Once upon a time there was a turning point in history when an alphabet has been created. Everything before had been messed up an no-one really knew how to make things work. It was only after this crucial moment when it occurred that the quality of life increased significantly.

Familiarising yourself with our Alphabet will produce similar effect – also for you!

A is for ABANDONED (abandoned sites, which will never gain popularity)

People surfing the Internet frequently are the first one to be bored – take it into account while planning the development of your place in the net. Once they encounter an interesting website, they will memorise it. Coming back for some new stuff, which they are keen on, everyone will definitely expect something fresh, different.

People like to be surprised, to feel you care for them – changing your website often enough, you give them the sense of importance – you and that is what they are in fact searching for.

B is for BASICS (basics for the decision of what should be changed)

Defining those Basics would not be as easy as you suppose, but there are many means which can help you to deal with it in quite a short time. Choose which way is the best for you, concerning your budget and the number of visitors on your site:

• to hire a professional, which will test your website and note down all inconveniences and things to be altered

• to ask visitors on your website in a short survey what from their point of view should be changed

Of course, the very best option is to combine these two possibilities and gain as much valuable information as possible. Anyway, add your own impressions and then think carefully how your page might look like.

C is for CONVENIENCE

Always give priority to an easy access above everything else. Believe, people do not come to your site to admire it – they are looking for something, indeed. Get used to that thought and take it into consideration while planning any changes. Searching for information, contact data, prices of products or details of delivery and this kind of facts is what should be really easy to find.

A page which can be described as convenient is loading quickly, does not have too much sophisticated graphics, has an intuitive menu – and above all, you can not get lost while browsing it.

D is for DESIGN

Design, layout and general look-and-feel. Looking at a website we sometimes get an impression that somebody has totally forgotten about These Matters. If it has ever happened that you felt the same – do your best to ensure, that no-one will think about your page in this way.

Remember about suitable colours, graphics. Try to make your own style and then follow your rules. Sometimes it is not difficult to overstep the boundaries of good taste. Simplicity and appropriate colours is what will always be in fashion.

E is for EXPANSION PROGRAMME

All in all your main goal is to make your page remain in the web for a longer time. Nobody wants his own place in the Internet to be forgotten and abandoned. Therefore, consider what are your company’s plans for the future. Make a scheme of expansion programme – including some tips for changes on the website. Sometimes it is a lot easier to implement those changes right now, then after next few years of your page’s existence.

F is for FEATURES

Sacrifice some time and decide what possible features could become useful on your website. What do your clients/visitors need? Consider everything twice, even if at the beginning the only word coming to your mind is ‘stupid!’

Surf through the Internet for a few hours. Your task is to save all addresses where you have found any kind of features, which you know you can adopt as well on your page. It would be few times easier to show those pages to a professional designer than to explain in words what have you recently seen – both of you will save your precious time!

H is for HARMONY

Decide on your own or with some help form a professional graphic designer on a specific layout, suitable for your company. Try to make it once and for all – design a logo, colour scheme and ensure that these elements appear on each of the pages, not only on a homepage. You can later adjust it also to your company paper, envelopes or other gadgets.

If you show your visitors graphics connected with your company as often as possible, at the same time you manage to make them later choose your brand from all the others – your logo will be the one, which has became embedded in their memory.

Build your brand awareness constantly on your website – it is one of the keys to success!

I is for INCESSANT CLICKING

As long as it is possible, reduce the number of clicks which are unavoidable when somebody needs to get to the content. While surfing through the net we all tend to be more impatient – it is easier to close a page and look for similar one, than to click through piles of adverts, notices, intros and homepages.

J for JUST TECHNOLOGY

Remember – it is not The Technology, it is just technology – you can make a really good use from its development, but it is not necessary to have all the latest features included – especially if you and your visitors do not really need them all.

M is for MENUS

While planning them, ensure that everything is clear for all of the people. Ask some friends or colleagues to look for something. Was it easy for them to find even the tiniest bits of information?

Decide where to place your menu – whether it would be better to put it on the top and allow it to roll down showing more options, or to put it on the left side – as it is usually done on many websites.

Try not to think up sophisticated phrases which would be put on the buttons – simple yet clear ones are far better for all of your customers and visitors.

N is for NAVIGATION

Just three words, nothing more, nothing less – simple, intuitive, working!

Navigation is the tool which you use most often – yet designers too often forget about it. Still, if you want your visitors to feel comfortable on your page, you must give them the impression that everything can be easily found, and that they do not need to waste a lot of energy on numerous clicks. Avoid links which are not working properly, or pages under construction – it is a very efficient way to deter visitors.

O is for OVERWRITE

Imagine this feeling of satisfaction when after hours of hard work you eventually close a programme and click: “Yes, overwrite”. The same will be if you change the content on your website. Hiring a copywriter to rewrite your texts in a better way can influence perceiving your website by all of the visitors. Fresh, attractive slogans and introductions will encourage them to read every single letter.

P is for POSSIBILITIES

Remember that your visitor is the most important. Make him feel comfortable, provide him with the impression that something depends on him – let people choose the colours of your page, size of font or even locations of few elements. They will catch it!

T is for TRANSLATION

While redesigning remember that nowadays borders between countries are constantly blurring. Therefore all website owners who want to be held in regard should obviously have at least three language versions.

V is for VISITORS

If you redesign your page, assume rapid growth in the number of visitors. Even if now you do not believe that this situation would happen, keep in mind the costs you will need to incur when eventually it does. It is better to implement few things just for the future, than to suffer from not having them.

Z is for THE END!

Take care about your website and simultaneously about your visitors – potential customers. Invest in redesign – enjoy having a perfect, fresh website and – above all – respect from people coming to your place in the Net.

Place which is comfortable, cosy and inviting.