Building a Better Website

Tips for Making Your Website Even Better

In the Corporate World, this constant improvement of products is called: "Continuous Quality Improvement" or "CQI".

1. You start with a Product that can be just about anything.  It can be a Boeing 747, an iPod or a website. 
2. You want to Improve the Quality of the Product.  You don't want to just make changes to it, you want to make it a better value for the price.  By doing this your customers will want more of it and you will gain new customers.
3. Making Improvements is a Continuous process.   Why? Because one improvement to a product will not make it the best product on the market for a lifetime.  The competition will always be trying to come up with something better and when they do, you will be out of business.
4. Observe your competition, see what they do and learn from them. 

Making improvements to a website is not a full time job.  It's something you can work at a little bit at a time.  It will  be more fun than work because the big job is over.  You will be tweaking your site and watching it get better and you will be learning new things which will give you a feeling of accomplishment.

Here's a list of suggestions:

Use Multiple Browsers to Checkout Your Site
Design for the Customer. Don't make the Customer Jump through Hoops
JavaScript and Java Applets may not be such a Good Idea
Consider Browser Safe Colors
Make sure you have a Self Explanatory & Simple Navigation System
Don't use pop up ad Windows
Avoid Music unless Absolutely Necessary
Avoid Visual Overkill
Don't Use Under Construction Pages
Provide customer support
Update Your Site Regularly
Make your visitors feels comfortable
Offer Visitors a Tour or Demo on Your Site
Tell Visitors Who You Are and Something About You
Archive Information and Pages
Test your Site
After You Publish Your Site, Monitor Your Statistics
Think Twice before putting your photo on the home page
Don't give out Information that could lead to Privacy or Security Problems
 

  Use Multiple Browsers to Checkout Your Site

Your Websites success or failure depends on your visitors and the impact your Website makes on them.  When you build your website remember that visitors will be using many different Web Browsers. The most popular Web Browsers in November of 2008, according to Market Share by Net Applications:

When you are checking out your Website, you'll want to use several of the browsers listed above.  You will find that different browsers display some things differently, so you'll need to make the appropriate adjustments.

  Design for the Customer.  Don't make the Customer Jump through Hoops

Have you ever seen these statements on a Website?
"This site best viewed with Named browser at a screen resolution of Resolution Number"
"Follow this Hyperlink to obtain the correct browser for viewing this site"

Guess what the Web Builder has just done?  He just told the visitor that if you want to experience my Website, go download this particular 25 meg browser file, install it on your computer, make the proper adjustments so it will work on your computer and also make the necessary adjustments so you can view my site.  Then reboot your computer and then and only then, come back and visit my site.

This is called "How to turn off visitors in EASY STEPS".

People are influenced by the esthetic look of your design, and quality web design lends credibility to what you have to offer.  Although good design is not the main reason people come to  your site, it is a good way to keep them coming back.

  JavaScript and Java Applets may not be such a Good Idea

Java Applet
A Java applet is a small software program written in the Java programming language and is used primarily on the World Wide Web.  Java applets were introduced in the first version of the Java language in 1995.  Applications written in Java are platform-independent, which means they can run on any type of computer if the Java Virtual Machine is installed on that computer.

By adding a Java applet to a Web page, you can add special effects, interactivity, and more. Because some Web browsers provide settings for disabling or limiting the functionality of Java applets, an applet may or may not work correctly for all of your site's visitors. Applets can run slower and have a tendency to crash certain browsers, which can also crash a users machine.

JavaScript
JavaScript is an interpreted scripting language used on the Internet for creating Web pages that respond to user actions (as client-side JavaScript), such as when a user moves a mouse pointer over an image or clicks a form button. Combined with HTML and CSS, JavaScript allows you to create Dynamic HTML pages.

Despite the name, JavaScript is only distantly related to the Java programming language,

If you decide to use JavaScript or Java applets on your web site, just don't use them where the proper functioning of your website depends on them running without problems.  For example, don't use them for your main menu system.  If they break, then your visitors won't be able to navigate through your site.

So I would recommend that you use them sparingly and only when absolutely necessary.

