Simple Web Design Will Keep Your Readers Coming Back

Internet for Business

Simple Web Design and easy navigation will work better for your visitors

Home > Articles > Keep Web Design Simple
Keep Your Web Design Simple
We live in a world where technology is rapidly evolving. Even the most inexperienced webmaster can utilize easy-to-grasp web design tools and build sites that only a web programmer could have achieved just a couple of years ago.
And that is wonderful, right? Wrong! Quite the opposite is true.

The accessibility of these web design tools and software applications has resulted in thousands of “junk” websites that have so many options and distractions on every page that the reader is completely overwhelmed.

Some of these web pages have as many as seven or eight distinct content areas contained on an 800 by 600 pixel screen … a flashing header graphic, several paragraphs of text, an opt-in form, AdSense ads, animated banner ads, affiliate links, audio and/or video buttons to push, and sometimes even more.

Don’t be tempted to follow this pattern. It's unlikely that most web visitors will successfully navigate such a site. There are too many decisions to make, too many distractions. And the content is completely lost among all the technology and advertising.

So, what’s the answer? Most successful webmasters today - that is webmasters who have visitors returning to their sites and who are making money and/or getting some other desired response - will tell you that the answer is clean and simple web design. Usability is the key.

Great website designs focus on three core values: simplicity, clarity, and speed. In other words, you need a site that is:

visually appealing
downloads quickly
is easy to navigate.

White background with dark text works best
To design a site that has visual appeal, you can make use of simple graphics, color, and graphical text. At all costs, stay away from flashing animations and busy backgrounds. In fact, a white, cream, or light yellow background with black or dark blue text is essential if you want the majority of visitors to be able to read your text easily.
Navigation should comprise simple text links or buttons, either across the top right under the header, or down the left or right side of the screen. Make sure the text labels clearly indicate what the user will find when he or she clicks on them.

An opt-in form and one or two simple ads can also be placed in the left or right panes, with your content in the main center panel. Your content panel should be the largest area on the screen, so that it draws the reader’s focus.

Clean and simple web design extends to the layout of your content too. Text is most readable when it is in “chunks.”

Keep paragraphs short
This means short sentences and paragraphs of no more than two to three sentences each. Make liberal use of subheads and bullets.
Sprinkle a graphic or two per page to break up the text and add visual interest. Use margins ( padding) around your text, so that it doesn’t bump up against the edges of your navigation and ad panels. Lots of white space is important for keeping your site uncluttered and easy to read.

In summary, many beginning webmasters (and even some more experienced ones!) think that squeezing as much functionality into every page as possible is the right approach. It is not. What will keep people on your site and keep them coming back as well, is a clean, simple, easy to navigate design.

See also Designing Your Website's Navigation System

Last updated: August 2008. Copyright © 2006-2008 Scotch Macaskill, 18 Strawberry Fields, 36 College Road, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Tel: +27 33 3422811. Privacy: Your privacy is guaranteed. Personal information, including email addresses, will never be sold or given to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for further details.

Internet for Business
Simple Web Design and easy navigation will work better for your visitors
Home > Articles > Keep Web Design Simple Keep Your Web Design Simple We live in a world where technology is rapidly evolving. Even the most inexperienced webmaster can utilize easy-to-grasp web design tools and build sites that only a web programmer could have achieved just a couple of years ago. And that is wonderful, right? Wrong! Quite the opposite is true. The accessibility of these web design tools and software applications has resulted in thousands of “junk” websites that have so many options and distractions on every page that the reader is completely overwhelmed. Some of these web pages have as many as seven or eight distinct content areas contained on an 800 by 600 pixel screen … a flashing header graphic, several paragraphs of text, an opt-in form, AdSense ads, animated banner ads, affiliate links, audio and/or video buttons to push, and sometimes even more. Don’t be tempted to follow this pattern. It's unlikely that most web visitors will successfully navigate such a site. There are too many decisions to make, too many distractions. And the content is completely lost among all the technology and advertising. So, what’s the answer? Most successful webmasters today - that is webmasters who have visitors returning to their sites and who are making money and/or getting some other desired response - will tell you that the answer is clean and simple web design. Usability is the key. Great website designs focus on three core values: simplicity, clarity, and speed. In other words, you need a site that is: visually appealing downloads quickly is easy to navigate. White background with dark text works best To design a site that has visual appeal, you can make use of simple graphics, color, and graphical text. At all costs, stay away from flashing animations and busy backgrounds. In fact, a white, cream, or light yellow background with black or dark blue text is essential if you want the majority of visitors to be able to read your text easily. Navigation should comprise simple text links or buttons, either across the top right under the header, or down the left or right side of the screen. Make sure the text labels clearly indicate what the user will find when he or she clicks on them. An opt-in form and one or two simple ads can also be placed in the left or right panes, with your content in the main center panel. Your content panel should be the largest area on the screen, so that it draws the reader’s focus. Clean and simple web design extends to the layout of your content too. Text is most readable when it is in “chunks.” Keep paragraphs short This means short sentences and paragraphs of no more than two to three sentences each. Make liberal use of subheads and bullets. Sprinkle a graphic or two per page to break up the text and add visual interest. Use margins ( padding) around your text, so that it doesn’t bump up against the edges of your navigation and ad panels. Lots of white space is important for keeping your site uncluttered and easy to read. In summary, many beginning webmasters (and even some more experienced ones!) think that squeezing as much functionality into every page as possible is the right approach. It is not. What will keep people on your site and keep them coming back as well, is a clean, simple, easy to navigate design. See also Designing Your Website's Navigation System
Last updated: August 2008. Copyright © 2006-2008 Scotch Macaskill, 18 Strawberry Fields, 36 College Road, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Tel: +27 33 3422811. Privacy: Your privacy is guaranteed. Personal information, including email addresses, will never be sold or given to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for further details.