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| Tips to designing your own website |
As the rate of information technology
increases, many small business owners and individuals are now
aiming to increase their communication and business with the
use of the Internet. Some of the benefits of the Internet is
that people can frequently improve their knowledge, be critical,
and analyze new concepts and developments. Not only does the
Internet provide an opportunity for people to access new and
foreign knowledge, but people are also given the opportunity
to share knowledge through the use of creating their own websites
or visiting chat rooms.
The concept of building a website may at first seem to be foreign
to the less technologically inclined, but once the basics of
website building are mastered, then the concept becomes routine
and easy to handle, especially with updates. However, the building
of a website does not only involve conquering technology, but
also the design of your website will largely affect how many
visitors will stay on your site and the amount of information
that is consequently attained. For example, a website that
is offensive in their use of language or ideologies, or even
which has unsuitable colors will deter viewers from going to
the site. Below are some tips that need to be taken into consideration
when building your website.
TIPS:
1. Make sure the color of the text on your website is not too
bright and is suitable for the content of the website. For
example, if you are designing a website to talk about the death
penalty, a pink background with yellow text may not be the
most appropriate format.
2. The pictures or images that are presented on your website
also need to be taken into consideration. A website incorporating
cartoons and pictures of Barbie but which is aimed at mature
age people in the content may not be as successful. Remember,
when people go to a website the first thing they will see will
be the graphics, and just as easily as getting to the website,
people can just as easily go to another website.
3. Make sure the links that you put on your website are relevant
to your content. Although advertising is permitted and incorporated
into some websites, too much advertising and propaganda will
act as a deterrent and may compete for the attention of the
viewer. Also, although advertising may pay for the cost of
maintaining your website, remember the initial purpose of designing
the website and don’t let in-your-face advertising overtake
your valuable content.
4. Although most people feel that a website is made more interesting
when there are graphics on the site, do not put in too many
graphics and make the size of your website too large. Viewers
can become frustrated if a website takes too long to download
and will go to another website.
5. Remember to reference everything that you have researched
and include a bibliography or a list of references. Do not
plagiarize. Plagiarism can have consequences if you are an
academic, or you may be liable for court action if it is too
serious. Remember to indent long quotes that you may have gotten
from a person or from research. Acknowledge help and all your
sources.
6. Be mindful of different ideologies and cultures. Colors
for backgrounds may have significance to the content. However,
in another culture it may have a completely different meaning
and may be misunderstood.
7. Ensure that the content is concise and attractive to the
viewer. The content of websites can be written in formal as
well as informal language. This will depend on the target audience
and what you want to promote. For example, a person who is
aiming at a teenage market may want to use less formal language,
however, if you are aimed at academics or mature age people,
correct referencing and research as well as formal language
will be better appreciated.
8. Ensure that the links that are put on your website work
and that your website is easy to navigate. For example, endless
links that go nowhere can cause frustration and deter people
from your website. Information that is not concise or inaccurate
can cause misunderstandings. Hence, check all information before
you put it on the website and check your links before you publish
the website.
The building of your website can be a challenge at first, but
the rewards are that many people will have the opportunity
to share in your knowledge and communicate with you in relation
to your ideas. For entrepreneurs, websites have the ability
to promote your business and also ensure that consumers have
the ability to gain better information about your goods and
services.
By Bernice Ly
http:// www.m6.net
Bernice Ly is a technical writer working at M6.Net: ‘The
web-hosting company for humans.’ M6.Net is working hard
to help humanity experience the power and freedom to develop
their own part of the Internet, to share their information
and connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime.
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