I have finally finished my Facebook Fan Page and am running a Fan Appreciation Contest for new fans. New fans are entered to win a $25 Gourmet Coffee Gift card when they introduce themselves on the Discussion Tab under the Fan Contest thread. If you tweet and/or have a fan page, please let me know so I can become your fan and follow your tweets as well!

I hope you’ll enjoy taking a look at my new page, and please don’t hesitate to provide me your feedback!

The Fan Appreciation Contest winner will be notified September 18th and profiled on the Wall. Here is the link: Norma Maxwell | Web Design | Internet Marketing and I hope to see you there!

Is the design of your website important? It is tempting to think that as long as you have a website for your business, you are good to go. After all, it takes time and money to have these things professionally designed–money that could be spent elsewhere. What if, however, you are losing money by ignoring the importance of design? Without a well designed website, you are losing potential customers.

How people perceive your business when they visit your website directly impacts your bottom line. People are influenced by design. Every day, decisions are made based on emotions and understanding directly evoked by the way things appear. People simply do not separate perception and value in their minds.

What makes website design good? Many considerations such as color, layout, and type all powerfully impact how your customers will respond–good or bad. Important characteristics of a well designed website include (note: this is by no means an exhaustive list):

1. intuitive and easy to use
2. a color scheme that makes sense, is visually appealing, and provides enough contrast
3. content that is concise and relevant
4. content that is organized in a meaningful way, making key information easy to find
5. fonts that are easy to read and adjustable in size, so those with impaired vision can make text larger
6. plenty of space around each element, keeping things from appearing overcrowded and chaotic
7. fast loading images/graphics that are relevant to the design, layout, and content of the site
8. compliance with Section 508, making it accessible to people with disabilities

Stanford University has conducted research, among a number of other organizations, that clearly illustrates the correlation our brains make between design and credibility. Design directly influences customer’s emotions and behavior–it makes the difference between a website visitor and a customer.

Your website speaks on your behalf 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Ask yourself if your website is saying what you want to communicate to customers. If not, consider having a professional help you achieve your communication goals through effective design.

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