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| Webmaster Resources: Web Design Information | |
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5 Ways To Improve Your Website Immediately
If you are reading this, I assume you either have your own website or planning to get one. Either way, these 5 tips can help you create a better business website immediately. They'll help you draw more repeat visitors and help visitors find their way around easily on your website. When that happens, you sell more of your products and services! #5: Make Your Website Browser-friendly While it may seem that Internet Explorer is the internet browser that most people use on their computers, remember that it is not the only browser available. Other browsers are giving Internet Explorer a bit of a competition these days. For example, instead of Internet Explorer, you can now use browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Konqueror. Different browsers present websites differently if the websites have not been optimized and aren't compatible with these browsers. Ensure there are no problems when your website is viewed in different browsers. View your website in different browsers to see if there are any problems. Ask your web designer if you are not sure how to fix browser compatibility issues. He or she should be able to help. #4: Don't Ask Them To Download Plug-ins Don't make it difficult for visitors to view your website. Some websites require visitors to download some extra software or plug-ins. Some kind visitors will comply while others may not and leave directly. If you really need your visitors to download some plug-ins before they view your website, ensure you use this privilege wisely. In a world that's highly fearful of downloads and viruses, it's a good idea to give them an alternative - how about viewing a simpler (plain HTML) website in case they decide they do not want to download any plug-ins? #3: Avoid Excessive Graphics Graphics help liven up your website but do not overdo it. Excessive display of graphics does nothing but turn your visitors off. First time web designers sometimes use too many graphics and web tricks on a website. These can include anything from blinking buttons, swiveling graphics or blinding backgrounds. Also, keep music away. Music which plays automatically at a website does not endear itself to its visitors, especially if it is a corny tune. Optimize graphics - use GIF format whenever possible - and ensure your images are as small as possible without sacrificing the resolution to save on loading time. #2: Save Time With an FAQ If you have a business website, you must have an FAQ or Frequently Asked Questions page. An FAQ is a great information page to go to for most visitors. The FAQ usually is a list of question-and-answers regarding your service or product and for most potential buyers, reading the FAQ clues them in on some of the common issues and concerns they may have. If you don't have an FAQ page, you could be wasting time answering the same question over and over. With an FAQ page, you can save time because you can ask your visitors to check out the FAQ page first. If the question is not in the FAQ, you can get them to email you and you would have more fodder for your FAQ page later. Both ways, you win. #1: Show Them Who You Are If you have a business website, you should have a page dedicated to informing your web visitors about your company or the people who run your company. Based on our web statistics, almost all our web visitors will click on "About Us" page to find out more about us before they take a look at our products and services. It's not unusual because as a web visitor, you need to know whom you are buying from. Most visitors click on the "About Us" page because they want to know who runs the company, where they are based, what the business is about and more. Adding photographs of yourself is a fantastic way to "humanize" your website and increase credibility. Give visitors a sense that they are dealing with real people (which of course they are!). Put a face to the name and they'll come closer to trusting you and your business. Tip: Whenever possible, use real people and real photos in the "About Us" page. Real photos always win hands down compared to aloof and perfect models. It doesn't matter if you don't look like a model. You just need to look like you. Nic Sim is the owner and founder of http://www.RedboxStudio.com - a web design firm dedicated to helping solo professionals and small businesses go online affordably and successfully with its easy to use, no-fuss Redbox DIY Website. Visit http://www.RedboxStudio.com for more details.
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