Many small business owners design and build their own web sites. The December 2006 issue of Market Insider covered the basic elements of how artists can develop an online presence without damaging their wholesale business relationships. This month, we'll cover the ten most common mistakes made in the web site development process, and ways to fix them.
TEN COMMON WEB DESIGN MISTAKES:
*UNCLEAR NAVIGATION
Navigation is the most important tool for getting users to view your site. Are the most important areas of your site given priority placement? Can you move through your site easily and intuitively? Develop a detailed site plan and practice the various ways users will navigate through the site. Always revise as needed.
*TOO MANY CLICKS
How many clicks does it take the user to make an action? Cut down on the amount of clicks to ensure users don't run out of patience before they get to where you want them to go. Clicks are meant to spur action, not frustration!
*POOR GRAPHIC/IMAGE QUALITY
As an artist, your images are the single most valuable element of your website. Make sure your images are not pixilated, dark, or blurry. Poor image/graphic quality will reflect on the quality of your artwork. It is also beneficial to include the width and height of your images in your image tags. This allows the browser to account for the dimensions of the image and load the page
as intended.
*SPELLING/ GRAMMAR MISTAKES
Nothing says unprofessional more than a misspelled word or sloppy grammar usage. Always have someone proof read your web site and try to run new copy by at least two or three people for editing before any new information goes live.
*TOO MUCH TEXT
Most users don't read web pages-they scan them. Incorporating too much text on your web site can be overwhelming and drive users away from your site. As an artist, your site should be more visual than anything. If you must have more than a paragraph on any particular page of your web site, be sure the text contains links that make it interactive.
*NOT UPDATING YOUR SITE
Users feel reassured if they see you have changed content, especially on the home page of your web site. Be sure your show listings and gallery opening dates are always up-to-date. Upload images of new work, or works in progress as often as you can to give users a reason to keep coming back.
*USING THE WRONG FONTS
Be sure to use a font that is available on both Windows and MAC platforms. If the font you chose for your site is not installed on the user's computer, the user will not see your text as intended. Common cross platform fonts are:
- Arial
- Courier New
- Georgia
- Times New Roman
- Trebuchet
- Verdana
*NO PRIVACY POLICY
If you collect e-mail addresses for an e-newsletter or for ordering purposes you need to have in place a privacy policy as well as an opt-out option. Assure your customers that you will not share their addresses with anyone. This is just good business sense.
*NOT TESTING YOUR SITE
Did you check to see what your site looked like on multiple browsers? What looks great on your browser can look like a mess on another browser. Avoid such pitfalls as text overlapping images, alignment issues, or items appearing out of their designated areas by testing your site before launching it. It takes a little homework to become familiar with current web statistics for browsers, but it pays off in the end.
*USING BELLS AND WHISTLES
Incorporating Flash on your site can be fantastic, but does it add any benefit to the user's experience on your site? Be sure to only use bells and whistles that add to the user's experience. If you want to include a Flash intro, be sure to offer a way to skip it as users don't need to view the intro on their 5th or 20th visit. The rule of thumb here is to know the purpose of your site and only add bells and whistles if they add to that purpose.
Look for more tips for developing an online presence in future issues of
Market Insider!
WINTER 2007 BUYERS MARKET UPDATE:
The February Buyers Market of American Craft is only days away. It's not too late to register for the breakfast seminars, featuring leading arts industry experts. Held daily at the Buyers Market before the show opens, these educational seminars are an excellent opportunity to broaden your business knowledge.
Sunday, February 18, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
The Insider's Guide to Galleries, Sponsored by the Arts Business Institute
$25 in advance, $30 at the door, Breakfast Included
Join this business development workshop targeting the needs of
artist-owned businesses.
Monday, February 19, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
The Secrets of Trunk Show Success
$25 in advance, $30 at the door, Breakfast Included
Discover the nuts and bolts of putting on a successful trunk show, including how to build an event timeline, and how to plan and market the event for maximum exposure and participation.
Celebrate Silver! Buyers Market Party
Celebrate YOUR Success at the Buyers Market's 25th Silver Anniversary Party on Saturday February 17, from 9:00 p.m. to midnight on the 33rd Floor of the Loews Philadelphia Hotel! Don your shiniest, most dazzling outfit and dance the night away to a live swing band. Indulge your celebratory sweet tooth with a decadent dessert bar, and enjoy a special champagne toast. The Celebrate Silver! party is FREE to all BMAC attendees, and includes complimentary food and a cash bar.
FEBRUARY 2007 BLOG SPOTLIGHTS:
http://www.handmadetheory.blogspot.com//
This blog presents reflections and ideas about contemporary crafts and their relationship with culture, technology and design.
http://designerslibrary.typepad.com/designers_
library/craft/index.html
This blog is authored by Meg Mateo Ilasco, a writer, designer, and illustrator in the San Francisco Bay Area, and covers topics ranging from architecture, craft, creative spaces, jewelry designers, stationary designers, and favorite
retail fixes.
Quote of the Month:
This is a world of action, and not for moping and droning in.
-
Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
Market Insider
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