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10 Things All Web Sites Should Have

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Planning Better Sites November 1998 • Vol.4 Issue 11	Add To My Personal Library
10 Things All Web Sites Should Have

Standards do not yet exist for World Wide Web content. That's a shame, too, because many Web sites could be vastly improved with a few simple additions.

With little more than a quick tour through some of the Web's best sites, it's easy to notice a few characteristics that all share. These must-have elements are listed below. Keep in mind, though, that the following tips do not apply to every site, especially those with a limited amount of information to share. But these ideas will give you a solid overview of the essential elements many successful Web sites share.

1. Site map. Even the simplest Web site should arrive on-screen with an organized structure. One of the keys to keeping visitors grounded is to give them an obvious link to a detailed site map. Site maps often resemble the outlines students write for a high school literature or speech class, with main headings carrying the most weight. The details for each main idea or topic are distributed underneath, in subtopics. And, when a heading, topic, or subtopic is clicked, its corresponding page appears on-screen.

U S WEST (http://www.uswest.com) organizes its extensive online content in a well-defined and user-friendly site map.

Another way to think of the site map feature is as the hierarchical tree for your site. Organizing your information in such a manner lets visitors immediately see the area they're looking for. Because of this, users are more likely to stick around. Of course, sites that are sloppily organized probably won't get much repeat traffic.

Don't confuse the site map with the navigation bar (explained below). The map can (and should be) included on some type of navigation bar as a link users can click, but this outline should not be used as the sole navigation device. Instead, its purpose is to provide a separate, more detailed overview. An excellent example of a well-designed site map is found at U S WEST's site (http://www.uswest.com).

2. Navigation bar. Good navigational tools are an essential element to any well-designed site. Every Web site should have a set of navigational tools that remain consistent on each page within the site. Buttons on the navigation bar should include the home page, contact information, a feedback page, and the main areas of interest. Likewise, these main areas of interest should correspond with the main topics of the site map.

Navigation bars are easier to use for site navigation if they are placed in the top portion of the Web page, and are consistent from page to page throughout the site. Some designers choose to place a bar along the top of each page, while others use a split-screen method. In the latter, the buttons are displayed vertically along one side of the page, in a separate screen or frame. When a button is clicked, its corresponding page appears in the main screen and the navigation bar remains in the split screen, usually on the left side, making traveling within the site simple.

Keep several things in mind when designing a navigation bar. First, graphics are often more effective than text, but they must clearly represent the link or users will get confused. Include text underneath the graphic to avoid any confusion if your images aren't completely clear.

Second, never make things look like buttons if they don't go anywhere. Visitors become annoyed if clicking them gets nothing. Third, stick with known commodities. One savvy design trick is to color-coordinate the site, right down to each hyperlink. Avoid the pitfall of using unusual colors for links; stick with standard, noticeable colors.

The Wild Texas Web site (http://www.wildtexas.com) is a great example of what to do with a navigation bar and home page content.

Finally, whatever page is currently being displayed should have its corresponding button grayed out, highlighted, or indicated in some other way. Essentially the button is inactive, but it should draw attention to itself in some manner so the visitor knows where they are. When they leave that page to go to another, the button can become active again and the one representing the new page can become dim or highlighted.

In addition to the navigation bar, each page should include a set of arrows representing "back" and "forward." Some folks choose to call them "previous" and "next." Whatever name you give them, be certain to include them on every page in the same location. Such tools let visitors easily revisit previous pages within your site, as well as quickly correct any misdirection they may experience.

3. Contact page. It's truly amazing how many companies and organizations sporting Web sites neglect to include who they are and how visitors can contact them. This is especially surprising on sites that want to sell a product or service, or aim to educate visitors about a particular topic.

Visitors like to know there are real people behind the information they're reading; somehow it's a comfort, a way to confirm that the tips and tidbits came from somewhere. While this connection is important, resist the urge to include photographs of your Chihuahua, and personal biographies of yourself or your staff. Professional bios are OK, but keep the chitchat to a minimum.

Place a link for visitors to click that launches an E-mail message screen. Your address can be automatically included in the "To" field, so visitors only need to type and click "Send." Be certain to include other contact information also, as feedback only through E-mail can turn some people off, especially visitors who do not have access to return E-mail accounts.

With this in mind, include a postal mail address and contact name. If you have a fax number, make it accessible as well. The same should be done with a telephone number if you are set up to handle that kind of contact. This information should not be hidden away, either; make it accessible from the navigation bar.

4. Feedback forms. Because so many Internet users browse after the normal business day is over, it's important to include feedback forms. Visitors can request information right then and there, without needing to write down a number and call at a later time. It also helps out visitors who—as we mentioned above—are without E-mail accounts of their own.

Feedback forms are beneficial to you also, because they allow you to field fewer phone calls. In response, you have the option of sending a letter or E-mail message, or even responding with a telephone call—just make sure you acknowledge the visitor's comments in a timely manner.

The best reason for providing such forms, though, is the feedback you receive, which should be viewed as an opportunity to improve or make a potential customer happy. Through such means, you discover what is working at your site, and more importantly, what is not. If items are unclear, or incomplete, visitors will let you know, but only if you make it easy for them to do so.

Feedback forms are just one means of creating an interactive site. To further involve your visitors, consider including a message board where visitors can make comments or express concerns. This allows them to interact not only with you, but with each other, too.

5. Compelling content. Visitors arrive expecting to learn everything they want to know about your products or services. Make your site worth visiting by anticipating their questions. Include compelling, relevant content on every page. Don't waste your visitors' time by including an "Enter" page that contains only the company logo. Instead, embellish pages with details and images, particularly if you have a product to sell. For a good example of this, see the Wild Texas site (http://www.wildtexas.com).

