This week we asked one of Worldprofit.com's senior designers,
Cris Anderson, to comment on some of the key elements of
effective design. Here is the interview in it's entirety.
Q: Why should a business hire a professional designer and marketer?
A: A professional designer and marketer will be able to evaluate
your needs and give you a site that is effective. Here are a few
things that we consider that an amateur will not.
It is crucial that you have a complimentary layout to the content
of your site. There is no point in having a long extended full
screen web page when you only have one image and a single
paragraph of copy.
The appropriate images must be used and placement is a main
factor. Using improper images can actually confuse visitors
and that is the last thing that we want to do.
The file sizes must be minimized. If it takes too long for
your pages to load, then people will leave.
Marketing is of the utmost importance. An effective marketer
will know how to keep people at your site and help you make sales.
We look at sites and think they are properly designed, but when
they are compared to ones that have been created by a professional,
we realize that they have not considered all of the factors above.
Don't take chances with your company's reputation. Get a professional
designer and marketer to work with you and create that effective
site that you need.
Q: What should businesses look for in hiring a web site designer?
A: Look at their portfolio. When you see quality from a designer,
then quality is what you will get. Often I see design companies
that have portfolios that look like they just started last week.
You do not have to like the colors or even the layout, but consider
if the site is effective. If I complete a dog grooming site, then
look at the site and ask yourself, "Is this site effective? What
are the benefits for me? What do I get? Why should I stick around?"
If you go to a site that you wouldn't even want to stay at, then
why would you want that same designer to make a site for you?
Q: Cris, tell me what you think is the biggest mistake people make
in their web sites?
A: I believe that people are overly concerned with inundating their
site with dynamic elements. Let me explain. Dynamic means: "Of or
relating to energy or to objects in motion." Static means that nothing
is moving. We often think dynamic is better that static. This is not
always the case. Yes, a flash presentation or banner is a vital element
to success of your site, but if it is designed improperly, then it is
just an eyesore. In the same regard, having a static site with no flash
or javascripts or any type of motion can be so beautifully laid out
and effectively marketed. We don't need scripts or animated gifs all
over our sites to make them effective. People do indeed enjoy motion,
so my suggestion is this: limit the energy on your site to focus on
one thing. This thing should make you money or bring visitors back.
Add flash to your site and loose the annoying animated gifs.
Flash can market your site, whereas animated gifs are often a
distraction.
Q: What factors do you consider when it comes to use of color in a site?
A: As a professional designer for many years, it is my job to know the
ins and outs of color. I do not choose color based on, "Red is pretty."
In certain cultures, color can represent very negative connotations then
in other cultures. You must determine who the majority of your audience
is. Also, there are many color studies that play a part in choosing color.
Did you know that when subjects were placed in different rooms painted
with certain colors, that yellow made people visibly agitated within
minutes! Color is taken very seriously and chosen to compliment the
theme and product of a site. If I do a site for a hiking company,
then I will undoubtedly use earth tones, whereas a cruise site will
get "sunny and warm" colors. I think most of us can agree that grays
are not a good choice for a cruise site!
Q: What factors do you consider when it comes to use of fonts in a site?
A: A font is defined as, "A complete set of type of one size and face."
Font shapes and sizes can portray many different emotions. If you use
a font that does not fit with the theme of your site, then it can
appear disjointed. Just think...what font would you pick for a site
called, "Giraffes-R-us?" A font can compliment graphics and copy or
direct the eye. If you want one thing to stand out, then you can
imply change the font. Imagine the entire page was in a certain font
and then the title was in another. It would draw your eye to it as it
is isolated and different from the other fonts.
Q: What in your opinion makes the difference for a site design that
is effective vs. not effective.
A: Do I want to stay? I can look back at sites I have completed years
ago and say that was a great design! Sure...I've learned more effects,
more gold and silver textures and all that fun stuff that everybody loves,
but when I look back at some of my old designs, I think wow. It's clean,
it's solid, and I want to stay! I look at some sites that are cheap and
I think "Wow, Somebody learned how to use Kai's power tools or Eye Candy!"
You see, your parents and friends and co-workers may think that having
everything beveled on your site is cool, but it just ends up looking cheap.
We often confuse great graphics and effects with effective design. A site
can have the most wonderful graphics you've ever seen, but that does not
mean that it is an effective design. Marketing, graphics, fonts, and
colors must all work in co-relation with each other to produce a site
that effectively gets you sales and visitors.
Q: Once the design is done what is the critical factor that online
businesses must consider and plan for.
A: Realize that it takes hard work to make money online. We have very
active site owners making sales daily, whereas some do not make any sales
at all. Some people realize that they have to put an effort into e-commerce
and then yes, there is a huge payoff! Online marketing and e-commerce does
work! Understand though, that people are not going to visit your site and
buy without any interaction from you. You must use all the tools and know
inside and out the product that you are selling.
A system for success is critical. Most businesses new to the web try
to reinvent the wheel. You don't have to do this! Over six years ago
at Worldprofit we developed dozens of sure-fire ways
to build a business online. How do we know what works? We only
recommend to you, the software, tools and resources we use ourselves
every single day to build our own business. Ready to get started?
Want the insider secrets before you make costly mistakes?
Email, mailto:customerservice@worldprofit.com
About the Author
Cris Anderson, PhotoShop Guru, is a member
of the Worldprofit Design Team.
Let our expert design marketers work for you!
Contact mailto:customerservice@worldprofit.com