Keep It Simple

And Don't Have A Site That Doesn't sell!!

Some designers are excellent at designing websites. But the majority get their websites wrong.

Their mistake is that they think the web is primarily visual. Actually, they think everything is visual and words are a waste of space.

But they could not be more wrong!

So, always 'Keep It Simple'

First of all, search engines can't read pictures; so they read words.

Second, when was the last time a salesman used pictures to sell you something? Without talking!

And that’s what a website is – your 24/7 ‘talking’ salesman. Many of the most profitable websites are not particularly pretty – just like some great salespeople – but they’re structured, designed and written to:

Which is great news because it means you don’t have to spend a fortune on animation and graphics.

Most visitors to your website will want to know:

They'll want to learn all about that within two to three minutes, no more, and if they like what they see, they'll bookmark your site for future reference.

So, stick to good sales principles, and treat your visitors like intelligent human beings.

If you want an effective, search engine friendly website, then make sure you avoid some of the most common mistakes in website design:

1. Intros designed in Flash, the animation technology for websites
2. Revolving globes, flashing stars, bevelled line separators and animated mail boxes
3. Pop-up or Pop-under boxes
4. Autoplay music. If your customer wants to listen to music, he'll put on the radio.
5. Free hit counters saying "you’re the 27th visitor" – so what!!
6. Garish colour schemes- which detract from your message
7. Busy backgrounds - which detract from your message

Make sure you don't fall into the same trap!

So, to sum up, focus on your core content, easy navigation, interactivity and promoting your site to your target audience.