The same is true if your site is a "how-to" guide. Step-by-step details work very well with accompanying diagrams or drawings. Remember, you're trying to attract a general audience, so tailor the language accordingly. Explain jargon and technical terms. Use
bullets to separate particularly important points, but don't overdo it; keep pages basic and "clean."

Most of all, avoid turning your Web site into an online version of your yellow pages ad. If you limit the content to minimal facts, you're offering little in the way of customer satisfaction. 'Net users are a fickle bunch—if they can't find what they need on your site, they'll go elsewhere without giving you a second thought.

But the Web gives you an opportunity that's unknown in other mediums: virtually unlimited extra space to communicate, and at almost no additional cost. Once you go through the expense and task of setting up a Web site, use it to your advantage.

6. FAQs. If your site receives a great deal of customer feedback or questions, you should create a page the organizes the premise of that content, commonly known as a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page. It's a good rule of thumb to assume that if one visitor has ever asked a particular question, there are dozens—or maybe hundreds—of more visitors out there with the same query. So, to circumvent repeatedly answering the same questions, create a FAQs page to save yourself and your visitors time and frustration.

The old adage of "strength in numbers" applies to FAQs. For the viewer who reads that page, there's something comforting about knowing he or she is not the only one struggling with a particular item. When you compile a list of customer concerns into questions, then provide functional answers, your visitors will feel more empowered and grateful for the information your site provided. Don't assume anything—the typical consumer needs affirmation on the most basic of ideas. Occasionally, points or explanations you may consider obvious still need to be drawn out for the average user.

It's cheap to add content to Web pages, so make the most out of the FAQs section. Many good sites list the questions at the top of the FAQs page and provide a one-click hyperlink to the answer below. With this method, visitors either can peruse the questions to find the one that applies to them, or click to the first question to read the complete list of questions and answers. Designing the FAQs this way serves both types of visitors. Make sure you include a FAQs button on your navigation bar, too.

7. Good graphics. Part of the beauty of the Internet is that it has evolved from the early days of text-only surfing. Not that text is all bad, but pictures, logos, and graphics really liven things up. If you're selling a product, or a variety of products, make images of those products available to visitors.

With that said, it's important not to overdo it. Choose reasonable graphics that get the point across without hogging too much memory or download time. Make them small and fast-loading because most people don't like to wait. And you can't blame them; typically, most graphics on the Web aren't worth the wait.

One way to keep graphics small is by optimizing pictures, which is done by saving simple graphics in a 16-color format rather than 256. Another idea is to design each page with a text and graphics limit. For more information, see Speeding Up Internet Graphics in the Enhancing Web Sites issue.

Don't be discouraged from including graphical buttons on the navigation bar. Using pictures or icons as buttons is a great idea as long as they are small and relevant. And, because the navigation bar appears on every page, the graphics will be cached after the first view, making each subsequent page load more quickly.

Planning a text-only version of your Web site is also a good idea. It provides another option for those millions of Internet users who surf using just text. It's also helpful for alleviating those bothersome online traffic jams when graphics stubbornly refuse to load properly. So, if you follow this guideline, visitors can simply click your "text only/no frames" option and still access all the text on the site.

8. Searching mechanisms. Unless yours is a tiny site, a search mechanism is a great addition. Search tools let users type in key words and phrases, then click a button to call up a list of all the pages at your site that include those words. The bigger the site, the more likely visitors will appreciate such a capability. Be sure to include basic instructions on the elements of an effective query.

Search tools are easy to maintain once they're installed on the Web server. They automatically paw through new pages and update the search database so it remains current. Some of the Web's most popular general search engines license out their technology, providing a familiar and powerful tool for visitors to use at your site.

9. News page. Well-designed sites point their visitors to new information. This can be done in any number of ways. One option is to add a small bright "New!" icon next to updated information. There are variations on this; some designers use text and others use graphics. Either way, make it clear that the item has been updated.

Another option is to have a page on the site that's specifically for late-breaking news. Include a corresponding button on the navigation bar to make locating these news items a snap for visitors. If you choose this method, be sure to move the news to its appropriate category after a respectable amount of time.

As long as you're keeping all the information up-to-date, include a line at the bottom of the home page (or each page) that states when the site (or each individual page) was last updated. By doing this, readers know instantly if the Web site has changed since they last visited, or if the information is out of date.

10. Relevant links. An essential component of any Web site is a collection of links leading to other related sites. The World Wide Web is so named because of the interconnectivity among sites. The best sites are those that offer links to other sites that offer more information on a related topic.

The Central Intelligence Agency, for example, serves its younger visitors well with its CIA's Home Page for Kids (http://www.odci.gov/cia/ciakids/index.html) and numerous links to sites of similar content, such as those created by other U.S. government agencies for young visitors. Surfing youngsters might know the White House has a Web site, but maybe they weren't aware that they could learn more about the FBI or the Department of Energy from sites designed just for their age group.

However, you can provide your visitors with even more than a list of links. The better collections are those that include a brief description of each link, as well as information about why it is included. Does it have a strong FAQs page, or does it take a refreshing, tongue-in-cheek approach to the subject matter? Such descriptions help the visitors choose the most appropriate sites for themselves.

In addition to writing descriptions, regularly maintain the links page. Nothing is more frustrating for Web users than finding a site description that will meet his or her needs, then receiving an error message when they try to access it. Visit your links regularly and sweep out the dead weight before your visitors bump up against them. Weekly maintenance is probably enough, but be consistent.

by Anne Steyer Phelps

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