What we’re doing in this series is discussing what makes a well designed “Modern” website so you can see, recognize and understand those elements. If you can do that, then you can insist that your site contains these elements.
GUIDE YOUR VIEWERS EYE:
We’ve gown up in a culture that reads left to right, top to bottom. That’s why you’ll see the logo in the upper left hand corner on 99.9% of websites.
The problem with most websites is that they are cluttered, too much text which is usually too small, with everything crowded together. When you look at the home page, your eye does not know where to go.
WHITE SPACE:
One of the great advantages of modern websites is that they can and do get designed with lots of empty space between images and areas of text. This is called “white space”.
Put plenty of space around things and the eye can be easily guided to see the messages you want your potential customer or client to see and absorb. Done well, the eye can be guided to the vital messages you want to convey, in the order you want them to be seen.
IS YOUR HOME PAGE TOO CROWDED?
Do a little exercise: open the home page of your site, close your eyes, pretend you are some one who has never seen your website, then open your eyes. Let your eyes move naturally over the page.
What draws your attention? What next after that? Does your eye move easily or is it confused about what should be looked at or read next? Does it get pulled this way and that or does it settle easily on something and then move easily to something else? Are your most important messages easily and instantly absorbed?
Give your site a test, then contact us to find out how we can make your site work a LOT better than it does now to give you a professional, impressive presence on the web.
Email us at hello@21thirteen.com or call us at 646 808 0249.
Perry Yeldham, 21Thirteen Design