   Consider Browser Safe Colors

Browser Safe Web Colors are a group of 216 colors that work identically across platforms. Some years back, different web browsers had their own unique palette of 256 colors, but they all had these 216 colors in common.  Back then, if you designed a graphic with colors that were not in the Browser Safe Color Palette, then your monitor would dither those colors in order to display them. Many times, the dithering would result in a dotted pattern that would be quite unsightly.

Most computer monitors used today can display thousand or millions of colors and this is not an issue for them.  If you want to make sure people with old computer monitors (that can only view 256 colors) can properly display your sight, then you'll want to use only the 216 safe colors. 

A good compromise to this situation would be to use Browser-Safe colors for flat-color illustrations, logos with flat-color, and areas in an image that have a lot of a single colors (like bullets, buttons, backgrounds and rulers). Simple graphics and flat colors look terrible when dithered, but photographs don't look near as bad.

  Make sure you have a Self Explanatory & Simple Navigation System

Your navigation structure needs to be easy to understand.  Do you have to supply a "user's manual" for your visitors to be able to navigate your site?

• The faster and easier it is to navigate your site, the happier your visitors will be.
• If your navigation system is radically different from the standard (simple drop-down,  labeled buttons, or tabbed menu), you'll confuse your users.  Your goal should not be to look cool or trendy but to help your visitors find what they are looking for.
• If the visitor gets lost in your site because of a poor navigation structure, they will probably leave and go someplace else.  They should be able to get to a specific piece of information or product in 3 clicks or less.
• Use short "call-to-action" phrases for your button labels and active links instead of one word labels that might not mean the same thing to someone else as it does to you. It doesn't pay to have a "really cool" or "aesthetically perfect" site if the pick options perplex your visitors.

  Don't use pop up ad windows

• They are annoying.
• Most people hate them.
• Many browsers now include the ability to block pop windows and there are many programs (even freeware) available that are used to stop them.
• They can make it more difficult for a visitor to navigate your site.  If a pop up window overlaps the web page that the visitor was on and they are unaware that a pop up window appeared, they will be confused as to how to continue navigating.

  Avoid Music unless Absolutely Necessary

Don't make your visitors listen to your music.  Just because you like it does not mean that everyone else will.  It can be very distracting when someone is trying to figure out your site for the first time.  If you must use music, then offer a clearly visible way that the visitor can turn it off.

  Avoid Visual Overkill

For businesses, a Flash home page that moves and jumps so much that it makes you car sick or a splash page (which is a special landing page) may be a great way for a Web designer to show their talent, but for many customers it can be an annoyance.  If you must have a splash page, at least provide a "Skip this" link

Keep in mind, big flashy intros with loud, pulsating music can take forever to load and many visitors will go someplace else rather than wait.

If you are setting up an informational or family site, you can be a little more adventurous with audio and visual presentations, but you still have to be careful about overdoing it.  If you are doing it just so you can show everyone what a techno-wizard you are, then that's not a good reason.

Remember the whole reason for having a Website is that you are offering something to the visitor, whether it be a product, service or information (including family).  A good Web design with good content will go a long way in impressing your visitors without trying to use AV magic.

• Keep it simple. Keep pictures, large text and flashing banners to a minimum. These kinds of gimmicks are unprofessional and can cheapen a site.
• Don't feel that you have to use colored text on a colored background.  Black text on a white background is always a good choice.
• Use a color scheme that is consistent, simple, and not "glaring"
• You don't need stunning graphics, dynamic HTML or Java Script to have a good website that sells.

  Don't Use Under Construction Pages

Something that use to be pretty common a few years ago was the use of pages that had headings or graphics on them that said "Under Construction" (UC).  It's not very common now, and probably because Web Developers have figured something out.  UC pages are a  "frustration to users", they are "unfriendly" and "tacky".

When you set up a Web Site, you want your visitors to feel "Welcome" and UC pages do just the opposite:

1. A working link on your Website tells a visitor that there is a working page at the end of that link.  When they click on the link and then see a partially completed, or totally blank page that says Under Construction, the visitor feels like they were misled, or sent on a "wild goose chase".  They thought they were going to a working page but ended up just wasting their time.  This is very frustrating to a visitor.
2. It also sends a message to the visitor that says "Hey, you weren't supposed to come to this page because it isn't finished, so get out of here!"  This is a very unfriendly way to treat your visitors.
3. Thirdly, it tells the visitor that you have an "unfinished" website which can give the impression that your work is shoddy or tacky.

