Look at some of the most successful websites around you (Google, Facebook, Orkut). They all have only one thing in common. Their website design is plain, simple and easy to use. Most effective websites don’t employ fancy graphics or heavy animations to sell their products. They don’t try and distract their users from what they want to do and allow them to use the website with ease. The aim of any website is to sell or increase it’s members base or advertise its service. In any case the idea remains the same. Website designers should always develop a website design that keeps customers focussed on the main activity – to buy products or services offered by that company.

A lot of web designers’ use heavy graphics to make a website visually appealing. Sometimes they need to keep the client happy as many clients want to have a visually appealing website. In this case most of the good website designers will do the right thing and inform the client about the disadvantages of such a web design.  They inform the customers that the important part of any website development process is not heavy visuals but good content, easy navigation and professional look and feel.

Who is your target?

The first question you have to ask your self when you undertake website design or web development is that who is your customer? Younger generation is adept at using technology but older generations will struggle. In any case it is important that your website designer doesn’t make the website design complicated. Your web design should always concentrate on clean page layout, use minimal but attractive graphics and well organised content and navigation.

Another important issue for your website designer to consider is that the web design is cross browser compatible. The days of IE dominance are over (or at least the decline has started) and more and more people are using open standard browsers like Firefox & Opera. Make sure your web developer gives you a web design that looks consistent on all platforms.

No compromise on website content

Many clients in the past have asked me questions about what converts a visitor into a customer. It surely is not just website design. Website design is an envelope to display the important content. When people read your content and like it, that’s when they contact you. Also your content should generate trust between you and the visitor on your site. Website design helps in it by putting the right elements in the right place. For example contact details and mechanisms (contact us forms etc) that are easily available on your website ensures that it is easy for visitors to contact you.

A good web designer will develop a website design that will make it easy for users to find information and not confuse them.

More useful articles are available on the Sigma Infotech website