- What is a website convention?
Of course I do not mean the gathering of webmasters and web developers for
a meeting or trade show.
It is a consistent use of visual or technical method within a website that
is just about universally accepted.
One typical convention is underlining in a web site. Though links do not have
to be underlined, it is generally accepted that underlined words are
links. One word in a different color in a body of text also usually
signals it could be a link. Consistency is necessary to lead your website
visitor through your website.
DO NOT UNDERLINE WORDS IN YOUR WEBSITE UNLESS THEY ARE LINKS!
Another typical convention would be that all your menu items in the website
are dropdown boxes.
Typically, site navigation appears on the right or left side of your website,
or at the top of your page, but other links can be embedded within your text.
The bullet and web buttons are fading from the web as a link convention, but
are still practical and useful when used well. There are loads of free or
cheap web buttons on the Internet. Be sure all your buttons look similar if
not the same so people can easily identify them. There are also other web
menu alternatives and inexpensive web design resources available.
You would not mix conventions in the same area of your web site unless the
distinction was blatantly obvious to everyone of any age who visited your
site. An example would be you do not throw in a dropdown box among a list
of text links - especially if it visually appears to look like all the other
links. It would confuse your viewer.
Conventions serve several purposes, the greatest of these for you is:
New web visitor familiarity with your website.
Your web visitor is in new territory upon entering your site. Once your web
visitors get the hang of how you are doing things -how they find the information
they want from you, don't throw them a curve! They probably won't get it.
In this website, when links appear within a body of other text, they are underlined
and in a different typeface. Look at the links on this page.
Consider conventions when determining your overall website
design and in how to present the content
in your web site. Consistency will help your visitor navigate your website,
thus helping you to sell your product or service more easily.
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