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Theresa Lütge-Smith
Gary Bruce Smith

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Theresa Lütge-Smith
Gary Bruce Smith oduts

Free Consultation
Contact Theresa if your Web site needs a make-over or if you need a new one; or to define the type of information needed to write rich content material. .The initial consultation is free and includes a price quotation.

 

Web Design & Content

Do you need a creatively designed Web site with well-written content?

Web design has come a long way from the heady days of design exuberance and experimentation. Definitely a thing of the past is a site that attempts to cram in every bit of graphics and animation excitement at the expense of true design capability. These days users very quickly decide whether a site is professionally designed or not, and they tend to spend time only at those that meet the criteria of professional design along with accessibility and content value.

Other factors that have come to the forefront are consistency and navigation. Users are no longer prepared to guess at how a site’s navigational structure works or waste time figuring it out - no matter how graphically attractive a site might be. The trend is towards sleeker sites with intuitive access and navigation as well as content that has real value and, most importantly, a site that is regularly updated. Contact Theresa for an estimate. View examples of Web sites created by e-Cottage.

South African Writers' Network

E-Cottage Editorial Services & Promotional Marketing

Crafts Africa

George Smith (author)

Toktokkie Tours

My True North

Shelly Beach Cottages

EventWorks

BulldogSeal

Customer-effective Design Approach

Customer-effective design is inherently contextual; it is based on an understanding of, and response to, an e-customer's context. The e-customer's context is the story behind why they are on your Web site, how they came to be there, what they're trying to do and why, and what they're likely to do as a result of being there.

  • Backgrounds
    The page must be clean, uncluttered and easy to read. A white or off-white pale background is okay as long as it never detracts from the text and the images. This means no gaudy backgrounds and definitely no black and no colored text that is difficult to read, especially text over complex patterned backgrounds.
  • Banners
    None at the top of the page and usually less than four on the page.
  • Be Commercial
    Include information about who you are, what you do, what makes you unique, why customers should use your products or services and how you can help solve a specific need as links and subliminal notes. Make clear, purposeful content work for you: selling without selling is the way to be commercial.
  • Browser compliant
    Make sure that your page works well with all the major browsers.
  • Pop-Up Windows
    Definitely a no-no. These distract from your content and message; while most users tend to close them without reading them anyway, many generally leave the site.
  • Good Content
    Web     writing must be succinct; write no more than 50 percent of the text you would have used in a hardcopy publication. However, Web writing has to create a lot more context than any other form of writing: the nature of the content, what it's doing there, and what use it is to the reader, must be made crystal clear. Write for scan ability: Don't require users to read long continuous block of text. Use hypertext (links) to split up long information into multiple pages. Links provide e-customers with a richer experience as opposed to incessantly telling them to "click here" when they are only halfway through a paragraph. Links change the look and feel of Web writing making the Web page imminently more scan ability. Make their visit worth their time by offering valuable content they cannot find anywhere else and that contributes to their needs. Contact Theresa for web writing.
  • Counters
    While counters are effective on some sites where there would otherwise be no credibility, sites where the value of the content is more important should opt for server logs for their statistics.
  • Contact Technique
    There must be clear navigation to a contact page, which may include a form, e-mail, physical address and telephone/fax details. If there is no street address and phone then it is assumed that you have something to hide.
  • Doorway Pages
    Avoid doorway pages (splash screens) which are seen as a waste of time.
  • Excessive animation and flashing text
    These have gone from fun to annoying! If gadgets don't have a purpose and add to your message, then scrap them.
  • Frames
    Avoid frames, particularly if they don't contribute to the site navigation or content.
  • Graphics
    Graphics must be context sensitive and appropriate. Compressing graphics or speed is good but not if it means reducing visual impact. The content of your page must maintain "curb appeal" that will entice visitor's to enter and look around. Avoid icons that don't contribute to your content.
  • HTML
    Check what your pages look like when switching between browsers or monitor resolutions. Adhere to good practice in writing your page code.
  • Image
    The site must convey your corporate image and be appropriate for your industry, target markets and appeal to prospects.
  • Links
    Regularly check that your links are operative.
  • Matching
    Visitors feel comfortable if the general site design is similar while transitioning page-to-page and that navigation is always located at the same spot on the page.
  • Navigation
    Navigation should be obvious. Where possible, place key navigation within the content and identify why it should be used. Users expect every button to have a corresponding text link at the bottom of the page.
  • Obvious Purpose
    Communicate directly with a visitor by telling him or her what they will get by staying at your site. Let them know just how you can satisfy their specific needs.
  • Plug ins
    If you do include sound files - although it's best to avoid them - make sure it starts "off" and has a control feature.
  • Screen size
    While 800 x 600 is the standard much larger screen sizes are also used. View your pages at all resolutions.
  • Scrolling Messages
    Users want to know where links go. Include tickers with scrolling text that can be clicked and a link taken.
  • Size
    Users want the text displayed right away even if images are still downloading because they want to make a decision to either stay to read the contents of that page without the images or click away to return later.
  • Spamming
    While maintaining the quality of your site content, display keywords within your text as a promotion tool.
  • Speed
    Users want text to be displayed within 5 seconds followed by images because this helps them decide whether they want to be there or not.
  • Spelling and Grammar
    Thoroughly check for grammar and typo's. Any errors must be immediately corrected.
  • Tables
    Never set fixed-width tables wider than screen width.
  • White space
    Indent text to cut down on the length; this also makes it easier to read. Use margins and spacing to create a clean look.
  • Under Construction
    If your site is to remain current it is always "under construction" However, don't place any under construction signs on your site, simply update the information on a regular basis.
  • Unique content
    Offer innovative information that visitor's cannot find anywhere else. Never claim to offer information you can't substantiate. You could provide a concise outline of a relevant topic found on another site with a link.
  • URL
    Domain registration is vital if you want to be taken seriously as a commercial site. Having an identifiable URL not only affords you professional status amongst your competitors, the domain also promotes branding amongst visitor's and prospects.

 

 

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