Custom Website Design

For some internet marketers, web directories is not something they would have preferred if only they are given a choice. But without a doubt, web directories are sure-fire ways of driving website traffics.

These directories are effective ways of building PR (page rank) that helps websites get good rankings in the Google search engine. Google uses page ranks to grade the results based from the searches that visitors are making. Having a higher PR is having a better listing compared with others.

PR are based on the backlinks that you have and its quality. So it follows that the more backlinks you have, the higher your PR will be. You will also get better rankings.

This is the essence behind using web directories and linking. Once these combination have worked successfully, you can expect an increase in your website traffic.

To get a list of web directories, all you have to do is type in the keyword in the search engine. Then, all you need to do is choose from among the number of lists given.

Linking like crazy to other websites.

Ok so maybe submitting links is not really an easy task. Since there are not many computer-generated linking technologies yet, you have to submit them manually. But if you think of the benefits you will be getting from these links, it will be worth all the trouble.

Having a good content is important in making genuine backlinks.

There are two effective ways of doing this:

First, is the use of media or downloads. It is a fact that majority of website visitors are very much inclined to downloading and media. In addition, many people welcome them as something different from the usual wordings they encounter most of the time.

You will notice that once you have created a number of these on your site, the number of websites traffic you are getting will double. People are likely to come back to check on if updates to the media that you have on your site.

The second one is article writing. The good thing about articles is that you can post them to as many sites as you can, as long as their theme is related to yours. This way, you can have your backlinks spread all over the Internet through the resource box placed at the end of each article. With your articles, you get to reach more consumers that you cannot normally do if your article is only posted on your site.

Besides, articles are well-loved by search engines. Provide them with quality contents and you are sure to be read by these engines.

Giving more of your attention to search engines.

Search engines plays an important part for all internet marketers. They are a great way of driving website traffic. Google rankings are depending heavily on the backlinks used and the page ranks of each sites.

Going to forums or discussion pages.

This is a way of getting your message out while generating website traffic in the process. Just like web directories, you can just type in the keywords on the search engines to get a list of forums you can join.

You may have noticed that some people posts questions on forums. If you find that they are somehow related to your topic, fell free to answer the query being asked.

To register in forums, put in your URL. On the signature part, put a short description about your website. If you are planning on posting regularly to these forums, you can also change signatures to display the development happening on your website.

If you maintain your posts on a regular basis, you can have a steady flow of website traffic.

These are just some of the many ways you can do to be able to drive traffic to your website. There will always be new and easier ways of doing this. But for now, these are the ones being widely used. They also have proven their usefulness in the online marketing world.

Keep on using these strategies in order to maintain your website traffic. You can always come up with your own also.

The Internet has provided us with new ways of doing things such as communicating, gathering information and making business transactions. Websites form the backbone of the Internet. They are primarily created to be able to serve as a tool for people to live their lives in this modern world.

The use of Internet application is very important especially to the people who have impairments. 20% of the American population is affected by some kind of disability. The Internet has been able to give the disabled avenues through which they can perform functions that they have not been able to do before.

Usability

The usability of websites is one of the pressing concerns of web developers today. Usability refers to the easiness of navigation and overall access of information through a website. Websites are now being developed to be able to provide maximum usability to the widest range of surfers. A website’s features must be able to assist the surfers rather than be hindrances.

There are many perceived benefits from improving the usability of a website. Not only will the surfers, particularly those who have some kind of impairment but also the web developers, the businessmen and the whole Internet community as well.
Improved website usability will result in end-user satisfaction. A survey which involved people who were trying to avail certain services and products from the Internet revealed that 39% of all availing attempts are spoiled because the buyers are discouraged by the poor usability of the website. Improving the website will definitely end in user satisfaction.

Usability will also result in the competitiveness of the website. There are millions of websites that are out there today, and the number is growing faster than ever before. What separates the popular ones from the not-so-popular ones is website usability. People want to access information through websites and they are particularly looking for two basic features: quality of content and access. There’s no sense in designing a website with poor information. Poor access tools will also make a website not likable even though it contains well written contents.

Page Length

There are many factors in determining the usability of a website. A website with good usability will have quality contents, good accessibility, navigation and readability. The length of the pages might seem like an impertinent thing when it comes to usability, but it is actually a factor to consider in website development.

