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Web_Site_Design_Pulling_Them_In_Deeper
| Web Site Design: Pulling Them In Deeper
Good web sites take full advantage of the features of HTML (and
the various client- and server-side scripting languages), which
allow pages to be linked together at will. You need to remember
that your web site is not a book, a poster or a brochure - it is
a web site. By taking full advantage of this fact, you can
increase the time people spend reading your pages, looking at
your images, listening to your sounds, and possibly purchasing
your products.
Some people actually debate the need to keep visitors on your
web site for any length of time. I have heard the argument that
it doesn't matter how long they stay - you really just want them
to purchase something and then leave. Unless you have created a
very specific, extremely targeted, one or two page web site,
then that thinking is hogwash.
Look, you've gone to a lot of work to create a wonderful web
site. You have tons of great content for people to look at.
Perhaps you have some awesome products to sell or a message to
get across. The longer that people stay, the more likely they
are to see your message or purchase your products. You can
almost translate the length of their stay directly to interest
in what you've got to say.
So how do you get people to stay on your site for any length of
time? Well, you include great content which is linked together
in such a way as to pull people deeper into your site. Give them
plenty of ways to explore what you've got.
Don't design your site as one huge long page. Remember that you
are creating a web site, so split those long pages up into short
articles and link them together logically. Your visitors like
seeing one or two screen's worth of information at a time ...
any more and they will just not scroll down to see it.
Link your pages together in all manner of ways. Give your
visitors plenty of ways to explore the fullness of your site.
You should have a normal navigation method (let's say a standard
menu down the left side) which is very organized. In addition,
you should strategically place links to random but related
content all over your site. And remember, all of these links
should be internal to your own site, not external links. You
want people maneuvering around your pages, not leaving to
someone else's site.
As you write a paragraph think about concepts that can be
expanded. For example, if you write about birds and you mention
the Amazon jungles, you might include a link to a page with more
data about those jungles. Be sure the link is in a different
color or format (underlined) so your visitors can see that they
can click on it.
You can also include graphics which link to additional
information. In this case, embed the image within your document
as you normally would, and include a hyperlink to the
appropriate page. You should also include sufficient ALT text to
describe the image in case your visitor has graphics turned off.
The idea is to give your visitors lots of options as he is
reading your text or looking at your graphics. Don't give him so
many that every word is a link (that's getting ridiculous) but
by including additional links to more information you cause him
to want to explore your site. In other words, you make your web
site more interesting.
As you include more and more content (which happens normally as
your web site ages) you may want to link to older content. This
tends to get additional use out of those older pages which
normally get relegated to archives and never get seen again. You
can also go back to the older content and add links to the newer
content if applicable. This helps to keep your web site looking
very fresh and increases it's usefulness.
So the idea is simple. Link and cross-link content within your
site. By doing so, you create a tapestry for your visitors to
look at, read and admire. If you are selling something, this
adds value which causes your visitors to trust your opinion and
your recommendations. This often leads to additional sales. If
your goal is to deliver your message, then by using these
techniques you make your site more interesting, which causes
people to want to explore further.
About the author:
Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And Secrets.
This website includes over 1,000 free articles to improve your
internet profits, enjoyment and knowledge. Web Site Address:
http://www.internet-tips.net Weekly newsletter:
http://www.internet-tips.net/joinlist.htm Daily Tips:
internet-tips@GetResponse.com
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