A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a professional Web design could be worth many thousands of dollars – if you can avoid the common mistakes of small business Web design that often drive customers away. While every website design should reflect the unique qualities of the business itself, there are some universal rules of professional Web design that every online business should follow.
Don’t Be Too Flashy
Flash animation certainly has its place in website design – but it’s typically not on the home page of your small business Web design. Customers arrive at your website expecting to find helpful information about the products and services that interest them – not a slowly unfolding display of digital animation. Use flash wisely – and sparingly – in your professional Web design.
Don’t Strain the Eye
Keeping website design simple can literally save you – and your customers – from headaches. Use a tried-and-true font style, such as Arial, that’s sans-serif and proven to be readable. Background is another area of concern for professional Web design. Using patterned backgrounds or placing colored type against a black background may cause users to seek someone else’s more pleasing website design.
Don’t Make it Difficult
Use of navigation in professional Web design is akin to use of GPS on a road trip. Use it wisely and visitors will arrive at the desired destination – and even enjoy themselves along the way. Resist the urge to get too creative with this aspect of your small business Web design – a clean navigation panel is a user’s best resource. When you hide website design navigation in fancy flash animation or in images, your customers will get lost – and lose interest.
Don’t Waste Time
When your website design is full of graphics and images, it requires a greater amount of bandwidth. This increased bandwidth takes longer for the user to download. In the time it takes for your website design to load, your customer may very well decide it’s not worth the wait. Try not to forget the people using a dial-up or mobile Internet connection. Use the graphics and images that are absolutely necessary for your small business Web design and save the rest for your portfolio.
Don’t Overdo It
Everyone has come across a small business Web design that seems to include everything but the proverbial kitchen sink. Cluttered website design overwhelms your site’s visitors and can make your business appear unprofessional. A disorganized website design tends to reflect poorly on the very business it is supposed to promote, while a professional Web design speaks volumes about your attention to detail.
Your website design will become the “face” of your business, so you’ll need a professional Web design that not only turns customers’ heads, but also keeps them interested. Follow the simple guidelines of small business Web design and you’ll see the beauty in a more positive visitor experience.