The Internet browser is like a portal which takes people to wherever they may want to go in the virtual world of the Internet. This is why the length of the web page is important. The pages must be designed in a way that they accommodate and present the information to the visitors in a comprehensive way which is easy on the eyes.

Short versus Long

When it comes to determining the length of the page, it all boils down to a simple yet important decision- whether to use short or long pages. In determining this, one should always remember that the length of the web pages may not be uniform. The length of each page must correspond to its contents and its purpose.

In determining the length of the page, one must consider the following:

1) Contents

Again, the length of the page is dependent on its contents. The homepage which contains the overview of the webpage utilize short pages most of the time. Pages which contain information which can be easily be browsed should also utilize short pages. Pages containing long graphics should be put in short pages as well.

If the page contains information that need to match the size of its paper counterparts, the said web page must be long enough to do so. Sitemaps and other such pages must be long enough to accommodate all the information needed.

2) Go back to the goals

The overall determination of the length of the web pages must be structured within the whole planning process for the development of the website.

3) Scrolling

A developer can choose between providing a scroll bar or a page link in developing pages which contain reading materials. If speed is deemed as a key factor in the reading process, the developer might want to use a link instead of a scroll bar.

These are just some basic ways on how to improve a website’s usability with the proper determination of the web pages. These should be integrated with the other ways of improving website usability.

Usability study normally precedes the interface and technical design of the website construction process, which involves establishment of complete user profiles, creation of the interface model or sample and extensive user testing.

The ideal web interface design demands for organized approach in the designing process. However, to guarantee optimal performance, web usability testing is needed. This domain testing allows inexperienced users to supply data regarding what really is working, as have been expected and then what is not working. Only as soon as the subsequent repairs are constructed and done can a website be considered to achieve optimized user interface.

This procedure, though in several cases takes a few repetitions, provide the necessary and important information and evidence for the finished web interface functionality and design, resulting in a website interface that conveys clear messages to visitors, regarding where they actually are, easily predict what is about to happen as well as where buttons will take them and what they need to do to accomplish their goals. The ease and simplicity of all these activity is what defines a usable website.

The experience of the user is the main factor to acceptance; this is where interface design comes in the designing process. Whereas product engineers give emphasis on technology, specialists in website usability concentrate on user interface.

The significance of a great interface user design is the driving force of a product’s acceptance or rejection.

If visitors have hard time learning and using, a complicated website, even an excellent product can fail. Interface design must make your product simple to use and understand, so that it results to user acceptance.

Here are guidelines for creating website usability:

System status. Your system must always update users regarding what is happening, through correct feedback within a reasonable time.

Simple words. Make sure that your website speaks the language of your visitors, having phrases or words familiar to them. Construct information that appears in a most natural tone and in consistent order.

User freedom and control. Note that internet users at times encounter mistakes in system functions and need an “emergency exit” in order to easily leave that undesirable situation. Support in your system “undo and redo”.

Consistency. Visitors must not need to question whether different situations, words or actions represent the similar things. Follow platform principles or guidelines.

Retrievable instructions. Making actions, options and objects visible and easily retrievable. Your visitors do not need to remember certain information from a particular part of a dialogue “to another”.

Efficiency and flexibility of use. Use accelerators to speed up interaction between experts and the system. Construct it in such manner you’re your system is able to cater both the experienced and inexperienced users. Permit users to customize frequent actions.

Users help. Display error messages in plain and simple language that accurately indicate what the problem is and then propose a solution.

User interface and design principles:

1. Structure. Your web design must establish user interface persistently, in useful and meaningful ways that are based on consistent and clear models easily recognizable; put all related and similar things together.

2. Simplicity. Design your website simply, making common tasks easy to do, clearly communicating in the language of the user, and providing shortcuts that meaningfully are related to those longer procedures.

3. Visibility. Design your website that it keeps all materials and options visible without disrupting your visitors with redundant or extraneous information. Never overwhelm your visitors with too much alternatives.

4. Feedback. Your design must keep your visitors well informed of certain actions, changes of condition, errors or certain exceptions which are of interest and relevant to them through concise and clear language.

