Monday, August 14, 2006
What About a Web Site?
Funny you should ask.
I was talking about Web sites with one of my clients recently, and I was reminded once again that people simply do not put enough thought into the design and copy of their sites. Ah, there's the rub: everyone talks about Web site design, but who spends much time thinking about the words?
"I can write," most people think. "I can write well," most authors think. Neither thought translates into good Web copy. There are niches in writing just as there are in everything else: there is absolutely no reason to believe, for example, that a successful romance author can write successful Web copy.
Apples and oranges.
Interestingly, while I write copy for a great many Web sites, I haven't written any of the copy for the Web sites that my company, Customline Wordware, designs. Why? We specialize in Web sites for writers and publishers – all of whom want to write their own copy. Which may or may not be a good idea.
Compared to other forms of communication – magazines, books, films, broadcast media – a Web site is very limited. This needs to be understood at the very beginning. A Web site needs to have one function, and then be designed around that function. For example, if your Web site is meant to sell shoes, then you don’t also want to include photos from your last anniversary party, or an article about your beekeeping hobby – or even an American flag to announce your political beliefs.
The copy needs to reinforce that function, briefly and clearly. This is not the time for long flowing sentences or clever literary quips. People visit Web sites fast -- they're in, they're out. Your copy needs to grab their attention and keep them there long enough for your site to fulfill its function.
Long before any HTML is anticipated, you need to articulate the function -- or goal -- of your Web site. It might be any of the following:
*Business site: a place to sell your product
*Information site: a place to provide data, links, etc.
*Entertainment site: a place to have fun
Once you have your goal, keep it in mind every step of the way. Doing flash graphics might be fun, but does it meet your site’s goal? Does everything that you want to place on your site work toward the site’s goal?
If it doesn’t, don’t even think of putting it there!
Here are a few suggestions for you to bear in mind when thinking about your Web site design and copy:
Ease of Use: Find out what most people accessing your site are coming there for, and make that the easiest thing to do. Alternately, think about what you want them to do, and make that the easiest thing to do. Use a big, bright button to get them to work toward your goal.
Speed: If you use a lot of graphics, your site will load slowly. If you use a lot of flash animation, your site will load slowly. If you think that people are so fascinated by what you have to say that they will wait patiently for the site to load, then go for it. Personally, I think that this isn’t a chance that you want to take.
Color: Use it for emphasis. Never use blue text, because readers will think it is a link. Do not play with colored text against a colored background. It might look good to you, but it may disappear for those with color blindness.
Background: You will probably want to make yours white. Really. Don’t use any other background color unless it’s absolutely necessary – there are too many variables out there (different browser, different video hardware, etc.) that might make it look different than you want it to. If you are using graphics, and you probably are, using a white background will make your graphic designer’s job much easier, and the end product better. Navigating a site with a dark or black background may look chic, but it’s like driving a car at night. Visibility is reduced, and you won’t see the road signs as well.
Consistency: A button should do the same thing on every page of your site. So should tabs, links, etc.
Clarity: Don’t put too many different elements on the same page. It can be confusing to a visitor, and many will give up if they cannot immediately do what they want to do, or if they do not understand the layout of your site. If the appearance of your Web site is more important than the content, it’s a sure sign of a beginner at work.
Complexity: Map out your site ahead of time. A site that’s difficult to navigate will be hard to maintain, Think about locating information easily. In general, the simpler it is, the better.
So there it is. Web site design 101. Follow these easy suggestions, and you'll have a Web site... beyond the elements of style!
Jeannette Cézanne
Customline Wordware: Custom Copy To Go!
http://www.customline.com
I was talking about Web sites with one of my clients recently, and I was reminded once again that people simply do not put enough thought into the design and copy of their sites. Ah, there's the rub: everyone talks about Web site design, but who spends much time thinking about the words?
"I can write," most people think. "I can write well," most authors think. Neither thought translates into good Web copy. There are niches in writing just as there are in everything else: there is absolutely no reason to believe, for example, that a successful romance author can write successful Web copy.
Apples and oranges.
Interestingly, while I write copy for a great many Web sites, I haven't written any of the copy for the Web sites that my company, Customline Wordware, designs. Why? We specialize in Web sites for writers and publishers – all of whom want to write their own copy. Which may or may not be a good idea.
Compared to other forms of communication – magazines, books, films, broadcast media – a Web site is very limited. This needs to be understood at the very beginning. A Web site needs to have one function, and then be designed around that function. For example, if your Web site is meant to sell shoes, then you don’t also want to include photos from your last anniversary party, or an article about your beekeeping hobby – or even an American flag to announce your political beliefs.
The copy needs to reinforce that function, briefly and clearly. This is not the time for long flowing sentences or clever literary quips. People visit Web sites fast -- they're in, they're out. Your copy needs to grab their attention and keep them there long enough for your site to fulfill its function.
Long before any HTML is anticipated, you need to articulate the function -- or goal -- of your Web site. It might be any of the following:
*Business site: a place to sell your product
*Information site: a place to provide data, links, etc.
*Entertainment site: a place to have fun
Once you have your goal, keep it in mind every step of the way. Doing flash graphics might be fun, but does it meet your site’s goal? Does everything that you want to place on your site work toward the site’s goal?
If it doesn’t, don’t even think of putting it there!
Here are a few suggestions for you to bear in mind when thinking about your Web site design and copy:
Ease of Use: Find out what most people accessing your site are coming there for, and make that the easiest thing to do. Alternately, think about what you want them to do, and make that the easiest thing to do. Use a big, bright button to get them to work toward your goal.
Speed: If you use a lot of graphics, your site will load slowly. If you use a lot of flash animation, your site will load slowly. If you think that people are so fascinated by what you have to say that they will wait patiently for the site to load, then go for it. Personally, I think that this isn’t a chance that you want to take.
Color: Use it for emphasis. Never use blue text, because readers will think it is a link. Do not play with colored text against a colored background. It might look good to you, but it may disappear for those with color blindness.
Background: You will probably want to make yours white. Really. Don’t use any other background color unless it’s absolutely necessary – there are too many variables out there (different browser, different video hardware, etc.) that might make it look different than you want it to. If you are using graphics, and you probably are, using a white background will make your graphic designer’s job much easier, and the end product better. Navigating a site with a dark or black background may look chic, but it’s like driving a car at night. Visibility is reduced, and you won’t see the road signs as well.
Consistency: A button should do the same thing on every page of your site. So should tabs, links, etc.
Clarity: Don’t put too many different elements on the same page. It can be confusing to a visitor, and many will give up if they cannot immediately do what they want to do, or if they do not understand the layout of your site. If the appearance of your Web site is more important than the content, it’s a sure sign of a beginner at work.
Complexity: Map out your site ahead of time. A site that’s difficult to navigate will be hard to maintain, Think about locating information easily. In general, the simpler it is, the better.
So there it is. Web site design 101. Follow these easy suggestions, and you'll have a Web site... beyond the elements of style!
Jeannette Cézanne
Customline Wordware: Custom Copy To Go!
http://www.customline.com
