Navigation systems need to be clear and concise. Don't use slang or created words for the sections of your site or people will not take you seriously. The only sites that get away with being 'cute' or 'artsy' are art and entertainment sites. People just want to know who you are, how to get to what you offer, and how to contact you. Keep it simple. Once you have your business creating a good cash flow, then consider adding services to it.
Even when using a template based system, there are certain mistakes you should stay away from in your design. I have listed a few of the worst here:
- Using too large of a graphic header on the top of the page. Some sites get so hung up with the graphics that they spend a lot of time create this huge, gorgeous header. People have not come to your web site to see how good an artist you are. They have come to see what you can teach them or how you can improve their lives. That should be the first impression they get, not your graphics.
- Using drab and lifeless 'washed out' colors or colors that are way too bright. You want people in their comfort zone when reading your site. Drab or Bright colors subconsciously make people uncomfortable.
- Using more than four colors (one being black). They have come to a business web site, not the circus. Use enough color to make it look professional, but never too much to distract from your message.
- Using more than four different font types on the same page. This just screams amateur. I personally just use two font types. One for the graphic elements and one for the text.
- Displaying your sales message on a dark colored background. Would you buy a book with black pages and white type? I doubt it. Some people think it will make their offer stand out, but it usually has the opposite effect.
- Using too many fancy scripts which cause browsers to 'freeze'. I have seen so many new web designers start looking at all of the fancy, fun things they can add to their sites. They forget that the site is not about how cool it is (unless you're in the web design business), but how easy it is to use and the information on it.
- Placing too much content into too small a space. The amount of white space that you have on a page is just as important as the amount of text. Your site should be closer to the simplicity of a book rather than the 'cram every square inch of space' format of a magazine.
- Using busy or watermarked background patterns. This should be self-evident. Do you want people distracted by unnecessary graphics or concentrating on your content?
- Using fonts that are too small. You don't have to shove everything into one page. Use a font size that is comfortable to read and add more pages to retain your reader longer.
- Not clearly identifying your offer. The signup form for your newsletter doesn't have to be only on the front page. It could be on the side bar of every page. Just make sure that your educational material is the first thing they notice and your offers the secondary or you will look like just another sales brochure.
While much more could be said about designing a site, if you follow these basic rules when putting together your first site, you will create something you can be proud of.