5. Tolerance. Your design must be tolerant at the same time flexible, reducing misuse and mistakes by permitting “undo and redo”. Likewise prevent errors from occurring by accepting different sequences and inputs by translating all logical actions.

How your website interface is designed either makes or breaks your business. Although website functionality is a significant factor, the manner by which it imparts that functionality or user performance is likewise as important. A website that is hard to manage will not be used at all. Period.

There can be no argument about the importance of design in attracting Internet users to a particular web site. No one would bother to explore the contents of a site if it does not contain eye-catching graphics that can please the visual sense of the users. With so many kinds of web sites existing online, it is extremely challenging to attract users and keep them interested in the site.

But a web site developer does not simply apply graphics freely on a site. Graphics should be used in the correct manner, or else, users might get turned off because the graphics featured just overwhelmed or confused them.

While it is true that attractive design is important for reasons that need not be explained, the choice of design must be carefully considered against the fulfilling the needs of users. When done successfully, it could be safely said that the web site has achieved its goals.

Graphics used in the Internet is inextricably linked to multimedia. Multimedia is a combination of graphics, text, sound, and animation to express a message to users. The multimedia features that will be incorporated to a web site should be dependent on the content. In general, multimedia and graphics should serve as supports to content, and should have precise, instructional purpose.

According to research, animated images can facilitate the transfer of learning in a positive way if it is utilized to show a vital part of the concept that is being illustrated. On the other hand, animation can serve as a barrier to user recall and performance.

Here are the guidelines in incorporating graphics to web sites:

1. Justify the usage of the graphics
The most obvious problem that can be seen on web pages is the over-usage of graphics. The main downside of this is that complicated, unnecessary graphics can take a long time to download, and this, of course, will not sit well with users. The graphics to be applied should support the transfer of data and should also be in relation to the accompanying text.

2. The difference between graphics with text-redundant data and those containing information that is non-redundant is that the former facilitates and ushers in the learning process, while the latter does not either help or slow down learning.

3. Consistency should be a priority in graphic design

4. Web pages should be marked up so that text will be downloaded before the graphics. In this way, the users will know immediately if the page has the information that they are looking for, and if not, they will be able to save precious waiting time knowing that they do not need that certain page.

5. The loading of graphics should be controlled as such that loading will commence from top to bottom, and the users scrolling down the page will encounter said graphics.

6. The downloading of pages should be fast in order to save users waiting time, and in order to reduce the chances that they will get frustrated that they will abandon plans to download. Here are several ways to achieve fast download periods:

-Keep the physical size of the graphics to a minimum
-Images should be combined in order to minimize the number of server connections. Remember, the more connections that exists, the slower the download time will be
-Decrease image resolution
-Limit the colors that will be used for the images
-Limit the use of animation

Animation is very much a part of web graphic design. The primary difference between web text and graphics and contents that are print-based is the dynamics. Moving displays attract the attention of users as long as the frequency of the display is regulated. Too much animation display can irritate and distract users. An animation that is perpetually moving can destroy the readable quality of the web page.

The usage of blinking texts should be avoided. It has long been regarded as an overused feature and the latest browsers no longer support it.

In designing a web site, there always exists a conflict between the desire to have total control over the appearance of a page and the need to permit users to establish their own preferences. The general appearance of the page should be made by the designer, but there are certain elements that users should have control over, such as color and text background, and the option whether to display graphics or not.

It takes a considerable amount of effort to establish and maintain the attractiveness and efficiency of a web site. If the guidelines above will be followed, all the efforts of web designers will bear desirable results. They only have to remember that the benefit of the users will always be the basis for everything.

In this short article, you’re about to discover 3 of the most important web design secrets you can use to get the far more affiliate sales out of your current website visitors!

Let’s get started:

1. Create fast loading web pages.

The faster your site loads, the better. Often people have expensive flash sites that look good, but they’re causing a lot of your visitors to leave before they get to know you.

If you do want to use flash, DON’T have it be the page your visitors first see (an exception might be a corporate site or one for the sole purpose of putting on your business card).

A large amount of visitors will NOT be patient and wait for it to load. You’ve got to keep in mind that the web is a place where people can quickly click away.

If they don’t see what they’re looking for, they’ll leave because there are many more sites for them to look at.

