Ever since the Internet began to be used on a wide scale, there have been websites that have met with great success and others that have not. Part of understanding what makes a website work is understanding the process of web design. A site that is poorly designed simply can't compete with one that is, and the shortcomings of the web design may come from many areas. In this article, we will look at some common web design issues (problems!) and make some suggestions as to how to deal with them.
Compatibility
There are dozens of different web browsers out there, and at least half a dozen operating platforms on which to browse them. The problem for website designers comes when they use tools to build or add content to a site that can't be accessed by all web browsers or operating platforms. This is a major issue from the point of the Mac or Linux users, for example; websites using Flash are often inaccessible to them. So, when using these systems it's not just the version of group collaboration software, for example, you have to worry about.
If you are looking to create your own website, then you have to try to reach as many viewers as possible, and that means using programs that can be read by a variety of different browsers and platforms. It might mean that you have to cut out some fancy pieces or even pay a bit more, so you have to decide what price the returns are worth. For example, does a biosolids application site really need a Flash intro page? Or, how can you make sure everyone on your discount postcard printing site can upload their text and images?
Different appearances
Another very common problem within web design is that one browser will display the page in a different way than another. On a personal website, you might post a picture of yourself that works great on your browser; go to a laptop or a friends' house and you might be horrified. Some browsers have smaller windows, some translate colours differently; again, the solution lies in finding a program for your site that can guarantee as uniform an appearance across platforms as possible. This could be a larger deal for some websites over others. If you build a real estate web site it will be crutial for pictures and text to match up exactly. It may not be so important for a completely text based site, but these are not the norm anymore. Even a site dedicated to Bahco tools will have some information that needs to be displayed in a certain order.
Personal taste
Often, and this is one problem that seems to be getting worse, the person who wants to start a website will base the site on what they think should be successful, rather than what is. For example, a lot of people love to add lots of Flash based animation to their sites; they think that not only is it fun, but it also grabs attention. If you're looking at a site for growers supplies, wouldn't it be nice for all of the products to come in and out of the screen? The problem is that often, too many flashing tricks become distracting or annoying, and take away from the real purpose of the site. Also, not all Internet connections are equally fast, and you might lose potential viewers who can't stand waiting for that animation to load up. That being said, there are certain sites where a viewer might expect a little extra in the image department. IF you're running a site for online business card printing, the customer might want to see a visually pleasing site to prove that you can handle their own design project.
Another area where personal taste tends to conflict with sound web-based business practices is in the area of search engine optimization. Content continues to be at the heart of search engine success, both content on a site and content that points to a site from other sites. While having text on an online printing service site may seem obvious, others wonder why they need text when all they want to do is sell online collaboration software, so they refuse to put text up. Doing so means that a site that does use text will likely rank higher than your own, and thus receive more business.
Finally, consider how much information per page your site has. A page that goes on for hundreds of words or that contains dozens of products overwhelms many visitors. Consider breaking information or products down into categories to make the information a bit more manageable.