Does
Your Web site look out of date?
I went through my clothes closet
last weekend. I was optimistic that warm weather was right around the corner.
I was also in a ruthless mood and got rid of more than half of what was in there.
My closet was full of things that didn’t fit and even if they did, were no longer
age appropriate or even in style, for that matter.
I
want to be up-to-date, but can be clueless when it comes to fashion. Sometimes
I fall into the habit of wearing what I always have in the past, simply because
I don’t what else to do.
Do
you do the same thing with your Web site?
Here are a few things that
will make your web site look out of date:
- Old content - obviously, but you already knew that.
- Pages
with black background and white or yellow text - This was in vogue about 5
years ago. It is still good for rock bands and young target audiences. Anyone
else will get a splitting headache. Trust me.
- Hit counters. Nothing
screams amateur like a hit counter. Hosting companies provide web statistics with
more useful information than just hits. Check out your hosting company provided
stats. Many also have simple glossaries to help you understand the terminology.
- Excessive animation - It is not cute or creative, just annoying.
- Music – Be careful with music. Don’t forget some people may be
looking at your site at their workplace, without anyone knowing – until the music
starts.
- Long flash intros - I don’t know if these are out of date
or not. They just bug me.
What will make your Web
site contemporary?
- Clean, simple pages
- White
space - or if not white, then just space
- Intuitive, consistent
navigation
- Quick load time
Don’t
be tempted to try to show off all the fun things you can do on a Web site. “Hey
Look at Me” is easy to accomplish. Remember the Spandex Rule – “Just because
you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
I
have found the real challenge is making a web site look effortless. It is in
the act of deciding what to eliminate that establishes and enhances the value
of what remains.
