Online tips for a better website

Text Box: Tips for a Better Website Online success begins with first step

Know your customers and cater to their needs and wants. Is your market mostly business professionals? Adventure travellers? Stay at home mums? Or Teenagers? The key is to know your market and build your site to their preference.

Make scanning easy. Don’t expect people to scroll to find information on your site. Most people scan, rather than read. Break up text with headings and subheadings; use text links that allow them to jump from section to section.

Avoid overusing graphics. To speed up downloading, use thumbnail images. Limit the number of images on each page.

Don’t re-invent the wheel. Navigation should be simple and easy to follow. To describe who you are use terms like “About Us” “Profile” or “Who We Are” - there is no guessing.

Search engine friendly. 85% of Internet users use search engines and directories (e.g. Google, Yahoo! And MSN) to look for information. There are certain things you can do to improve your ranking on these search engines by using meta-tag keywords, descriptions and titles.

Content is king. Ask yourself the following questions: Does your copy convey the message you wish to get across to your visitors? Is it compelling? Does it lead your visitors through the sales or contact process? Always double check your spelling and grammar—even triple check!

Make payment easy. If you are having an eCommerce site, offer a few different methods of payment, make sure the payment process is clear, easy to access and intuitive to use. Avoid asking for more information than is required.

Better website guide