Since most companies have a website these days, yours has to to really stand out to make an impact and produce results. Most people, including designers, just don't understand what makes a website effective. We're not talking about the technical issues, such as XHTML or CSS, but that is a factor that doesn't seem to get enough attention. Instead, we're talking about the issues that make a visitor want to stay on your website and spend their hard-earned money in exchange for your product or service.
One of the first, and most important things you can do is make sure that it's easy for your visitors to use your website. You can begin by designing it properly, focusing on design fundamentals rather than just what appeals to you. Fuchsia and teal may be your two favorite colors in the whole wide world, but for the rest of us, they are just a visually painful combination. If you design your website on your own, have a few people who would fall into your target market take it for a test drive. Get their feedback on how it looks and functions. Also pay attention to how quickly it loads. While you're at it, you'll want to make sure that it displays and functions properly in all major browsers.
Your text should be easy to read. If people have to squint to read your grey 3 pixel text on a black background, they will soon leave. Make sure that your text is large enough and that is has enough contrast with the background to be legible to older visitors. If you're going to use a serif font, try to make it a bit larger because when viewed on a computer screen, they tend to be a little harder on the eyes.
Navigation is an area that seems to be pretty standard these days, but putting together a small, informal focus group to make sure that people can find their way around your site wouldn't hurt. A site map and search capabilities can dramatically improve page views too, because rather than leaving your website when they can't find something, people will have other options to find the information they want.
Finally, make sure that your visitors have multiple ways to contact you. A simple web-form isn't going to cut it. You need to give them a way to reach you via telephone and mail as well. People want to know that they are dealing with real people on the other end.
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