Research shows that, when web page visitors arrive at your website, they assess it in just a few seconds. If they don't see what they're looking for straight away, or the way to get it, it's likely that they'll click away to one of the millions of other websites available to them through the instant-results portal of a search engine. It is therefore very important that you present every aspect of your website in the most attractive and accessible way possible.

Content

Your website's content is perhaps the most important deciding factor in whether or not visitors will hang around.

- Your content should be relevant, concise and well-written (check scrupulously for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors).

- Write in the "inverse pyramid" style: put the conclusion of your article at the top of each page, and then the most important supporting information, followed by more detail. That way, visitors are more likely to pick up the most important points of your content, and are likely to be grabbed by the main thrust of your writing.

- Use eye-catching headings which capture the essence of the content of the page.

- Have just one article, product description or feature per page.

- Highlight important keywords in bold or italicised text.

- Use bulleted lists and subheadings to break up the content of your page.

Text

How you present your content is also extremely important. Ensure that your visitors will be able to enjoy your writing without being frustrated by the way in which it is displayed.

- The text of your whole website should be in a readable font (sans-serif fonts look best on-screen) and a decent size. Your visitors should be able to resize it at will – comply with web standards.

- All links should be easy to read and very visible. Use text of a good size, label each clearly with its destination, and make sure that it is obvious that they are links.

- Don't use constructions like "click here for a definition of "link""; instead, apart from your navigational links, try to integrate links to external or internal pages within your text: "This paragraph is about links." Make sure, however, that it is obvious what sort of destination will result from clicking your links.

Design and Navigation

Your website should have a clean, simple and uncluttered design if you want to help visitors to spot quickly the information or service that they need. Navigation should be made as intuitive as possible

- Don't pester your visitors with unnecessary or generic images. Use only a few graphics which are relevant and useful. The same goes for Flash animations and other distractions: use them only when they add value to the content of your website.

- Place your navigational links in a clearly defined area, and label them properly.

- Also feature a site map, a search bar that works, and breadcrumb trails on each page, so that your visitors can use their favourite method to navigate your website.

- Put your most frequently requested information in a prominent location, such as your home page, or on a page directly linked from your home page.

- Make sure that links to such site features as your FAQ, sitemap, contact page, privacy policy and "about" page are on every page and are clearly visible.

Conclusion

With only a few seconds to make the right impression, it is extremely important that you present your visitors with a site which is full of relevant content, and helpfully designed.

By Iain Ford

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