You must capture your visitors’ interest quickly. Let them know you have what they’re looking for.

If you have flash because you want to show your music or work, then have it within your site. Pull people in first.

Otherwise you’re going to be throwing away your time and money spent getting people to your sites.

2. Use the power of words to grab your readers’ attention, not just images.

Creating headlines are a powerful way to pull right visitors into your site and let them know you have what they’re looking for.

For great headline ideas, go to the bookstore or Amazon.com and check-out magazines that your visitors might read. What headlines do they use to grab people’s attention and get them to buy?

You can then adapt the headlines to fit what your site has to offer.

Images then compliment the text by helping to convey a story your text tells them.

This is why you’ll notice all of our sites to sell the products are low on images and heavy on sales copy. The images alone don’t sell any of the products, but they do HELP sell it by making the sales copy more effective.

A good way to explain this is if you were hiring somebody to mix your music. If all they had was an image of the mixing engineer hard at work and you knew nothing else about him, is that enough to sell you?

It helps, but the answer is most likely no way! You still have a million questions about the engineer. Who has he worked with before? How much does he cost? Why is he or she worth that amount? Is he or she easy to work with? And the list goes on and on.

Simply put, “The more you tell, the more you sell.” Answer your visitors’ questions and concerns. Don’t be concerned about having too much text, as long as what you’re saying is of actual concern to your visitors.

3. Decide what action(s) you want your visitor to take.

Remember this and repeat it as you design your sites, “The confused mind takes no action!”

This simply means you need to spell-out and make clear exactly what you want your visitor to do.

* Do you want them to check-out a recommended product?

* Do you want them to sign-up for your newsletter?

* Do you want them to buy your product or service?

* Do you want them to read your articles on your website?

If so, make it easy for them to do so… and make it clear exactly what they should do.

Don’t hesitate to directly tell them to sign-up for your newsletter, read your articles, or take a specific action.

You may think it’s obvious. But, a reader that stumbles across your website and does not know you may not.

An example of the power of this advice is if you have a link that says “Click here to see articles” you will usually dramatically increase the amount of people clicking on that link than if it only said, “Articles.”

All you’re doing is spelling out exactly what your visitor should do.

When designing your sites, think through where your visitors are coming from (search engines, articles, press releases, etc..) and then give them what they’re looking for.

The bottom line is this… keep your site straight forward and simple (the less options, the better) and have it focus on the visitor. Give him or her exactly what he or she is looking for.

As a result, you skyrocket the amount site visitors, affiliate commissions, or customers for your primary venture!

Do you really want visitors to have to figure out how to use it before they can get started? Do you want to write big help files and FAQs just to explain it to them? Of course not. Part of the power of the web is that it gives a consistent interface to all sorts of things. If you break this, then you’re making your site require some learning to be usable. In almost all cases, you should be sticking to the conventions that have gradually developed during the life of the web so far.

What are the Conventions?

The web’s design conventions are simple, but effective, to the point that you probably don’t realise they’re there most of the time. Here are some examples:

• Clicking a small picture will display a bigger version.
• The links on your navigation bar should all be internal links.
• Identity checks are done with a username and password system.
• Your logo should be a link to your homepage.
• Links go to HTML documents unless they’re clearly marked as a movie, PDF, etc.
• Things are bought by adding them to a ‘cart’ and then going through a ‘checkout’.
• There are many, many more.

Exceptional Circumstances.

The only time you should break the web’s conventions is when your website is different enough to others that it will be worth people learning a better way to use it. For example, when Google launched Gmail, the world’s first webmail service with a gigabyte of storage space, they introduced an interface that used Javascript to change entire pages without reloading. That broke the web’s conventions, but worked well enough that the technique caught on, and is now starting to develop new conventions all of its own.

Don’t get carried away, though, and start thinking you’re more important than you really are. Your great new product is very unlikely to justify you adding streaming video to your homepage – it’s more likely to just annoy people (far better to add a large picture of the video and a ‘click here to see our new product’ headline). Know your website’s limits – for the most part, you should try to make it work as much like other websites as you possibly can.

The ultimate test is this: if you sit an in-experienced web user in front of your site, can they use it without getting confused? If they can’t, then it’s back to the drawing board.