Web Site Layout Tips

Whether you're using Microsoft Office Front Page 2003,  Microsoft Expression Web , Dream Weaver, or any other WYSIWYG web sie editor, you'll want to lay out web pages so they're easily readable. Columns can help the word flow, breaking up a page that could otherwise seem too long, and, when used properly, bulleted lists can actually help visitors find what they're looking for more quickly.

Easy to Understand Content

When someone visits your web site you want them to stay and look around, right? Well, next to a simple, well laid out design, the first thing you should be concerned with when writing content for your site is that everything be clear and easy to understand. Keep content informative, but at a level that the average person will have no trouble understanding.

Stick to the Page Subject

Keep the paragraphs to a maximum of five or six sentences, leaving the big words out...you're not trying to show people how much you know...you're just getting information out there on your subject; People don't want to wade through information that has nothing to do with why they went to a particular page...so... Stick to the page subject.

If you're having someone else write your content, select them carefully. Just because they know how to write doesn't mean they're the best person for the job. You need someone who knows how to choose the proper keywords for each page while still keeping a good flow of words, or someone who can work with you to get that word flow.

Remember, visitors usually have a "touch and go" attitude when it comes to web sites and will quickly move on to another site when they can't find what they're looking for quickly.

Font Size, Color, and Background

Keep a good contrast between site colors and avoid combinations that are difficult to read. Avoid busy backgrounds that make text difficult to read, and stay away from fonts that are too small to read...such as an eight or 10 pixel font. If you're not sure of what colors to use, you might try using the great color chart at color-wheel-pro.com.

Underlining, Bold Fonts and Upper Case Letters

Underlined text is most commonly used with navigation and hyperlinks, which is exactly what people who visit your web site are expecting to see. Web site visitors tend to get frustrated when they try to click on underlined text that is not a link, mainly because internet users have gotten used to thinking that underlined text is a clickable link.

Bold text can be difficult to read unless it is used with a large font size. Bold text is best used to draw attention to something important, or in paragraph headings, etc, but kept to a minimum.

Uppercase letters, as with bold text, are best used in specific situations where you want to call attention to something, since it, too, can be difficult to read. Remember, as we age so do our eyes, and certain fonts, font colors, font sizes, and font weights can make some web sites nearly impossible to view! Black backgrounds with white, yellow or red text are, in my opinion, simply poor web design!

Blinking and Flashing

Have you ever been to a web site where everything seemed to blink and flash? Did it make you crazy, or sick to your stomach? Me too, and I can't think of a faster way to lose your audience! You've gone to all the effort of building a great web site with a professional look, so stick to what people want to see!

Spell Check! Spell Check! Spell Check!

Because I wanted to call attention to the use of spell-checking, I've used bold text of a different color in this paragraph. It is my opinion that you cannot use spell-check often enough.

Spelling errors can make a site look very un-professional, but keep in mind that sometimes the misspelled word is also a word, thereby rendering your spell-check null. This means you must also proofread your text, checking for any wrong words.

Most word processors include a spell-check feature, but keep in mind that Notepad has only the most basic features which do NOT include a spell-checker. If you're using a WYSIWYG editor such as Front Page, Expression Web or Dream Weaver, they will have the spell-check feature. Find it and use it!