Web
Design Blunders That Can Cost You Lost Profits
by Angela Wu ©Copyright 2003
It's hard enough to bring people to your little corner
of cyberspace, and once they're there, you have just
a few brief seconds to catch their attention. A simple
click-of-the-mouse and your site visitor is gone!
Keep as many interested prospects on your site by
avoiding these blunders:
1. Multiple Popup and Popunder Windows
Many online business owners swear by the effectiveness
of popups and popunders for getting more subscribers,
making sales, or generating leads.
At the same time, a large percentage of users claim
to dislike popups and popunders. And it's no wonder;
many of us have been 'held hostage' by popups that
spawn even more popups when you try to close them,
until your screen is filled with windows and you're
completely frustrated. Most people simply do NOT appreciate
multiple popups or popunders!
If you choose to use them, try for a 'happy medium'
-- a window that appears only once upon entry or exit.
One such script is available fr*e at DesignerIndex,
http://www.designerindex.com/Free_Tools/popupwindow.shtml
.
2.
Unreadable Text
Certain formats are easier to read than others. For
example, it's generally accepted that black text on
a white background is the easiest to read. The reverse
-- light text on a colored background -- can cause
fatigue when reading large blocks of text, and is
better used to highlight a portion of the page.
Similarly, text that is too small can cause problems.
Although it's possible to change the displayed text
size on a browser, many Internet users don't know
how.
3. Confusing Navigation
Ever been to a site where it's hard to get around?
It's just as easy to leave and go instead to a competitor's
site. Make your navigation clear and simple.
4. Trapping Visitors In Your Frames
Improperly designed frames can leave your visitor
'trapped' on your site, unable to use the 'back' button
on their browsers to leave. You can bet they'll never
be back if you try to force them to stay! BigNoseBird.com
has a nice little tutorial on how to get the 'Frames
look' without actually using them. Read it at: http://bignosebird.com/k3.shtml
.
5. Broken Ordering Links!
It sounds silly... heck, it *is* silly. Check your
order links regularly to ensure that they still work.
Enough said.
6.
Splash Pages
You only have a few seconds to catch your visitor's
attention. A big showy graphic that serves no real
purpose is an easy way to lose your visitor -- particularly
if they're forced to wait for it to load!
7. Flash Animation
Flash movies are commonly used on websites these days.
However, to view them often requires users to download
a plug-in, if they don't already have it. It can chew
up your machine's resources and make it darn near
impossible to get out - even a 'Skip Intro' link is
hard to click on if your computer is too involved
with Flash! Plus the load time can be far too long
for those without high-speed Internet connections.
Of course, there are legitimate reasons to use Flash.
But if you use it, make sure visitors have the OPTION
to view it. A couple of suggestions are:
