DESIGNING WEB PAGES
The way we access information on websites is very different to the way we use
printed information:
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Reading on a screen is very different to reading printed documents
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Websites don't have to be read in a 'linear' fashion - we
look for the information we want and follow the thread from page to page,
often from one site to another. We seldom read a web page from top to bottom.
This means that:
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We usually 'scan' web pages rather than read them.
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We often 'jump' from one point to another, from one heading to the next
or follow hyperlinks.
We often go backwards and forwards (research has shown that the 'back button'
is the most-used web-browser feature!)
Therefore, when writing for the web, it makes sense to use a 'direct style'
(no creative writing) with
lots of headings, small paragraphs and bullet-point lists.
Website graphics are often not vital from the information point of view, but
often play a major role in the 'design' and in creating the 'feel' of a webpage.
Choosing the 'right' images for a website can be time-consuming but is
usually rewarding. However, the choice of graphics we use on a web page
needs technical considerations: using large images, or too many images
can make a web page very slow to load (or even impossible to open on some
older systems)
- it's no use having stunning images
on a web page that no one gets to see because they take minutes to download!
For this reason, it is essential to 'optmise' all images used on a webpage:
this means resizing all images (in pixels) and bringing the file-size down
to the limit - stopping just before the image quality starts to degrade.
Websites don't automatically get 'found' by Google
Success with the Search engines relies on more than the accurate
encoding of your web pages information.
Some years ago, filling in keywords in a “Meta Tag” was
all that was needed. But not any more!
When designing a website, it is essential to bear in mind the main criteria
(there are around 150!)
Search Engines robots use when assessing whether a website is worth
indexing, what 'page rank' to give it and what keywords they have
found in the site - they decide, not us!
What Google will reward
Although the rules (algorythms) used by Search Engines such as Google are
regularly updated and are changing all the time,
Google looks for:
- quality contents - substentiated by keywords that are consistently
found on a webpage (not just stated in a “meta-tag”)
- easily accessible contents (ie good structure and navigation)
- useful hyperlinks (both internal and external to relevant
'quality' websites).
- Important: Google will penalise
'black-hat-tricks' such as links from 'link-farms' / 'web-rings'
(which are of no value) and deceitful techniques such as duplicated contents
(eg 2 Domain Names with the same website content!)
The main idea is: we all appreciate websites which give good information, that
are clear and easy to navigate, with useful hyperlinks and which provide quality
answers to our questions. In essence, this is what Google tries to reward!
Woodham Web Writer can help you
When you are ready to start work on your website, our 'Website Starter Pack'
will give you full guidance on how to write and organise your
website content to ensure your website has the best chances of
retaining Search Engines' interest.
Although there are no set rules, good Domain Names are often short, memorable,
'snappy' and unusual - eg 'Google'.
When possible, it is good to include a keyword but this is not essential: many
successful websites don't have a keyword in their Domain Name (eg: Amazon, Google
and many more).
When operating in/from the UK, it is usually best to choose the '.co.uk'
TLD (Top Level Domain as well as usually
being cheaper (often about half the price of a '.com' TLD) to buy and to renew.
Web Terminology
If you are unsure about the meaning of any web design words or acronyms
you might want to check it out in our
Glossary.
(Please let us know if you can't
find the word you wanted to check and we will add it to our list!)
