 (content)
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do know your audience</font></strong>
It's important to know your audience.
If you write for a site that sells toys you'll use other words, colors, images etc. compared to a site for online banking.
Write and design with your visitors in mind. Don't get tempted to write for yourself.
<strong><font COLOR="#FF0000">Don't use meaningless words</font></strong>
Do you have a cool site with hot subjects?
Or a hot site with cool subjects?
On some hype-sensitive sites these kind of words might be useful but on most sites you'd better refrain from meaningless words.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do write about the subject</font></strong>
Write about the subject.
Saying: This page is about breeding goldfish talks about the page. Instead, start right away with the
subject. Breeding goldfish is a popular hobby....
<strong><font COLOR="#FF0000">Don't use jargon</font></strong>
Avoid jargon. That goes for Internet jargon but also for jargon for any other subject.
Only if your site is focused on a selective group of specialists jargon might make sense.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do use short sentences</font></strong>
Use short sentences. The World Wide Web is fast. Your visitors want to get your info in a snap. So read and reread your text. Then cut out as many unnecessary words as possible.
<strong><font COLOR="#FF0000">Don't write technical</font></strong>
Don't write technical. Your visitors don't care how you created your site and that you prefer Perl over TCL/TK (or the other way around).
Instead write about your subject.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do use correct spelling</font></strong>
OK, this one will turn against me....
Use correct English or whatever language your site is written in. As a standard routine use a spelling checker but don't rely completely on it. Human proof reading is necessary.
This can be difficult - especially if you're not native speaking English.
<strong><font COLOR="#FF0000">Don't show any page under construction</font></strong>
Don't publish a page that's under construction.
People will hate you if you do.
If the page isn't finished, it's not ready to be published.
In a sense most pages are always under construction because they are updated (more or less) frequently.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do use the first screen</font></strong>
Be sure to put important text on the first part of your page, the part that will show up first on a screen.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do present the issues right away</font></strong>
Your visitor wants to know immediately what she/he can find on your site. Keep that in mind when designing your site.
Present the important issue(s) of your site on the first page.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do use a descriptive title</font></strong>
The text for the tag "TITLE" should be descriptive.
The title shows up in the results of search engines. A descriptive title makes clear what people can expect on your site.
The title is also shown in the history list of browsers.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do use small pages</font></strong>
The World Wide Web is not a book. People don't read it sequentially. They want to select a small piece of info and decide what info they want to read next.
So you should provide small pages. Cut long pages in pieces and connect them through hyperlinks.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do use implicit text for your links</font></strong>
Phrases like Click here or Check this link distract from the content and are to be avoided.
Try to write your text in such a way that a link is a natural part of the sentence. Instead of
Cyber Logic Host™ :: Cheap Web Hosting, domain registration Click here to visit it;
try to write something like
Cyber Logic Host™ :: Cheap Web Hosting, domain registration.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do update your pages</font></strong>
Be sure to check your pages on a regular base and to update them if necessary.
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do show date of update</font></strong>
You update your pages on a regular basis. Don't you?
Make clear to your visitors how recent or (out-)dated your information is. Provide the date of the last update. And don't forget to change the date if you change a page...
<strong><font COLOR="#009900">Do ask for feedback</font></strong>
You can learn from your visitors.
Ask for their feedback and give them an e-mail address to reach you.
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