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Creating Great Web Sites (2 of 2)Part 1 | Part 2

Contributor: Mike de Sousa, Director, AbleStable®

We continue our extended article on creating great web sites as we further investigate the essential elements of site design.

The Homepage

Effective homepages state their purpose in clear unambiguous language and functionality. The most well known of these is Google. The user must be clear about the site's general purpose above the fold ('the fold' is a term used in web design to mean the visible screen area of an average sized monitor that can be viewed without the need to scroll).

All elements on the homepage should encourage users to explore as much as the site as possible as many users will use the homepage as an anchor when they are disoriented. It's also wise to remember great web sites view every page as a potential first stop as most visitors to sites arrive as a result of search engine queries. Users must be able to easily navigate their way to their objective no matter where they arrive on a site. At AbleStable® we adopt a principle that users reach their destination within three clicks no matter where they are.

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Feedback

There are many instances when users wish to request further information, make suggestions, or comment upon how a web site is performing. The provision of feedback forms that can be easily found is essential in ensuring user satisfaction and the smooth running of a web site.

The processing of feedback forms is of equal importance as the provision of them. When a feedback form arrives in a support email box it is important that a real person responds within 24 hours, and not an auto-responder. Users quickly recognise and appreciate the effort made when their request for information or answers, observations of problems, and suggestions for improvements are taken seriously by a member of the human race.

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About

The 'About' page on a web site is a frequent port of call and provides a vital link as it attempts to connect with the user in personal terms and to encourage trust. It is astonishing how many web sites continue to provide poor or inadequate information about the team or individual that is behind a web site. Internet users are highly suspicious, and rightly so, of web sites that contain no 'About' section at all.

Great sites provide clear biographical, historical, and qualificational information about their services, products, and persons. They do not let their egos get the better of them or simply use the page to deliver a marketing message. Great sites ensure their reason for being is communicated effectively, and their ethos, clearly stated.

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Content

Whether content consists of a portfolio, descriptions of products and services, informational or presentational material, content should always be presented with an eye for detail and accuracy. Internet users will be less than impressed with spelling or grammatical errors that undermine the professionalism of an individual or company. Of equal importance is the quality of web page construction. The code that delivers pages should function without error, and all links should work. In the event of server failure or the input of an incorrect web address by a user, customised error pages should assist users in locating the page they seek.

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Contact

The Contact page is a vital component, not only in connecting with users and clients, but also in encouraging a sense of trust in the services and/or products associated with the web site. The Contact page may be organised together with the 'About' page and must always contain up to date and accurate information.

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Terms and Conditions

Many web sites ignore the development of a Terms and Conditions statement, however it is always mutually advantages to develop one if the focus of a web site is to deliver services and/or products. Terms and Conditions make plain the contract between two parties and helps solidify a professional relationship at the outset between the client and service (and/or product) provider.

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Privacy Statement

Web sites often require users to provide information of one kind or another. Whenever information of this type is requested there must be an accessible Privacy Statement that details what information is gathered and why, the way information is kept, who has access to it, and whether the process is transparent. In the case of AbleStable® we are signatories to the Data Protection Act in the UK and abide by their rules and regulations.

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Help

Sites larger than fifty pages should provide on-line help documents and a Frequently Asked Questions section to ensure users are not left waiting for an email should they have a question about the services or products on offer.

Help and FAQs significantly reduce the burden on support staff who may then concentrate their efforts on the more critical and problematic demands on their time. Sites exceeding fifty pages should also provide an effective dedicated search facility.

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Conclusion
Web sites are notoriously complex entities. Many still believe developing a web site is simply a matter of lifting a software title off the shelf and making a few mouse clicks but nothing could be further from the truth. Delivering a great web site takes a great deal of time and energy and the work is never over: always remember that maintaining a site is as important as developing one.

Web sites require a lot of effort to migrate from the ranks of the mundane to the extraordinary. Only a few in a thousand make the grade. Aspire to be the best and aim for your site to count among the chosen few.

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Part 1 | Part 2