Writing for the Web (Design tips) 14 June 2011

1. Writing for the Web(Design tips)14 June 2011

2. The success of a site ... • Numbers • Visitors x conversion = Success

3. Increase the numbers by ... • Content that people want to link to and share • Good SEO (search engine optimisation). FAQ on improving rank:/services/its/servicessupport/web/search/faqs/improverank • Link-building • Great service (supported by a strong brand) • Social connectivity • Accessibility • Graphics (actually fairly minor)

4. Increase conversion rate by ... • Call to action (reason to come and move through your site) • Something that gains my attention, excitement and trust immediately • Usability – making as easy as possible to use the site • Appealing information – drawing user forward, keeping them on the site until they get want they want and deliver what you want from them • Accessible content – imagery and text presented in a way that is quickly ‘getable’ and easy to consume

5. Role of design • Very little in the lists about making your site ‘look good’ although there is something that adds to your overall experience if the site has been nicely designed and easy to use. • “Attractive design for the sake of itself (ie not drawing the visitor to and through content) is actually ‘Art’, and the purpose of art is to inspire, whereas the purpose of ‘Design’ is to communicate and compel action”, Ben Hunt, ‘Do you really need a website design?’

6. The message is more important than the package • Too much design can detract from the message as you notice the packaging rather than what is being said. • All design elements are guesses – you can never tell what will work for your audience. • So before you even think about design, consider these elements:

7. Key elements to consider Research – know your audience, goals and how to reach them SEO including keyword research guiding content architecture USP – Unique selling point CTA – Call to action MVT – multivariate (A/B ) testing Copy – great content, written well Looking at creating a new site? Are you just asking for your old site in a new box? Some further questions to get a better investment

8. A better approach to redesigning? • Is your site seen? (keyword research/SEO) • What is your goal for the site? • What commitment do you want from each visitor ? • Give this info to a web designer – should ask for it before they start or hire a copywriter and craft a simple flow from entry to goal • Design the page as a conversation with your user using the right assets (messages, words, phrases, images, branding, call to actions that make it instantly ‘getable’). • Monitor, test and measure (analytics, stats, continually test variations of important content – text & imagery) to improve your site’s conversion performance.

9. Some design tips for the page • Visual elements can be added to a Sitebuilder page by clever use of text and imagery, video, audio, podcasts, embedded slideshows, image galleries, box styles (used carefully though) thumbnails on news stories, different types etc – deciding what content and how best displayed • Create a visual hierarchy – the most important elements stand out more – summaries and headings • Use imagery carefully and appropriately ensuring that it adds value to the page rather than detracts - communicate rather than decorate. Avoid stock photography where possible

10. ...tips continued • Use alt tags and descriptions to ensure that images and content within images are accessible – remember not to embed important info within images • Use tables for complicated data – easier to scan or compare information • Don’t go mad with boxes – if everything in a box, then the focus is lost and the user doesn’t know where to start • Fewer items on the page • Modern and streamlined as though professionally designed but simplicity in design and colours – it’s important to create a good first impression but it’s the overall experience that is important.