Web Design Do's and Don'ts

 

March 24, 2008

Online video. User-generated content. Virtual assistants. Search engine optimization. Mobile phone accessibility. If you feel like the bar for an effective e-commerce site keeps getting raised, you're not alone.
E-tailers have more options than ever for gussying up their sites, said Kim Tyburski, owner/chief designer of skyhand design, a Seattle-based firm that creates Web sites (including e-commerce) for small businesses. Nonetheless, Tyburski believes the basics for a successful e-commerce site haven't changed: Keep it simple, clean and well-organized.
Tyburski offers dos and don'ts for maintaining a strong e-commerce presence on the increasingly sophisticated Web.

 

Don't Add Video Just to Add It
Online video—via YouTube and other sites— is wildly popular. In fact, according to comScore, 75 percent of all U.S. Internet users watch online video during a typical month.
Does this mean your e-commerce site should have video? Perhaps-but only if the videos truly help your visitors understand the value of your product. "If you're selling books or homemade soaps, video isn't going to be that helpful," says Tyburski.
Your target customers are also a chief consideration in whether you add video. If your products are popular with the YouTube generation, video may be a worthy addition. If your customers are largely older, video may not be appropriate. Either way, think it through carefully. "Small business owners are already wearing so many hats," Tyburski says, and video producer is yet one more to add to the pile.

Don't Use Flash Animations Unless They Serve a Purpose
The landing pages of some sites require visitors to wait for a Flash animation to load before they can access the site's content. But Tyburski believes it's important to make the user experience as fast and simple as possible. Anything that gets in the shopper's way should be seriously reconsidered.
"Flash animation can slow your site down and can be expensive to add to your site's design," Tyburski says. "People get impatient on the Web, and if you make them wait, they'll go somewhere else."
If a Flash animation is essential to conveying your business's style or products and services, fine. But don't make the visitor wait more than, say, 10 seconds for an animation to load — particularly if it must be viewed before proceeding to your site's content.

Do Add Web 2.0 Components If You Have the Resources
Blogs, user forums and reviews, wikis and other Web 2.0 tools give visitors more reasons to visit your site. They can also help increase your site's ranking in search results. If nothing else, consumers appreciate the opportunity to leave feedback about the products or services they use, said Tyburski.
But creating and maintaining Web 2.0 elements on your site can eat into your time. After all, a blog isn't going to update itself twice a week. And Web 2.0 elements can add to your site's costs. "If money and time are issues for you," said Tyburski, "you might want to hold off on the Web 2.0 components, at least for now."

 

Do Optimize Your Site for Search Engines
Search engine optimization (SEO) "can be life or death for small businesses," said Tyburski. After all, what good is your e-commerce site if potential customers searching for your products or services don't know you exist?
SEO helps boost your site's visibility in unpaid search results. You can also buy Google AdWords and use other pay per click-based tools to display sponsored ads next to relevant search engine results. But if you add the right keywords and meta tags throughout your site, Tyburski said you may not need the AdWords. "I've never had a client who had to purchase ranking placement," she added. Tyburski recommends working with your site designer to develop an SEO strategy.

Don't Update Your Site Yourself Unless You're an HTML Pro
It may be tempting to simply add a new product photo and caption to an existing Web site page. But if you're not experienced with HTML coding, you could 'break the page.'
"It's not like just adding a picture to a Word document," explained Tyburski. "There's a lot that goes into a Web page, and one change made incorrectly can have a domino effect on the whole site. Also, you might not add the updated page in the right place on the ftp server."
A better solution for those not experienced with HTML: Ask your designer to create a content management system (CMS) for your site. The CMS is essentially a database that allows you to make Web site edits and additions using simple templates in a Web browser. Changes are reflected immediately on the site, and you bypass the need for the site designer to make updates.
The downsides: A CMS-based Web site is a bit more expensive than a regular site to build. And it can be more difficult to switch Web hosting providers later. Still, it will save you money and time in the long run, according to Tyburski.

Don't Pay Your Site Designer Maintenance Fees
Some site designers require clients to sign maintenance contracts. The promise is that the designer will regularly check the site to ensure it's working properly. "Too often, those contracts are a rip-off," Tyburski said. "All the designer does is visit your site once a month-and that's something you can easily do yourself."
If you agree to a maintenance contract, get the designer to spell out exactly what he or she will do every month. And ask for proof that the designer is doing what's been promised.

Do Track Your Site Traffic
Many Web hosting plans offer some level of site traffic analytics. This information will help you understand where your visitors are coming from, which search terms they've used to find you, which pages are most often viewed, and so on.
"You don't really need any special software for this," advised Tyburski. "You can see your site's traffic patterns using your Web browser. Just make sure your Web hosting plan offers some level of traffic analysis."

Don't Worry About Mobile Sites and Virtual Assistants — For Now
Given the iPhone's popularity, should you create an e-commerce site optimized for mobile Web browsers?
Tyburski believes that's not necessary yet. Large businesses are only now beginning to develop mobile sites. "I've yet to have a small business client ask me about a mobile version of their site," she adds. Tyburski concedes that in the next few years, as the iPhone and other devices grow further in popularity, small e-tailers may want to develop some type of mobile Web-optimized site.
Tyburski advocates a similar wait-and-see approach to virtual shopping assistants. They're computer-generated customer service agents, to whom you type a question and receive a verbal response. (Example: Alaska Airlines' new 'Ask Jenn').
"Some people find these irritating and a turn-off," Tyburski believes. "I tend to steer my small business clients away from using virtual assistants. Instead, just make sure your phone number, e-mail, or other contact information is prominently displayed on every page of your site."

When in Doubt, Leave it Out
"When it comes to your e-commerce site, whether it's video, blogs, or something else," said Tyburski, "my rule of thumb is: If it's not necessary, don't do it."

 

 

 

 

source: ecommerce-guide.com