A Serasoft discussion of website design and development

Let me explain...take a look at the site you are browsing: Serasoft Web.

Now all sites could use MORE work and this site is no exception but notice that for the most part this site is simple and clean-looking? We have the title, Serasoft Web, then directly below it the sub-title which clearly states what the SITE is for and what each PAGE does. Note the menu, all TABBED menus, easy to understand, easy to know what page you are on. The bottom of each page contains a text-based menu just in case someone is not using a browser that supports graphics. Except on the main pages text is kept to a minimum. Links are clearly marked. Behind the scenes in the code we have proper SEO procedures in place, meta-tags, key-words, alt descriptions and much more.

Please note that all this is NOT just coincidence, it is very much PLANNED that way. Why? Because people don't really READ websites, at least not on the main or landing page; they SCAN them. You have only maybe 10 seconds to convince a vistitor that they are where they want to be. There are 2 questions visitors ask:

1. Am I in the right place?
2. Does this site offer a "scent" to keep me going?

That's it. You have to quickly convince a visitor that they can "trust" you and the site. You have to keep them engaged (scent) and keep them going on your site.

Companies spend thousands and thousands of dollars on their web site, cluttering it up with garbage, blurring the message if there even was one, throwing anything and everything in it just to get something, anything to stick. Problem: It Doesn't! Visitors leave, business is lost.

Serasoft rule #1: If you confuse your visitor you will lose them! And it is very easy to confuse them. This is not to say they are stupid, just that people do not READ web pages, they SCAN them. Quickly. They look around and make a judgement. If there is any doubt as to where they are and how they are supposed to get around THEY WILL LEAVE and they will not usually come back.

Serasoft rule #2: You have to design a site for your visitors, not for you and never for your web masters.Web designers are always looking for fancy features, cute and cleaver ways of doing things, slick designs. They are utterly amazed when their sites are tested by average people, the types that actually USE the site. Amazed because folks many times do not do the things the designers had in mind. Utterly amazed because they don't even SEE a lot of the page.

Serasoft rule #3: When reviewing your site remove 1/2 the words on any given page, then remove 1/2 of the remaining words. Get rid of the clutter. LOOK at the page, what is the 1st thing you notice? What is the message? Can you easily determine how to get around, how to navigate?

Did you know that using words like "Secure" and "Reliable" actually convey the exact OPPOSITE in the minds of your visitors? These kinds of words are negative differentiators. Secure is the opposite of insecure and reliable is the opposite of unreliable. Simple is fine because the opposite if complex, not a bad word for the web.

Design the content. Simplify your site. Set the goals of your site. Sharpen the goals. Be realistic. Be specific. Be honest in your goals. Develop trust to retain your users.

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