  Provide customer support

If you are selling something or trying to promote your business, you need a clearly visible means of being contacted.  Put your business contact information on as many pages as possible.  Be sure you list your phone number, email address and business mailing address.

If your site is an informational or personal site, then you still should have some means of being contacted such as email, fax or telephone.  You want feedback from your visitors and if they can't get a hold of you, you can't get the feedback.

  Update Your Site Regularly

Once you've published your site.  Relax and take a well deserved break - but don't forget about it.  Just as important as keeping your Content fresh, is keeping your Site fresh.  No, this doesn't mean a total redesign every six months, but remember, competition for visitors on the Web is fierce and in this age of hyper-fast Web information, something over a few months old will have lost it's "newness" and "zing".

• If you sell products or offer a service, keep your online catalog and services page up to date. This will avoid misunderstandings when people see one thing on your site, but find out something different when they talk to you.
• Keep your contact information up to date, including information on employees.  Many companies throw up a Website and then forget about it.
• Try different specials so you can see what works best and what attracts more customers.
• Test every page and all your links periodically so you can catch broken links as soon as possible.

Even if your site is not rich in content, a key to getting repeat visitors is to offer something new when they come back. It could be new graphics, new product information, new offers, new articles, new links, etc.

Be user friendly, design usability into your site:
The Nielsen Norman Group (www.nngroup.com) conducted a study on the return on investment of 42 redesigned Websites. Owners of those sites spent an average of 10% of their Web budget on usability. After redesigning the sites, site usability increased by 135%, the sales-conversion rate increased 100% and traffic increased 150%, according to the study.

  Make your Visitors feel Comfortable

Just like your favorite store.  One reason you feel comfortable shopping there is that you know where most everything is.  Similarly, there are online standards now to help orient visitors, making them comfortable and ready to learn more.

In a recent study by the consulting firm of Nielsen Norman Group in Fremont, Calif., they found the following page elements on roughly four out of every 10 sites.

• The term "site map" for the site overview
• A different color after links are clicked and expired
• Shopping-cart links in the upper right corner
• Left-hand navigation for peer-level links
• Logos in the upper left corner
• When used, search boxes on the home page

Check out the sites of your competition. If you decide to be different from the convention, have a good reason.

  Offer Visitors a Tour or Demo on Your Site

Offer your visitors a guided tour.  Collect Web statistics on your site to find out who your visitors are, then based on your findings, make suggestions about where they might want to go.  This is like having a salesperson greet you at the door of a business and wanting to show you around.

  Tell Visitors Who You Are and Something About You

Once a visitor hits your home page, you have the opportunity to "Show Your Stuff".  For a business, you want to tell your story, one that positions your company ahead of your competitors.  Include clear information as to why your company is different from the others in you niche and what you have to offer.

An "About Us" page gives you the opportunity to present the human side of yourself or your business.  Tell your visitors something about yourself.  For a business, you can profile your management team and detail your company's history.

Try a company news sections that lets you announce new clients, new employees, new products or features.  Also post press releases there. These are considered standards to many users, so don't diminish their value.

  Archive Information and Pages

When you change or upgrade your site and add new information and pages, don't just delete the old information and pages.  It takes little effort to add an archiving channel to save this information.  There's two good reasons for this:

1. Have you ever deleted an old computer file and then months later you had an idea and wanted to go back to the old file and see how you did something, only to realize that it no longer existed.  This can be terribly frustrating.  It's much better to save it and not need it, than to delete it and need it later.
2. Your visitors will tend to remember when they find something on your site that is very interesting, unique or very helpful.  If you get rid of it and some time later they decide to come back and view the information, you will have one disappointed visitor.  Help them out by saving that information.
3. Even if the information is not on your Website for viewing, if you have a customer who returns to find something gone or has recommended your site to a new visitor.  Even if they can't access the information immediately, if they contact you and you have it saved where you can temporarily restore it to your Website, this will not only result in a satisfied customer, but it will go a long way in spreading a good word about your online business and your customer support.

