Creating an Attractive Site

1. Creating an Attractive Site How will your site look. Think about what your customers are seeking and what type of Web site they find attractive.

2. Color Consistency • Consistent Color Theme. • Changes in page color and imagery cause users to become confused. • Use colors that are pleasing to the eye and reflect your companies image. • Don’t count on your selected colors looking the same when displayed on another person’s monitor. • Stick to the browser safe palette of 216 colors.

3. Background Color • The most important use of color on your Web page. • White or off white are recommended due to its high readability levels. • Contrast is the difference between two related elements such as text and background. • Balanced contrast increases the readability of a Web site. Too much or too little contrast makes the page difficult to read and can cause eyestrain.

4. Visual Balance • Make sure there is a proper balance of text, graphics, and blank space (called white space) on your pages. • A page with too many graphics is cluttered and slow to download. • Too much text can make a site difficult to read. • Minimize your graphics and text, use white space for areas for the eye to rest. • Balance of text, graphics, and white space heightens readability.

5. Graphics • Graphics are the most powerful way to send information over the Internet. • Graphics help create Web sites that effectively present products and services. • Proper use of graphics can make a Web site look and feel like a magazine, offering colorful illustrations and powerful images instead of just plain text.

6. File Types • JPEG ~ Photos • GIF ~ Banners, Logos, Icons, Buttons • Consider resolution • For Web pages 72 pixels per inch is ideal

7. Fonts • Different fonts convey different moods to the readers. • Choosing an appropriate font helps create the right image for your Web site. • Not all computers can read all fonts, use a more common font than an exotic one. • Point size will matter. Too small, difficult to read. Too large, difficult to fit all information on page. • Three elements must work in unison: Font style, point size, and the amount of information presented on the page.

8. Buttons • Help visitors navigate quickly. • GIF file for visitors to click on. • Buttons help visitors find what they are seeking. • Use at the top and/or sides to attract attention. • Use text links at the bottom of the page-just in case the buttons don’t display.