Centenary’s ProWriters

Last week, we discussed blog posts. This week, we’ll discuss creating a website. As this is a blog more focused on the writing and style aspects of the sight, this blog won’t teach you how to code, but it will teach you how to make your website clear and useful to readers.

Layout

The layout of the website is important. It should look clean and professional. There should be a clear line of direction that the reader will follow. If the setup is jumbled or unclear, the reader will go somewhere else to get their information.

Additionally, the way your website functions should be clear. A button labeled ‘Home’ should take the reader to the home page. Likewise, a button labeled ‘About’ should lead the reader to a summary of the site’s focus, whether it is a business or a charity or an art site. Your reader should be able to find things easily. Make sure that your buttons are labeled clearly and that the different aspects of your site as sorted in a clear and intuitive way.

Readability

This is vital for a good website. If a user cannot read your site, then they aren’t going to bother to stay. The first thing to consider when examining readability is the colors of your website. Consider that your reader is going to have to look at your site for a while. The colors shouldn’t be overly bright, nor should the color of your background and text be too similar. Both of these will make the website much harder to access, especially for people with issues like dyslexia or who have poor eyes.

Another aspect of readability is the size of text and amount of information. Like a blog, if a website is congested with information, the reader will be unable to read or get through it all. Separate your information under the tabs, as mentioned above. Make sure that your text is large enough to be read comfortably on all screens, from a standard laptop screen to a small mobile screen. Remembering that there are multiple ways of accessing the website is important. If you only focus on laptop users, you will lose mobile users and vice versa. Keep all of your audience in mind.

Professional Appearance

First impressions are important, so you want to make sure your site makes a good one. It should look clean and neat, easy for your reader to understand. Obviously, simple grammar rules apply- you don’t want there to be any spelling or grammar mistakes because that makes the site look much less unprofessional. Your language should also be tailored to your audience. If your audience is professional and sophisticated, make your language match that. It will make it easier to communicate with your audience.

Again, the layout is important. Make sure that your site is easy to navigate and looks neat and clean. This will give the impression that you are a professional and should be trusted with the information that you are trying to give your audience.

Websites are vitally important for their owners, especially in this day and age. With a professional and clear website, finding readers and customers will be easier than ever.