  Test your Site

Do not leave out a very important step in your Website design and construction:
Test, test, test.  The first testing should be done by you to make sure that obvious errors and problems are fixed, but this should be followed by a Usability Test performed by a "real" person.

• Unless your core audience is Web designers and Tech-savvy users, avoid using these people as your testers. What's obvious to them could fly right over the heads of your real users.
• Get a regular person to click through the pages and navigation structure of your site to see if it's intuitive and easy.
• Make sure that the labels on the buttons and links make as much sense to others as they do to you.
• Have your tester read your content and tell you what they think.  Is it clear or are you using Jargon or "blather".  This is commonplace on the Internet and makes people question your honesty, integrity and quality."
• Be in the same room as the tester so you can observe and take notes as questions and problems arise.  If something isn't obvious to a user, you'll need to tweak the design.

It may sound like testing takes a ton of time and money, but it doesn't. For a small site, it should take about 30 minutes per user.  Try to get more than one.  Four or five would be a good sample for realistic and adequate feedback.

After testing, you will have changes to make but spending another day or two to make them will be small price in comparison to the amount of time and effort that you have already invested into creating your Website.  These revisions will pay off in the long run, giving you more satisfied customers and raising the likelihood that people will make return visits.

 Consider giving your testers something for their time, maybe a small gift or a gift certificate to a restaurant.  Their time is worth something, just like yours.

  After You Publish Your Site, Monitor Your Statistics

Many experts say that the most common mistake Web builders make is to do everything right when putting together a site, but then after it is published they walk away from the consumer information it can yield.

You need to constantly monitor your site statistics to see what your visitors prefer.  Check out the report logs on your server to monitor visitor and consumer behavior and traffic patterns:

• Where do the customers come from (which Web page or search engine)?
• How long do they stay?
• Which pages do they go to?
• How do they move through the site?
• What products or information do which customer segments focus on?

Most Web hosting companies will have reporting programs on their servers that can collect and analyze this information.  If they don't, or you want something they can't provide, there are inexpensive, automated software programs (such as Microsoft's FastCounter Pro) that can quickly analyze Web traffic and provide you with easy to understand reports.

Use this information to improve your pages, fix the navigation structure, change links, change your content, and alter your search engine marketing so you can respond to the customers needs.

For example, if you find your "New Items" page is the most popular, you might want to consider adding more of those pages.

Think Twice before putting your Photo on the Home Page

Although your picture may seem like a friendly way to greet your visitors, many Web experts say that, it can detract from why the visitor should be there in the first place.  When you meet someone for the first time and are about to shake their hand, you don't say, "Ask about me", you say "Hello, How are You".

For a business, your first priority is to get them interested in what you have to offer, not in you.

The exception to this is if your Website is about you.  If you are someone noteworthy,  an actor, musician, author, politician, etc. and you are touting the services that you provide, then a picture can be worked into the content.  But you don't want it to be the main attraction of the home page.  Remember, it's your services that you are offering so that's what you should highlight.

  Don't give out Information that could lead to Privacy or Security Problems

Review your Website content for any material that may lead to security or privacy problems. Hackers and spammers are constantly scanning for Websites that reveal personal information and the underlying technologies used on a site.

• For a business: be careful how much employee information you are giving out, especially on personal details.
• What about your business practices, strategic partners, corporate clients, or your internal organization.  Are there details that others could use against you?
• Are you listing product details that could erase your competitive edge if your competitors found out about them.  Web experts say to confine details to what is absolutely needed to attract and entice customers into buying, and to not give away the company store.
• You might consider having an attorney or a security expert review your site to see if you are giving out information that could be misused if it got into the wrong hands.
• For a Personal or Family site:  Look at it this way.  Don't give out any more information than you would if you were talking to a stranger that you just met on the street.  Remember, your Website is not only a window to you and your family, it can be a window to the world.  Even if you don't give out your address to people outside your family, search engines will eventually find your site, so you could come up as a search result some day in Google or Yahoo!