1. Effective Web Design Strategies

2. Steps for Designing a Website
A. Set Goals
B. Organize Structure
C. Build and Test Pages
D. Launch, Promote and Maintain the Site

3. Set Goals
 Decide on a team/person to develop the website
 Identify the goal of the site
 Identify the target audience of the website
 Analyze the competition and keywords used in the
industry

4. Organize Structure
 Select an available domain
 Register domain with an appropriate registry
 Choose a web host and contact them to hold your site
on their server
 Determine the basic architecture and organization of
your site
 Choose the design elements that control the look of
your site

5. Build and Test Pages
 Determine the content of your webpages
 Create your webpages
 Link and test pages

6. Launch, Promote and Maintain the Site
 Publish/upload the website
 Promote the website
 maintain

7. Programming Languages
 Uniqueness – must be precise and complete –
can’t be ambiguous and expect it to understand
 Examples – C++, Java, Visual Basic, Cold Fusion
 Syntax – Govern the way words are used
 Semantics – What words mean
 Grammar check – The words are used correctly
AND have correct meanings

8. Mark Up Language
 Originated from symbolic codes on manuscripts
explaining printing instructions
 Example – HTML
 Codes/Tags – Enclosed in brackets give instructions
<>
 Example - <b> means to make the text bold

9. Programming Tools
 Tools used to create, maintain or debug other
programs
 Ex. Debuggers, source code generators

10. Web Page Writing Strategies:
1. Write in chunks. Don’t overwhelm with a lot of
information in one paragraph. Keep your paragraphs
at 2-3 sentences each.
2. Use headings. You will make your page easy to
scan.
3. Use lists. Lists will create scannability, as well.
4. Bold. Bolding will allow you to highlight important
information. Bolding is also effective in search engine
promotion. Don’t overbold, things can quickly
become unreadable if everything is bold.
5. Write at an 8th grade reading level. To reach the
majority of readers.

11. Web Page Writing Strategies cont.
6. Watch the jargon. If you have the slightest feeling
that your audience will not understand your specific
terminology – then give definitions.
7. Write it the way you say it. Do write
conversationally. You don’t even have to write in
complete sentences – as long as you are getting the
point across. Sometimes text is easier to read without
complete sentences.
8. Watch out for too many font sizes. A good rule of
thumb in traditional print design is 2 font styles and 2
font sizes, one for headlines and one for the body copy.

12. Strategies for Selecting, Organizing and
Managing Content
1. Select content by making a list of common
consumer questions you would like your website to
answer
2. Organize info by topics, tasks and/or users
1. Topics – products, company info
2. Tasks – verbs – like finding the right print cartridge
3. Users – kids vs. adults
3. Managing content with a consistent navigation
bar and clear labels on every page

13. Guidelines for an Effective & Functional Website
1. Design –
1. not too busy, professional
2. Not cluttered – easy to find info
2. Content –
1. not just text & images,
2. tools too: games, quizzes, calculators, discussion, reviews
3. Usability –
1. pages load quickly,
2. no broken links,
3. consistent navigation – should not have to hit back button