Web Site Tips

When building or taking over a web site, I like to review the 10 tips that keep a web site clean and friendly.
1)  Good Outline – Knowing the layout and content is a must.  This includes color scheme, how many pages, what those pages are, and navigation order.
2)  Good Content – As a web designer, I love to do the actual layout of the site but I request the client actually write the content.  The reason for this is as simple as you know your business, I know the development process.  Individually, we only have half the answer; together we can create an awesome site.  Content should include a detailed description of your product and or service, a way for people to contact you, testimonials or comments from clients, images related to your product or service, a page of businesses your have worked with and if your site is large, a way to search.
3)  Page Size – keep the web pages within 2 down scrolls.  Most visitors will not go further.
4)  SEO – Each page should have its own meta tag descriptions and keywords.
5)  K.I.S.S. – Keep the design simple.  Don’t mix and match odd colors and have to may pictures or graphics.
6) Gizmos – just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.  Before adding RSS, Twitter and blog feeds, make sure they are really needed.
7)  Flash – Flash into pages can be very detrimental to your visitor’s experience.  Especially if they take a while to load.
8)  Articles – Write and post articles relevant to your products or services.  These will help fill out your web site and show your visitors that you know your niche.
9)  Don’t go Stale – Organized freshness is the key.  A good quality website needs to be continually updated.
10)  Spelling – Be sure and use a spell checker on all items that will be displayed to the public.  This includes the content in your meta tags.
About the author:  Rob Waibel is the owner and web developer for Waibel Online.  Rob offers affordable SEO, web sites and consulting.