19 Things NOT To Do When Building a Website
Filed Under: Design
I belong to a wonderful and resourceful group of women web developers/designers and one of them kindly posted this link 19 Things NOT To Do When Building a Website.
As far as I’m concerned it is required reading for clients and wannabees so DUMBASS mistakes won’t be made.
Logo Design
Filed Under: Design
First I have to state that I am not the most pleasant person in the morning especially if I haven’t had enough coffee. As previously mentioned I subcontract for another developer. She warned me the logo she was sending was awful. Well awful was a complete understatement.
Obviously the company, which had a fairly decent logo before, hired an inexperienced graphic designer or they were a friend/relative. Bad, bad idea!!! The new logo was seriously WTF! Did they look at the graphic designer’s portfolio? Or where they afraid to hurt the person’s feelings? I am of the opinion it’s your money so tell them you don’t like any of the designs. It’s perfectly okay.
Now if you don’t have the money for a logo to be designed there is nothing wrong with just text in an appropriate font. I’ll be the first to admit that designing a good logo is not the easiest of things. The reason I don’t find it’s the easiest of things is that I feel a good logo is too important to screw up.
Flash
Filed Under: Design
Flash is a very useful tool and when used correctly enhances a web site. Unfortunately there are some that believe, incorrectly I might add, that their entire site should be Flash. Or maybe their web developer (groan) thought they could…well make a lot of money off of a client that is uneducated. Flash sites should “do” something interesting and not act as a “static” site.
Flash drawbacks:
You have to sit and wait for it to download.
It’s lousy for search engine optimization
You can’t bookmark or print anything.
It’s expensive to maintain.
You’ll use a lot more bandwidth.
It won’t print.
If you fall under the ADA it can’t be read by braille readers.
Quite often Flash is used as a splash page and to be honest I hate dislike them. I’ll do them if the client insists, but will always advise against it.
I recently read this analogy, and it is a good one.
Go to the grocery store and take a mime with you. Have the mime stand in front of the store and give a 2-minute presentation to each person wanting to enter as to how to find the bread on aisle 4, and the milk in the refrigerator section.
Now would you as a shopper stop and watch the mime or just go through the door? Besides you can spend the money on something else. Something that is actually useful.
Awards
Filed Under: Design
I absolutely just love watching the Oscars.
So that got me to thinking about design awards. I have to admit to groaning whenever I see some web site that has won a non-industry recognized award. You know the awards I am talking about. The ones that all you have to do is have a web site, or pretty close just to having a web site and you get an award. Oh puhleeze!!!
Now real awards are:
http://www.webbyawards.com (Web Sites)
http://www.stevieawards.com/aba/
http://www.aaf.org/ (Advertisement)
http://www.iabc.com/ (Business Communication)
http://2006.bloggies.com/ (Blogs)
http://www.podcastawards.com/ (Podcasts)
http://www.gawds.org/poll/ (Accessibility)
http://www.webstandardsawards.com/ (Web Standards)
Also any award or recognition given by HOW, Print, and Communications Arts is an excellent accomplishment.
Seeing the following awards on someone’s business web site (as in a web designers or developer’s) makes me just want to cringe:
http://www.diamondwebawards.com/
http://www.platinumwebaward.com/
http://www.juniorwebawards.net/
http://www.worldwidewebawards.net/ and any of the awards they’ve won (http://www.worldwidewebawards.net/ourawards.htm).
Web Standards
Filed Under: Design
If you already have a web site has it been done to the web standards and guidelines (HTML, CSS, XHTML or XML, 508)? Is it viewable, no make that usable, across all of the different browsers?
Web sites that are done according to the web standards and guidelines load quickly.
Do you know how well is your web site coded? Do you know what it looks like across the various web browsers? If you are considering other web site developers check out how well they have complied with the standards.
Does it add value?
Filed Under: Design
A rule that I learned several years ago* is when you are considering adding a feature or some gadget to a web site is “does it add value?” Unless it adds value don’t add it.
*Learned that tidbit as a contracted mid-level web developer at Intel Corporation.
Photography & Images – Make or break your web site
Filed Under: Design
The photography or images on your web site can make it or break it. Ever wonder why some web sites just seem to look so much better that others? It’s the photography and the client understood the importance of quality photographs or images for their web site.
You cannot expect your web designer or developer to take the images you have provided that have been taken in poor light or at a poor angle and make them look like million dollar shots. It isn’t going to happen. Sorry, but that’s the harsh truth.
If you are thinking why do I have to do this? Well who would you purchase from? The site that had a great photograph of the product or the site that didn’t care enough to make the product half-way decent. Think about it.
Product Shots
Use a tripod and a digital camera set at the highest resolution.
Lots and lots of light, and be careful of shadows (Note: There are some products such as leather that may need to be shot outdoors in natural light.)
Use a smooth white background. Don’t use a sheet that is rumpled as you don’t want shadows. Make sure it is nice and smooth.
Don’t shoot at a downward angle. Try to get a close to dead on center as possible.
Now your responsibility after having the products shot are to provide the images on a CD or CD’s with the photos clearly labeled/identified. Example: If your product ID for the item is 12345B then the image should be named 12345B.jpg and not “large blue pillow.jpg”.
Room Shots
Use a tripod and a digital camera set at the highest resolution.
Lots and lots of light, and check for shadows.
Remove the phone, floor fans, and magazines. If you want to keep the magazines or books make sure they are neatly stacked or arranged.
Remove all cords. Tie them up and out of the way if necessary.
Furniture should be smooth and not rumpled and the same for pillows or throws.
Add greenery, candles and other small items.
If you are taking photographs of the views from the residence don’t take them looking thru a screen. Open the window.
Exterior Shots
Use a tripod and a digital camera set at the highest resolution
Cut the grass and make sure that the landscaping is clean and neat.
Sweep the drive. Put away the hose and gardening tools.
Move the car, bicycles, and any other vehicle so they are not in the photographs.
And wait for a sunny day.
It may also be necessary to hire a professional photographer. There are also very talented amateurs. And look at the portfolio’s of both. When looking of the photos think “would I buy this or stay there?”
Selling Products
Filed Under: e-Commerce
You have a product or merchandise that you want to sell via your web site. Not a problem. The problem comes when you make people call you to order. Hello!! Unless you are awake and sitting by the phone 24/7/365 you aren’t going to sell much of anything. Or have much of a life.
Hire a professional to set you up on a cart with a method of credit card payment or even just PayPal.
Email address on your site
Filed Under: Customers
If you have an email address listed on your web site or use a contact form, and you receive an email, please respond to it. If you do not respond to a customer’s inquiry they will most likely look elsewhere.
And check the email at least once every single day.
Treat them like gold
Filed Under: Customers
Yes, you need to treat them like gold. There is the old adage that for every one bad experience it will reach ten people faster than one good one.
